The Los Angeles Lakers and Time Warner Cable teamed up to bring under-served children an exclusive experience of learning how science, technology, engineering, and math are incorporated into everything seen and done on the basketball court. As part of STEM in Sports, Lakers rookie Jordan Clarkson, assistant coach Jim Eyen, strength and conditioning coach Tim DiFrancesco and the analytics team taught children from Challengers Boys and Girls Club and Environmental Charter Schools about how algebra, geometry and science are all applied in basketball.
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It’s one thing for students to listen to an athlete or celebrity tell them why they should stay in school. It’s another thing for them to be shown the specific ways in which what they are learning in school is related to a sport they love. Clarkson was out on the court with students demonstrating how angles (geometry) are used on the basketball court, demonstrating “L” and “V” cuts to get open. DiFrancesco was explaining the relationship between science and exercise to understand the body. The analytics team (Aaron Danielson and Yuju Lee of Lakers Basketball Operations) demonstrated how algebra is used to decide whether or not a defender should foul his opponent and send him to the free throw line. Plus, the Lakers staff led the students through exercises (including the Lakers standard warmups) to apply and experience firsthand the principles that they learned during the presentations.
STEM in Sports is part of Time Warner Cable’s Connect A Million Minds (CAMM) campaign that inspires kids to learn about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) through sports they love, including basketball.
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