About the Course
How does a pitcher get a baseball to curve mid-pitch? Why does an ice skater spin faster when she pulls in her arms? How can Tony Hawk land a 900, a skateboard trick involving the completion of two-and-a-half aerial revolutions? Physics holds the key to answering these and other fascinating sports questions. This introductory physics course uses sports to explore mechanics: kinematics, dynamics, momentum, energy, and power. You'll experiment with billiard balls to investigate collisions and conservation of momentum, study centripetal forces to determine how fast a racecar can take a turn and use kinematics and projectile motion to discover the best angle from which to shoot a basketball. You and your classmates will explore the real-world applications of physics concepts in sports through lectures, hands-on activities, labs, simulations, mathematical problem sets, and research projects. Along the way, you'll develop a strong understanding of the principles that give star athletes an edge over their competitors.
Typical Class Size: 16-18
Learning Objectives
- Construct a model of Newtonian mechanics from a sport of your choice presenting relevant physics concepts
- Analyze and solve mathematical computations in kinematics, momentum, energy loss, and impulse in colliding systems in sports
- Integrate and apply physics concepts conservation, work, energy, and power to a sport to produce a plan to improve efficiency and performance in sports
About Advanced Enrichment courses
These courses offer above-grade-level material that is presented in a novel context, explored with other advanced learners, and guided by a CTY educator to help prepare students for higher-order thinking and college-style academic challenges. Students work individually and may finish the course early if they complete all requirements before the course end date.
Requirements
CTY courses have grade-level requirements and most require minimum test scores. Some courses may also have prerequisites.
Identification DetailsDates and Tuition
In Person
UC-Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, CA
Residential Site
You will be asked to join or sign in first.
Register by: June 21, 2026
Time Commitment:
This course has a lab fee of $187.
Course Materials
Students should bring basic school supplies like pens, notebooks, and folders to their summer program. You will be notified of any additional items needed before the course begins. All other materials will be provided by CTY.
Sample Reading
These titles have been featured in past sessions of the course, and may be included this summer. CTY provides students with all texts; no purchase is required.
The Physics of Sports, by Michael Lisa
You will be asked to join or sign in first.
Register by: July 12, 2026
Time Commitment:
This course has a lab fee of $187.
Course Materials
Students should bring basic school supplies like pens, notebooks, and folders to their summer program. You will be notified of any additional items needed before the course begins. All other materials will be provided by CTY.
Sample Reading
These titles have been featured in past sessions of the course, and may be included this summer. CTY provides students with all texts; no purchase is required.
The Physics of Sports, by Michael Lisa
Registration Fee and Financial Aid
Tuition and fees will be waived or reduced for students who qualify for financial aid.
Learn more about Financial Aid