Spalding is spreading the word on the scientific principles of its NEVER FLAT basketball in classrooms across the country. “The Science of Basketball” curriculum which provides more than 11,000 science teachers across the country with handouts and posters, reaching approximately 1.1 million students, began this spring and will be used as part of sports science curriculum for years to come.
“The Science of Basketball” posters which feature NBA All-Star and Boston Celtics Paul Pierce (shown below) will be displayed in classrooms. In addition four lesson plans will be taught throughout the spring. The plans and curriculum handouts include 1) Meet a Basketball Scientist, 2) The Way the Ball Bounces (shown below), 3) The Energy of the Game, and 4) The Science of the Shot.
In the Commonwealth alone (Massachusetts, the birthplace of basketball and Spaldings corporate base), 244 middles schools grades 5th-8th were introduced to “The Science of Basketball” curriculum providing an approximate reach of 24,400 students, 732 teachers and 24,400 parents.
Spalding is also encouraging students to get creative and will implement a “Design a Basketball” contest. Students submit their own personal design of a basketball. The winner will have 50 specially marked basketballs with the winning, personal design delivered to their school by an NBA player in late May.
“The vast majority of our target consumers are students, so the classroom is a logical place for the Spalding brand to interact with them in a unique and unexpected way,” stated Christy Hedgpeth, director of branding and licensing. “More importantly, we are proud that the program gets kids excited about science by using product innovations like NEVER FLAT as a subject matter.”
