STEM

STEMin

SOCCER
in

Marquardt
SPORTS SportsZone

Behind every thrilling slam dunk, last-second slap shot,

and out-of-the park home run are principles of science,
technology, engineering, and math (STEM). STEM in
Sports examines the hidden layers of games and events
that are enjoyed by millions of viewers. Dynamic photos,
helpful diagrams, and vivid text showcase the fascinating
STEM concepts at play in today’s biggest sports.

STEM IN SOCCER
Titles in this Series
STEM IN AUTO RACING
STEM IN BASEBALL
• SIDEBARS
features
Special

STEM IN BASKETBALL
• INFOGRAPHICS
STEM IN FIGURE SKATING
• GLOSSARY
STEM IN FOOTBALL
• ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
STEM IN HOCKEY
• INDEX
STEM IN SNOWBOARDING
STEM IN SOCCER

I S B N 978-1-5321-1353-6
90000

9 781532 113536
BY MEG MARQUARDT

ABD_SIWS_SOCC_COV.indd 1 9/13/17 2:22 PM

 STEMin

SOCCER

SportsZone
An Imprint of Abdo Publishing
abdopublishing.com

BY MEG MARQUARDT

ABD_SIWS_SOCC_FPGS.indd 1 10/10/17 4:50 PM

 ABD OP UBL ISHING . C OM
Published by Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO, PO Box 398166, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55439.
Copyright © 2018 by Abdo Consulting Group, Inc. International copyrights reserved in all countries.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the
publisher. SportsZone™ is a trademark and logo of Abdo Publishing.

Printed in the United States of America, North Mankato, Minnesota

102017
012018

Cover Photo: Joshua Weisberg/Icon Sportswire/AP Images

Interior Photos: Joshua Weisberg/Icon Sportswire/AP Images, 1; Shutterstock Images, 4–5, 10, 17
(top), 17 (bottom), 34, 43; Jon Super/AP Images, 7; Paul Sancya/AP Images, 8–9; Steve Debenport/
iStockphoto, 12–13; Felice Calabro/AP Images, 15; Kyodo/AP Images, 20–21; Ian Tuttle/BPI/REX/
Shutterstock/AP Images, 22–23; Anna Kutukova/Shutterstock Images, 25; Blazej Lyjak/Shutterstock
Images, 27; Le Do/Shutterstock Images, 28–29; Michael Sohn/AP Images, 31 (top); Luca Bruno/AP
Images, 31 (middle); David Vincent/AP Images, 31 (bottom); Joe Petro/Icon Sportswire/AP Images,
33; Kevork Djansezian/AP Images, 36–37; Tony Gutierrez/AP Images, 38–39; Mikkel Bigandt/
Shutterstock Images, 40; Stephen Mcsweeny/Shutterstock Images, 44

Editor: Arnold Ringstad

Series Designer: Maggie Villaume
Content Consultant: Misti R. Wajciechowski, M.Ed., Assistant Professor, Teaching and Learning,
Virginia Commonwealth University

P UBL ISHE R ’ S C A TAL OGING - IN - P UBL IC A T ION D A TA

Names: Marquardt, Meg, author.
Title: STEM in soccer / by Meg Marquardt.
Description: Minneapolis, Minnesota : Abdo Publishing, 2018. | Series: STEM in sports | Includes
online resources and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017946906 | ISBN 9781532113536 (lib.bdg.) | ISBN 9781532152412 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Soccer--Juvenile literature. | Sports sciences--Juvenile literature. | Physics--
Juvenile literature.
Classification: DDC 796.334--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017946906

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 1 KICKING AROUND WITH STEM . . . . . 4

Table of Contents
2 SCIENCE ON THE FIELD . . . . . . . . 12

3 THE GOALS OF TECHNOLOGY . . . . 20

4 ENGINEERING SOCCER GAMES . . 28

5 BEND IT WITH MATH . . . . . . . . . 36

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
online resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
more information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
about the author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

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 From youth soccer to the
professional level, STEM
concepts are always in play.

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 CHAPTER
1
KICKING
AROUND
WITH STEM
T
he game comes down to this

one kick. The goalkeeper is

on her toes. As she prepares

to defend her goal, her mind swirls with

statistics about her opponent. She’s trying

to remember what she has learned about

the player preparing to take the shot. She

knows that 8 out of 10 times, this player

tries to shoot the ball into the lower right

corner of the goal. The keeper knows

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 anything can happen on this kick. But with the math in

mind, she prepares to dive.

Out on the field, the star striker lines up her shot.

This is the last penalty kick of the game. Right now, the

teams are tied. If she scores, her team wins. She knows

that she is facing the best goalie in the league. So it’s

time to pull out a trick shot.

She steps a few feet away from the ball before

running at it full speed. With the inside of her foot, she

strikes the ball at the perfect angle. The ball lifts into the

air. At first, it looks like it’s going right down the middle.

But a closer look reveals it is spinning. As it spins, the

air curves around it. Suddenly, the air starts to force the

ball to curve. The goalie, expecting the usual shot to the

right, lunges the wrong way. The ball curves left past her

and sails into the net.

THE WORLD’S MOST POPULAR SPORT

Soccer, known as football outside the United States,

is the most popular sport in the world. An estimated

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 Soccer is a fast-paced sport with precise kicking and acrobatic
goalkeeping.

1 billion people watched the 2014 Men’s World Cup final.

Worldwide, almost 270 million people play soccer. The

sport continues to increase in popularity.

From youth leagues to professional games, soccer

players are some of the top athletes in the world. Players

pass, kick, and shoot the ball. Defenders chase down

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 ball carriers and try to steal balls away. Goalkeepers

reach and dive to pull off miraculous saves. Soccer is

fast-paced action that requires skill and endurance. It is

fun for fans and players alike.

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 Fans often gather to watch
big games in public areas,
showing strong emotions
when their team is doing
well or poorly.

STEM IN SOCCER
It might not be easy to see at first, but soccer is full

of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)

principles. Science is at the heart of soccer. Each pass

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 Each part of the sport, from coaches’ preparations to players’
training to the game itself, involves many STEM disciplines.

and shot on goal is a feat of physics. Athletes also use

the sciences of exercise and nutrition to stay in shape.

Science is important to growing a perfectly green soccer

field, too.

Technology is also important. Devices tell when a ball

has crossed the goal line. Athletes also wear technology

to help measure their performance. Body cameras and

10

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 sensors give them feedback during practice to help

them pick out ways to improve.

Engineering is another aspect of STEM that might not

seem apparent in soccer right away. But engineers help

design the gear that players wear, such as cleats and

shin guards. They also create the most important part of

the sport: the soccer ball itself.

Math is also important in soccer. Players have to

know the angles of each kick to pass to a teammate.

They can also learn the precise angle to kick a ball to

make it curve a certain way. They need to be aware of

the opposing players’ habits. Statistics help coaches and

teams predict how the competition might pass or shoot.

STEM sets the tone of every soccer game. The best

players use science and math to make jaw-dropping

shots or saves. Researchers investigate ways to make

grass greener and soccer balls more aerodynamic. STEM

concepts come together to help make the most popular

game on Earth even more exciting.

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 Whether the ball is rolling along the grass or flying
through the air, players need a good grasp of
physics to maintain control.

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 CHAPTER
2
SCIENCE ON
THE FIELD
S
occer players are experts in

physics. They might not be able

to carry out complex equations

on a blackboard. But they do know about

the forces and motion that go into kicking

a soccer ball. With practice, soccer players

learn how to harness physics. Along with

players, field managers and referees also

use science to help them make the game

exciting, fair, and safe.

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 KICKING AROUND WITH PHYSICS
Soccer science is controlled by Newtonian mechanics.

This branch of physics is named for the English scientist

Sir Isaac Newton. Newton worked in the 1600s and

1700s. He created a field of study that describes the way

objects move and interact with each other. For example,

when a soccer player kicks a ball, the ball’s motion

follows laws that Newton discovered.

In his work, Newton described three laws of motion.

One of these laws states that an object that is sitting still

needs something to put it into motion. This means that

a soccer ball isn’t going to go anywhere unless someone

kicks it. But once it does get going, it takes some other

force to stop it. This could come from another player’s

foot. It could also be friction from the grass.

Newton’s laws also help describe what happens

when the ball is in motion. When a player kicks the ball,

he transfers energy to it. How fast the ball goes depends

on how hard the player strikes the ball. Newton’s physics

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 Professional players kick the ball with incredible force.

uses a simple equation to describe how this works. Force

is equal to mass multiplied by acceleration. Players use

their muscles to accelerate the mass of their foot into

the ball. That force sends the ball flying.

A good soccer player learns how to utilize Newton’s

laws with finesse. He knows how fast the grass will slow

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 down a rolling ball and just how hard to kick the ball to

pass it to a teammate.

GROWING GREENER GRASS

Creating a green field is a feat of agricultural science.

Soccer fields are often made of a tough type of grass,

such as ryegrass. This grass can stand up to the wear and

tear of games and practices. However, even the toughest

grass will start to turn brown and die off after repeated

use. The field manager’s real challenge is keeping the

turf a bright green.

One tool in a field manager’s arsenal is aeration.

When players or mowing equipment go over the field,

they pack the soil down. That makes it hard for moisture

and air to get to the grass’s root system. Field managers

use special aeration tools to pull out small pieces of soil.

When these soil cores are removed, air and water can

get back into the soil, helping grass bounce back to life.

Science helps prepare the field for game day.

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 aerating
machine

air water

Aeration

Aeration works because it helps roots grow more deeply. It

leaves wide open holes in the soil. These holes allow water
and air to get into the soil. The process also promotes new
growth. As the soil slowly fills back in, grass roots can grow
longer and stronger. This makes for healthier, hardier grass
for soccer fields.

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 VANISHING SPRAY
If a player on one team commits a foul, the other team

gets a free kick. A free kick is just what it sounds like.

The kicker gets to pass or shoot the ball without any

interference. The opposing team needs to stay at least

10 yards (9 m) away from the kicker.

Referees estimate how far away the defenders need

to stand. But until recent years, defenders often crept

forward to gain an advantage. Thanks to the science of

chemistry, that’s no longer possible. To help referees

Science
in Action

GOING GREEN
Millions of people travel to the World Cup. All
that travel means a lot of pollution from planes,
trains, and cars. In 2008, the organizers of the
World Cup took steps to counteract some of those
emissions. They picked projects that would help
communities. For example, one project in South
Africa converted the way citrus farms power their
operations. Instead of using coal, some now use
sawdust, which emits less pollution. By taking
this step, FIFA and the World Cup helped make
the impact of the game more environmentally
friendly.

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 keep control of the game, they use special vanishing

spray. It is made up of chemicals such as butane and

propane. These chemicals mix with a foaming agent.

When the referee presses down on the nozzle, a white

foam is laid down on the field. Defenders have to stay

behind the line or risk being called for a foul. In a few

minutes, the foam evaporates.

ATHLETE NUTRITION
Nutrition, or the science of food, is important in soccer,

too. Players are running almost nonstop during the

game, so they have to have the right kind of fuel to keep

going. Carbohydrates provide this fuel. Protein repairs

muscle tissue. Soccer players focus on eating lean meats

and as many fruits and vegetables as possible. Since

they work out hard during practices and games, players

often have a post-workout snack of some kind. This

helps them regain the energy they just burned off with

healthy refueling.

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 One type of ball with a built-in sensor is connected
wirelessly to a watch worn by referees.

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 CHAPTER
3
THE GOALS OF
TECHNOLOGY
S
occer seems like it might be a

game that doesn’t rely much

on technology. After all, it can

be played with just players and a ball. But

technology can have a big impact on the

sport. One of the most commonly used

pieces of technology is the goal line sensor.

Other types of sensors, both inside the

ball and on players’ clothes, help bring

technology to the game too.

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 GOAL LINE SENSORS
The most important moments in any soccer game are
shots on goal. In order for a goal to count, the ball has to

cross the white line between the goal posts. This white

line is called a goal line. However, in the moment, it’s not

always easy for a referee to see exactly where the ball

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 A referee tests out the
goal line sensor system
before a match.

was when the keeper stopped it. Even though

referees are highly trained, sometimes they

make mistakes that can cost a team the game.

To cut down on human error, some soccer leagues

have started to use goal line sensors. This technology

can map exactly where a ball goes on the field.

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 Some setups use cameras all over the field, not just

on the goalposts. This allows the system to calculate a

shot’s complete path from when it leaves the kicker’s

foot to when it lands in the goal.

This sort of technology can let the referee know

instantly if a goal has been scored. Some referees

wear a watch that is hooked up to the tracking system.

When the ball crosses the goal line, his watch lights up

with capital letters: GOAL.

SENSORS IN A BALL
Another version of goal line technology uses a magnetic

field. The goal posts are covered in wires. Between

them, a magnetic field is generated. Inside the soccer

ball, there are more lightweight wires.

The wires in the ball are key. When the ball crosses

the goal line, it disrupts the magnetic field. A player or

referee crossing the line can’t cause the same disruption.

When referees review the data, they can be confident

that if the field is disrupted, it’s only because of the ball.

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 1. Equipment in the frame of the
goal creates a magnetic field.

3. Sensors study the changes in

the magnetic field to determine
the ball’s exact position.

Goal-Line Sensors
2. The ball has copper coils inside. When
it approaches the goal’s magnetic field,
the magnetic field changes slightly.

One type of goal line technology uses a magnetic field. The

magnetic field is analyzed by a large antenna off the field.
When a ball approaches the magnetic field, the antenna
senses that. That antenna can then send a message to the
referee that a goal has been scored.

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 This sort of technology makes certain a goal is counted.

Or, just as important, it can make sure that a ball that

didn’t actually make it into the goal isn’t counted.

WEARABLE TECH
Technology isn’t only about scoring goals. It’s about

setting goals, too. Players often use wearable tech to

help track their performance. Some of the tech is simple.

It might monitor how fast and far a player is running. It

could report on heart rate. Wearable tech can also get

in Action
Technology

ROBOTS PLAYING SOCCER

Sports are a great way to test the limits of
robotics. Athletics require a lot of coordination,
but they also require a lot of smarts. Roboticists
have to make robots that can move around the
field. The robots also have to know when to
pass and how to set up goal shots. Each year
there is a World Cup, there is also a RoboCup. At
the RoboCup, different teams of roboticists pit
their creations against each other. This sort of
competition drives new innovations in robots.
With each new RoboCup, the robots become
smarter, more capable players. Still, it will
probably be a long time before they are as good
as the human players in the real World Cup.

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 Fitness watches have become popular with all kinds of athletes.

more specific. Some devices measure a player’s posture

as they run. This can help them make corrections to

improve their speed.

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 Cleats help players stay agile on slippery grass, and
shin guards protect their legs.

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 CHAPTER
4
ENGINEERING
SOCCER
GAMES
E
ngineering in soccer can be

seen in the game’s equipment

and gear. The soccer ball itself

undergoes careful engineering to make

sure an expert player can handle the ball

well. Cleats and shin guards are carefully

designed to help players be quick and

mobile while also staying safe.

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 DESIGNING THE BALL
From far away, a soccer ball may look like a perfectly

round ball. Up close, it’s a different story. Soccer balls

are full of seams. The most iconic ball is the black and

white one. These balls are made of 32 different panels.

The panels are pentagons and hexagons. However, other

balls have different numbers of panels. There may be

anywhere from 6 to 32 of them. These panels come in

different shapes and sizes. Because the shapes of the

panels change, there are subtle changes in how the ball

moves through the air.

For example, the 2014 World Cup ball had only six

panels. This ball is known as the Brazuca. Fewer panels

means fewer seams and fewer places where stitching

is apparent. When air catches on the stitching, the

airflow is disrupted. This can make the ball’s path

more unpredictable. With relatively few panels, the

2014 World Cup ball moved smoothly through the air.

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 2006 World Cup,
Germany

2010 World Cup,

South Africa

Soccer Ball Designs

2014 World Cup,
Brazil

Soccer ball surfaces are an impressive use of geometry. The

panels have to fit together perfectly to make a ball-like
shape. Sometimes the panels are rigid geometric shapes,
such as pentagons or hexagons. But some balls, such as
the one used in the 2014 World Cup, are made up of more
flowing shapes. For each World Cup, engineers design a new
ball. The small changes may make the balls move differently
when rolling or flying through the air.

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 For a professional player playing in the world’s biggest

tournament, such engineering makes a big difference.

GEAR
Soccer players compete in special shoes called cleats.

Cleats have a series of spikes or studs on the bottom.

This lets the shoes dig into the grass and avoid slipping.

Cleats allow players to change direction quickly without

losing their footing.

in Action
Engineering

A KNUCKLE BALL
The 2010 World Cup ball was called the Jabulani.
During the competition, players complained about
how it handled. When kicked at top speeds, it
seemed to veer off course. When that happens, it’s
called knuckling. The ball took erratic, unexpected
turns. The effect can be seen in some baseball
pitches, too. In baseball, the pitcher wants the
knuckling to happen. In soccer, knuckling is a
negative effect. The Jabulani upset players so
much that they began calling it a “supermarket
ball.” This insult was harsh to engineers who had
spent so much time making what they thought
was the perfect ball. But sometimes even the best
in the business can make a ball that turns out not
to work as expected.

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 Cleats have different shapes based on the type of grass being
played on.

Cleats are not just an afterthought in soccer gearing.

They take center stage. For the 2016 Olympics, engineers

spent a lot of time thinking about the top of the shoe.

They wanted to make a shoe that was better at gripping

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 Players can choose gear that works for their game and matches
their personal style.

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 the ball. If the shoe has a flat, slippery surface, the ball

can slide off. Engineers created a shoe with grooves

and peaks. It is made out of 3D-printed yarn. When the

ball hits those shoes, the material absorbs some of the

impact rather than letting the ball just bounce off. That

way the player can have more control over the ball.

Shin guards, or shin pads, are an important part

of soccer safety. A shin guard covers the front of the

leg from ankle to knee. It is typically made of durable

plastic. Since kicking is the main thing that happens in a

soccer game, shins can take a real beating. Shin guards

protect against bruising, cuts, or even broken bones.

Shin guards aren’t one-size-fits-all. Different players

use different guards designed for their position. For

instance, a goalkeeper, who isn’t in the middle of the

action, needs only lightweight ones. A defender may

need much heavier protection.

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 Retired soccer star David Beckham was well known
for his ability to bend the ball around defenders to
score goals.

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 CHAPTER
5
BEND IT
WITH MATH
M
ath is everywhere

in soccer. Players

need to know how to

shoot the ball at the best angles.

They also need to know how to

time passes and shots. And the

very best players learn the best

mathematical trick of all. They

learn how to bend a kick, making

it take an unexpected angle through

the air.

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 THE PERFECT PASS
It might seem like the shot on goal is the only kick that

matters in soccer. But in reality, all the kicks that come

before a shot are just as important. The passes that

set up a shot have to be precise. The ball has

to reach teammates who are in the middle

of defenders. All of this requires players to

know a lot about math.

One thing players learn about is relative

speed, or how fast they are going compared to

the person they are passing to. The goal is to get off a

lead pass. A lead pass reaches a player while she is still

mid-run. That way the player doesn’t have to slow down

at all. The player can just take the ball and keep

pushing toward the goal. But to pull this off, the

passer needs to time the kick perfectly. She

must kick the ball to where her teammate is

going to be, rather than where the teammate

is right now.

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 Players often have to track down a pass in mid-run to stay
ahead of the other team.

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 Shooting from the front of the goal gives players the most
angles to choose from.

ANGLES ON GOAL
A soccer goal might look like a big target, but in reality it

can be tricky to get a shot in. It’s easy for a player to kick

the ball too high or too wide. In order to score a goal,

players have to practice kicking perfect angles.

If a soccer player were standing directly in front of

the middle of the goal, he or she would have a pretty

big opening to hit. But the farther to the side a player

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 goes, the smaller the opening becomes. Imagine trying

to throw a crumpled piece of paper through an open

door. Right in front of the door, this is easy. But standing

right against the wall, it’s almost impossible to get the

paper through.

Soccer players face the same challenge. A player

standing all the way to the right side of the goal can

only take a shot on the far left side. They are standing at

too sharp of an angle to make the ball go in. Unless, of

course, they can get the ball to bend.

MAGNUS EFFECT
Good soccer players can do more than kick in a straight

line. They also learn how to put some curve into the

ball’s path. This type of curving is called the Magnus

effect. It all comes down to the way the ball leaves the

player’s foot. If a player hits the ball with the inside of

her foot, she can send it off with a bit of spin.

That spin causes a change in airflow. As the ball

spins, it causes the air around it to move. The air

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 moves around the ball in the same direction the ball is

spinning. This causes the ball to be pushed slightly off

course from straight. The ball’s path bends in midair.

Even if a player is standing at a really wide angle, they

can take advantage of the Magnus effect to hook the

ball into the goal.

The mathematical part of the Magnus effect still

comes down to angles. How fast the ball spins depends

math
in Action

SOCCER AND MATH EDUCATION

Romania, a country in Europe, struggles with a
high rate of school dropouts. In 2016, its men’s
soccer team tried a new way to help get kids
excited about math. In a training session for a
match against Spain, its players wore jerseys with
math problems on the back. Solving the problems
would give the players’ actual numbers. For
instance, one player’s jersey said, “(6×5-4)/2.” His
number was 13. A Romanian soccer official said,
“We want to have a healthy generation and smart
students who achieve performance and tools
through tailored passions. Through this project,
children will learn the basics of football and have
an opportunity for the first time in our country—
to discover mathematics through an attractive
approach.”

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 FORCE FROM KICK
DIRECTION OF
RE
SU
LT
I NG
FL
IG

SP
HT

IN
PA
TH

DIRECTION OF
FORCE FROM

Combined Forces
MAGNUS EFFECT

DIRECTION OF FORCE FROM KICK

+
DIRECTION OF FORCE FROM MAGNUS EFFECT (CAUSED BY SPIN)

RESULTING FLIGHT PATH

The force of a kick launches a soccer ball into the air in a

specific direction. However, when the ball is spinning, the
Magnus effect adds another influence to the ball’s motion.
This results in a curved flight path that confuses defenders
and makes amazing goals possible.

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 Goalies must anticipate the angle of a shot to make a thrilling
diving save.

on the angle that the ball is struck at. How much a

player wants the ball to spin depends on where she is

standing in relation to the goal. A perfect Magnus effect

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 shot takes a lot of practice before a player knows how

to intuitively handle all those angles. But once she does,

she can kick one of the hardest-to-stop goals.

SOCCER: A CHAMPION OF STEM

From growing a greener field to calculating the perfect

pass, STEM fields help make the sport work and give

soccer players a chance to work to their full potential.

Technology helps keep the game fair with goal line

sensors. And engineering keeps players safe and geared

in the best equipment.

The ball itself is perhaps the best example of STEM.

Science dictates how it moves through the air. It can be

fitted with technology for goal line sensors. Its structure

and surface are carefully engineered. And a player

must consider the mathematics of angles when taking

a tricky shot. STEM is at the heart of the world’s most

popular game.

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 Glossary
AERATION MECHANICS
To circulate air through soil. A branch of science dealing
with force and motion.
FORCE
Energy acting on an object. ROBOTICIST
Someone who designs and
FRICTION builds robots.
The force that results when
two objects rub against each SEAM
other. A place where pieces of a
soccer ball’s surface are
GEOMETRY stitched together.
The branch of math dealing
with shapes. TURF
The playing field.
MAGNETIC FIELD
An area in which a nearby
magnet’s influence can be
detected.

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 Online Resources

To learn more about STEM in soccer, visit abdobooklinks.com.

These links are routinely monitored and updated to provide
the most current information available.

More Information
BOOKS
Kortemeier, Todd. Total Soccer. Minneapolis, MN: Abdo
Publishing, 2017.
Marthaler, Jon. Soccer Trivia. Minneapolis, MN: Abdo
Publishing, 2016.
Monnig, Alex. The World Cup. Minneapolis, MN: Abdo
Publishing, 2013.

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 Index
aeration, 16–17 laws of motion, shin guards, 11, 29,
14–15 35
bending kicks, 37, shoes, 32–35
41–42 Magnus effect, 41–45 shot angles, 6, 11,
37, 40–41, 44, 45
cleats, 11, 29, 32–33 Newton, Isaac, 14–15 soccer ball designs,
nutrition, 10, 19 30–31
field managers, 13,
16 Olympics, 33 vanishing spray,
18–19
goal line sensors, 10, passing, 7, 9, 11, 16,
21, 22–25, 45 18, 26, 37, 38, 45 wearable technology,
goalkeepers, 5, 6, physics, 10, 13–15 26–27
8, 35 popularity, 6–7 World Cup, 7, 18, 26,
grass, 11, 14, 15, 30–31, 32
16–17, 32 referees, 13, 18–19,
22–25
kicking force, 14–15, robots, 26
43 Romania, 42
knuckling, 32

About the author

Meg Marquardt started as a scientist but decided she liked
writing about science even more. She enjoys researching
physics, geology, and climate science. She lives in Madison,
Wisconsin, with her two scientist cats, Lagrange and Doppler.

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STEM
in

Marquardt
SPORTS SportsZone

Behind every thrilling slam dunk, last-second slap shot,

and out-of-the park home run are principles of science,
technology, engineering, and math (STEM). STEM in
Sports examines the hidden layers of games and events
that are enjoyed by millions of viewers. Dynamic photos,
helpful diagrams, and vivid text showcase the fascinating
STEM concepts at play in today’s biggest sports.

STEM IN SOCCER
Titles in this Series
STEM IN AUTO RACING
STEM IN BASEBALL
• SIDEBARS
features
Special

STEM IN BASKETBALL
• INFOGRAPHICS
STEM IN FIGURE SKATING
• GLOSSARY
STEM IN FOOTBALL
• ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
STEM IN HOCKEY
• INDEX
STEM IN SNOWBOARDING
STEM IN SOCCER

I S B N 978-1-5321-1353-6
90000

9 781532 113536