TULSA – FC Tulsa, in partnership with the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board (OERB) and Tulsa Public Schools (TPS), hosted its Kickin’ for Kinematics event on Tuesday at Titan Sports and Performance Center. This innovative initiative brought together Booker T. Washington High School physics students and FC Tulsa players to explore the intersection of STEM and sports.
The event marked the start of a semester-long project where TPS students will apply physics concepts to real-world scenarios, using FC Tulsa’s training sessions as one of its live case studies. The students, guided by Booker T. Washington physics teacher Frederick Jones, captured video data during FC Tulsa’s practice to be analyzed during the semester as students tackle STEM-related problems developed by their teachers.
“To gain experience outside of the classroom and take this footage and produce video analysis with it is not only great in terms of the accuracy they can apply to the measurement but also the meaningful nature of their data and recommendations,” Jones said.
“In a couple of short months, they will be making recommendations to players and staff on how they can improve their craft. A lot of them are athletes themselves, so the students are being charged with taking personal interest, maybe a personal challenge in their own sport, and seeing how it applies to the sport of soccer.”
Kickin’ for Kinematics, sponsored by OERB, allows students to engage with physics concepts in a hands-on environment. They analyzed the motion, force and energy observed during FC Tulsa’s training, applying their classroom knowledge to real-world applications. The project will culminate in the fall, with students presenting their findings to a panel of judges, including representatives from FC Tulsa and OERB. These presentations will not only showcase their understanding of physics but will also include recommendations on how FC Tulsa players can improve their performance based on the analysis.
“This project continues to grow and build,” Jones said. “We’ve had a number of students that have turned it into their own individual research for the IB program at Booker T. – taking the data we collected in the fall and turning that into a deeper internal assessment.”
This unique partnership between FC Tulsa, TPS and OERB is designed to foster a deeper connection between STEM education and everyday life. By merging the classroom with the field, students are given the opportunity to see the practical applications of physics in action, creating an enriching experience that will enhance their learning.
FC Tulsa is excited to be a part of this initiative, which showcases its ongoing commitment to the community and education. The club looks forward to seeing how the students use their findings to make informed recommendations to the team. OERB, as the event’s sponsor, continues to support STEM education across Oklahoma and is proud to provide students with valuable, hands-on learning opportunities that prepare them for the future.
