12th March 2013, 6:30pm
Spin it to bend it: science and the swerving free kick, Ken Bray (Senior Visiting Fellow at the University of Bath)
Abstract
Spin is an important ingredient in the tactics of many ball games and David Beckham’s swerving free kick in football is perhaps the most spectacular example of this important technique.
Beginning with a brief review of the pioneering work of early mathematicians, the talk will move quickly on to the aerodynamics of ball flight and show how free kicks can be measured and modelled in practice. Video clips of some spectacular shots will be analysed to show how well the necessary skills have been assimilated by the game’s elite players. The talk will conclude with some observations on the aerodynamic stability of the modern football and its tendency to bamboozle unwary goalkeepers with its chaotic movement through the air.
Ken Bray is a Senior Visiting Fellow at the University of Bath. Originally qualified as a theoretical physicist, he now specialises in the science of football and has acted as a consultant to Southampton Football Club. His scientific work includes numerous journal and conference publications and he is also the author of the popular book How to Score – science and the beautiful game.
Venue: Kingswood School, Bath, BA1 5RG
No charge is made to attend meetings and non-members are welcome.