Educator Guide: Why Spiraling Footballs Sometimes Miss the Mark

A child throwing a toy football to an older man standing in the driveway of a suburban neighborhood

When a football flies through the air, it tends to visibly wobble at one of two frequencies. The wobble may cause the pass to veer left or right by as much as a few meters.

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About this guide

Engage your students in science using sports! In this guide, students can explore the physics of football throws and apply the scientific method to a sport of their choice.  

This Guide Includes:

Flying football physics

Students will answer questions about the online Science News article “Spiraling footballs wobble at one of two specific frequencies,” which describes how researchers figured out why spiraling footballs sometimes drift sideways. A version of the article, “Why spiraling footballs sometimes miss the mark,” appears in the September 10, 2022 issue of Science News.