An animation of a science beaker with a bubbling green liquid appears on screen with a title that reads "Sports Lab."

Now Nykeem appears on screen standing on ski slopes. Nykeem is in his thirties, has shaved black hair, is clean-shaven, and wears a brown hooded winter jacket with a black reflective ski mask.

Nykeem says HEY EVERYONE, WELCOME
TO SPORTS LAB WHERE SPORTS
PLUS SCIENCE STARTS
AND AVALANCHE OF FUN.

(Theme music plays)

The opening sequence begins.

Two light blue doors with a title that reads "Sports Lab" open where thousands of sports equipment encircles a classroom skeleton. The animated balls fly throughout the white room stopping at scenes of people playing different sports.

First Nykeem kicking a soccer ball, then a boy on a skateboard, then a tennis ball, then a hockey goalie, and lastly of a group of kids and Nykeem who break on a tennis court and say SPORTS LAB!

All the sports equipment turns into different colours and funnel into a science beaker with green liquid with a label that reads "Sports Lab."

(music plays)

Nykeem appears on screen standing in front of a ski lodge.

Nykeem says MY NAME'S NYKEEM AND
TODAY WE'RE FINDING OUT
THAT WHAT GOES UP,

Nykeem jumps and lands on a ski slope.

Nykeem says MUST COME DOWN.
WE'RE LEARNING ABOUT
PARA-ALPINE SKIING,
WHICH IS ALPINE SKIING
FOR DISABLED ATHLETES.
IT'S FUN AND IT'S FAST.
(CHEERING)

In the white room, the science beaker with green liquid bursts with colours and balls and a title emerges that reads "Skiing."

Nykeem appears on screen standing on the ski slopes and a caption read "Craigleith Ski Club, Blue Mountains, Ontario."

Nykeem says THERE ARE DIFFERENT
WAYS TO SKI PARA-ALPINE.
TODAY WE'RE CHECKING
OUT GIANT SLALOM.
THAT IS WHEN A SKIER WEAVES
IN BETWEEN GATES ON THEIR WAY
TO THE FASTEST TIME, RIGHT DOC?

Now Dr. Heather appears on screen with a caption that reads "Dr. Heather, Sports Scientist." She has straight, dark brown hair in a bun and wears a pink shirt. She stands at a white desk with books and science supplies around her.

Dr. Heather says RIGHT NYKEEM.
SLALOM SKIING RELIES
ON A LOT OF FACTORS
THAT HELP YOU STAY ON COURSE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOUR
SKIS AREN'T ANGLED
TO THE GROUND CORRECTLY,
IT COULD MEAN A FRACTION
OF A SECOND THAT SEPARATES
YOU FROM THE PODIUM.

Back on the slopes, Nykeem says SO STAY SHARP, SPORTS
LAB IS ABOUT TO PEAK.
YO-DA-LE-HE-HOO!

Now Sarah appears on screen with a caption that reads "Sarah." Sarah has long, straight red hair pulled back in a ponytail, and wears a red jacket.

Sarah says HI, I'M SARAH, I'M 12-YEARS
OLD AND I'VE BEEN SKIING
SINCE I WAS 18-MONTHS OLD.

Clips of Sarah skiing appear on screen.

Sarah says I WAS BORN WITH FIBULA HEMIMELIA
WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A LONG WORD,
BUT REALLY IT JUST MEANS THAT
I WAS MISSING SOME BONES.
WHEN I WAS ALMOST A YEAR OLD,
MY RIGHT LOWER
LEG WAS AMPUTATED.
MY DISABILITY AFFECTS ME
THE MOST WHEN I'M SKIING
BECAUSE I CAN'T MOVE MY ANKLE.
SO INSTEAD, I MOVE MORE KNEES
AND HIPS WHEN I'M SKIING.
I LOVE SKIING BECAUSE
YOU GO SUPER FAST,
AND IT'S REALLY FUN.
ALSO, I LIKE HANGING OUT
WITH MY FRIENDS AT THE HILL.

Nykeem walks up to Sarah and says HEY SARAH, WELCOME
TO SPORTS LAB.

Sarah says HI, NYKEEM.

Nykeem says SO TELL ME,
WHAT TYPE OF PARA-ALPINE SKIING
ARE WE LEARNING ABOUT TODAY?

Sarah says TODAY WE'RE LEARNING ABOUT GS,
WHICH ALSO STANDS
FOR GIANT SLALOM.
GIANT SLALOM IS WHERE
YOU'RE TRYING TO GO AROUND
THE RED AND BLUE GATES
AS FAST AS YOU CAN
TO GET THE FASTEST TIME.

Nykeem says WHAT'S GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND
WHEN YOU'RE TEARING
DOWN THE HILL?

Sarah says I'M GOING REALLY FAST,
SO IT'S REALLY FUN.
BUT I'M TRYING TO LOOK
FOR THE TIGHTEST LINES
SO I CAN GO THE FASTEST.

Nykeem says OKAY, YOU WANT TO KNOW
WHAT'S GOING THROUGH MY MIND?

Sarah says WHAT?
(NYKEEM SCREAMS)

Nykeem says OKAY, NOW THAT I GOT
THAT OUT OF MY SYSTEM,
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE
TO LEARN ABOUT PARA-ALPINE?

Sarah says SURE, I'D LIKE TO KNOW
WHEN AND WHERE IT STARTED.

Nykeem says WELL, THEN LET'S TUCK
INTO THE STORY, YAH?

Back in the lab, a book opens and a title flies out that reads "History of Skiing."

Nykeem says PARA-ALPINE.
PARA-ALPINE SKIING
CAN TRACE IT'S ORIGINS
TO WORLD WAR TWO.
SOLDIERS WHO WERE WOUNDED
IN BATTLE USED THEIR SMARTS
TO KEEP ON SKIING.
FOR EXAMPLE, FRANZ
WENDEL, A GERMAN AMPUTEE,
ATTACHED A PAIR OF CRUTCHES
TO SKIS AND HIT THE SLOPES.
WAY TO GO FRANZ.
ELSEWHERE, SEPP "PEPPI."
ZWICKNAGEL, AN AUSTRIAN VETERAN
WHO LOST HIS LEGS,
FOUNDED AN ASSOCIATION
FOR HANDICAPPED SKIERS.
BY 1947, PARA-ALPINE RACES
WERE COMMON IN AUSTRIA.
IN 1974, THE FIRST
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION,
THE WORLD DISABLED
ALPINE CHAMPIONSHIPS,
WAS HELD IN FRANCE
WELCOMING EVERYONE WITH A
SHARED PASSION FOR SKIING.

Back on the slopes, Nykeem says THAT WAS FUN, RIGHT?

Sarah says YEAH.

Nykeem says BUT WHAT CAN BE
MORE FUN THAT THAT?

Sarah says SKIING OR COURSE, COME ON.

Nykeem says I NEED SKIS.

Nykeem trots over to look for skis.

Now Sarah and other skiers ski down the slopes while Nykeem watches.

Nykeem says COME ON, GUYS LET'S GO.
GOOD JOB.
ALL RIGHT.
YEAH, SARAH, WHOO.
(UPBEAT INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)

Afterward, all the skiers say SPORTS LAB!

Nykeem and Sarah sit together after skiing and Nykeem says SARAH, MY HEART
IS STILL PUMPING.
TELL ME, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN
TRYING TO IMPROVE IN GS LATELY?

Sarah says WELL, IN GS YOU
CAN ALWAYS GO FASTER.
SO, I THINK IT HELPS
TO KNOW WHAT FORCES
WORK AGAINST YOU ON THE HILL.

Nykeem says THEN LET'S CARVE OUT SOME TIME
FOR A SPORT SCIENTIST,
DR. HEATHER.

Back in the sports lab, Dr. Heather says WELL CREW, THERE ARE
DEFINITELY A FEW ELEMENTS
TRYING TO SLOW YOU DOWN,
FROM THE AIR AROUND YOU,
TO THE SNOW
UNDERNEATH YOUR BOOTS.
BUT I'VE GOT SOMEONE
LINED UP WHO CAN SHOW YOU
HOW TO MOVE QUICKER ON THE HILL.

Back in the lab, the science beaker with green liquid appears on screen with a label that reads "Pop Quiz." The bottle swirls and flies over to the blackboard with a question.

Nykeem says ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO.
POP QUIZ TIME.
WHY DO SKIERS WAX THEIR SKIS?
A, TO REDUCE FRICTION.
B, TO SKI FASTER.
OR C, ALL OF THE ABOVE.

A skeleton with a red cap says THE ANSWER IS C.

Nykeem says FRICTION IS
THE FORCE THAT SLOWS DOWN
SLIDING OBJECTS.
WHEN SKIERS WAX THEIR SKIS,
IT CREATES A SMOOTHER SURFACE,
REDUCING FRICTION, AND
HELPING THEM GO FASTER.
WAX ON.

Back in the lab, out of the science beaker launches white foam that turns into a slate that reads "Meet the Pro."

Erin appears on screen with a caption that reads "Erin." Erin has shoulder-length straight brown hair, and wears a black down jacket.

Erin says HI, MY NAME'S ERIN
AND I'VE BEEN SKIING
SINCE I WAS
TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS OLD.

Clips of Erin skiing appear on screen.

Erin says I WAS BORN WITH A CONGENITAL
BELOW-THE-ARM AMPUTATION.
AND WHEN FIRST STARTED SKIING
IT DIDN'T REALLY EFFECT ME,
BECAUSE WHEN YOU LEARN HOW
TO SKI YOU DON'T USE POLES.
BUT ONCE I STARTED
RACING, I USED ONE POLE.
AFTER SKI SCHOOL, I GOT
INTO RACING WHEN I WAS ABOUT
SIX-YEARS OLD, BECAUSE ALL
OF MY FRIENDS WERE DOING IT.
SO IT WAS THE
NATURAL THING TO DO.
I LOVE SKIING BECAUSE IT'S
A GREAT WAY TO HANG OUT
WITH MY FRIENDS; AND
I LOVE BEING OUTSIDE.

Nykeem and Sarah walk up to Erin at the top of the slopes.

Nykeem says ERIN, THIS IS SARAH.

Erin says HI, SARAH.

Sarah says HI, ERIN.

Nykeem says SARAH, FIRST THINGS FIRST.
DO YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS FOR ERIN?

Sarah says YEAH, WHAT'S YOUR
FAVORITE SNOW TO SKI ON
WHEN YOU'RE DOING A GS?

Erin says MY FAVORITE SNOW TO SKI ON
DURING A GS IS GROOMED AND HARD
BECAUSE THE SURFACE IS
CONSISTENT FROM THE BEGINNING
OF THE COURSE TO THE END.
BUT I LIKE GIANT SLALOM
SO MUCH, THAT I WOULD SKI
ON ANY TUPE OF SNOW.

Nykeem says OKAY, I'VE GOT ONE FOR YOU.
DO YOU HAVE ANY HELPFUL TIPS
FOR SOMEONE NEW TO SKIING?

Erin says YOU HAVE TO HAVE
A GREAT ATTITUDE
BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING
TO FALL DOWN A LOT.
JUST KEEP GETTING UP.
SOONER OR LATER, YOU
WON'T FALL ANYMORE.

Nykeem says OKAY, SARAH, WHY DON'T
YOU TELL ERIN WHAT WE NEED.

Sarah says WE NEED TO SEE
YOUR FASTEST GS RUN.

Erin says SURE, BUT FIRST LET ME
GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF TIPS.
WHEN YOU'RE SKIING THE COURSE,
MAKE SURE TO LOOK FAR AHEAD
SO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
ALSO, WHEN YOU'RE STARTING,
MAKE SURE TO PULL A LOT
TO GET YOUR MOMENTUM GOING.
DON'T FORGET, WHEN YOU
GET TO THE BOTTOM, TUCK.
OKAY, HERE I GO.
(UPBEAT INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)

Erin starts to ski down the slope and zigzags back and forth between the coloured gates.

Nykeem says WOW, LOOK HOW
FAST SHE'S GOING.
SHE REALLY HUGS ALL THE GATES.

Sarah says YEAH, SHE'S
GOING REALLY FAST.

Nykeem looks at his watch and says DR. HEATHER.

Back in the sports lab, Dr. Heather says HEY TEAM, WHEN YOU'RE
SKIING THROUG THE GATES,
YOU'RE BY YOURSELF.
BUT YOU'VE STILL GOT COMPETITION
IN THE FORM OF DRAG FORCES.
A DRAG FORCE IS RESISTANCE
TO THE MOTION OF A BODY
THROUGH A FLUID.
SO IT'S LIKE WATER SLOWING
YOU DOWN WHEN YOU'RE SWIMMING.
OR AIR WHEN YOU'RE
SKIING DOWN A MOUNTAIN.
A DRAG FORCE MOVES IN
THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION
OF A MOVING OBJECT.
SO WHEN YOU'RE
MOVING DOWN A HILL,
THE DRAG FORCE PUSHES BACK.
THE MAIN TYPE OF DRAG FORCE
IN SLALOM IS AIR RESISTANCE.
THE QUICKER YOU MOVE, THE
STRONGER THE AIR WILL PUSH BACK.
TO COUNTER THE AIR RESISTANCE,
ERIN REDUCES HER SURFACE AREA.
SHE TUCKS HER BODY WHEN SHE
CAN, WHICH MAKES HER SMALLER.
BECAUSE SHE'S SMALLER, THE AIR
CANNOT HAVE AS MUCH EFFECT.
ANOTHER TYPE OF RESISTANCE
IS FROM THE SNOW.
THE SNOW CREATES FRICTION,
WHICH CAN MAKE ERIN SKID
AND SLOW HER DOWN.
ERIN CARVES HER SKIS AROUND
THE GATES, POSITIONING THEM
AT A PERFECT ANGLE SO
THEY CUT THROUGH THE SNOW.
SO, LEARN THE PROPER TECHNIQUE,
AND YOU WON'T BE FACING
AN UPHILL BATTLE.

Back on the slopes, Nykeem says ALL RIGHT, SARAH, I'M
PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE
GETTING COLD FEET, LET'S
SEE WHAT YOU'VE GOT.

Sarah says OKAY.
(UPBEAT INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)

Sarah skis down the slope zigzagging between the colourful gates.

Erin says WOW, WHAT A GREAT TUCK.

Nykeem says GOOD JOB, SARAH.

Back in the lab, the green liquid in the science beaker spills and then dries up to reveal a title that reads "Fun Fact."

Nykeem appears on screen and says WHEN YOU'RE OUT IN THE COLD
SOMETIMES YOU JUST
GOT TO SHIVER.
BUT WHY DOES IT HAPPEN?
A SHIVER'S LIKE THE
OPPOSITE OF SWEATING.
WHEN WE'RE REALLY HOT,
OUR BODY PRODUCES SWEAT
TO COOL US DOWN.
WHEN WE'RE COLD, OUR BODY
SHIVERS TO WARM US UP.
A SHIVER IS CONTROLLED
BY A NERVOUS SYSTEM.
IT TIGHTENS THE SKIN
WHICH CONSERVES HEAT,
AND IT SHAKES THE MUSCLE
WHICH GENERATES HEAT.
IT LOOKS LIKE YOUR
BODY IS DOING A DANCE,
BUT IT'S REALLY YOUR BRAIN
TRYING TO HELP YOU STAY COLD
IN THE COLD.
SO THE NEXT TIME YOU
SHIVER, THINK, THANKS BRAIN.

Back with Sarah on the slopes, Nykeem says ALL RIGHT, SARAH, I HAD
SO MUCH FUN WATCHING YOU
ON THE GS COURSE.
BUT I'M GOING TO TRY A SLALOM
COURSE THAT'S NOT SO GIANT.

Sarah says COME
ON, YOU CAN DO IT.

Nykeem starts to ski through a blue and a red arch and says HERE I GO.
PIZZA, PIZZA, PIZZA, PIZZA.
(SARAH LAUGHING AND CHEERING)

Nykeem falls back after going through the arches.

Back in the lab, colours and balls fly out of the science beaker and a slate reads "Pro Tip."

Now Erin appears on screen and says ONE THING THAT REALLY
HELPED ME WHEN I WAS LEARNING
HOW TO SKI WAS TO REMEMBER
THAT SKIING IS A GRAVITY SPORT
AND YOU WANT TO KEEP
YOUR WEIGHT MOVING
DOWN THE HILL AT ALL TIMES.
SOMETHING THE HELPS ME
REMEMBER THAT IS TO POLE PLANT.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE PLANTING
YOUR POLE IT CUES YOU
TO MOVE YOUR WEIGHT FORWARD.
MY NAME IS ERIN, AND
THAT'S MY PRO TIP.

Now Nykeem appears on screen walking with his skis on his back and says TODAY WE FOUND OUT
THAT UNDERSTANDING FORCE
MEANS YOUR SLALOM
TIME WON'T BE A DRAG.
AND THAT ANYONE CAN
BE AN AMAZING ATHLETE.
NOW I'VE GOT TO TAKE ANOTHER
RUN, BECAUSE IN THE SPORTS LAB
WE'RE IN A HURRY TO
LEARN IN A FLURRY.

The credits roll scenes of kids playing sports appear on screen.

Written and directed by, Johnny Mitchell.
Host, Nykeem Provo.
Editor, David Mitchell.

Produced in association with TVO Kids for riverbank pictures, copyright 1919216 Ontario Inc.