Digital Athletes in the Classroom:Computing Education for Students Throughthe Digital Transformation of Sports

At the intersection of academia and athletics lies a unique opportunity to enhance computing education through sports, an area that traditionally thrives on physical performance yet is increasingly becoming more data-driven. This work delves into a pioneering pedagogical framework that fuses sports science and medicine with computing education, capitalizing on the intrinsic appeal of athletics to enhance student learning experiences in technology. Sports science and medicine serve as conduits to expose students earlier to research and entrepreneurship, while simultaneously educating them on the fundamental principles of the computing sciences. It emphasizes creating interactive, problem-based learning scenarios that require students to engage in analytical thinking, collaboration, and decision-making, closely mimicking real-world industry challenges. Drawing on case studies and contemporary educational models, this paper underscores the success and scalability of integrating computing sciences with sports, demonstrating significant improvements in student engagement, comprehension, and retention of complex material. It advocates for the widespread adoption of this interdisciplinary model, highlighting its capacity to nurture a new generation of professionals equipped for the diverse demands of the future digital landscape.