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DOCUMENT RESUME SO 031 448 ED 458 147 Degelman, Charles; Hayes, Bill AUTHOR Team Work: Sports and the Law. TITLE Constitutional Rights Foundation, Los Angeles, CA. INSTITUTION 1996-00-00 PUB DATE 13p.; For related lesson plans, see SO 031 449-452. NOTE Constitutional Rights Foundation, 601 South Kingsley Drive, AVAILABLE FROM Los Angeles, CA 90005 ($3.95). Tel: 213-487-5590; Fax: 213-386-0459; Web site: http://www.crf-usa.org/. Classroom Teacher (052) Guides PUB TYPE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE *Basketball; Business; Citizenship Education; Intermediate DESCRIPTORS Grades; Law Related Education; Role Playing; *Salaries; Secondary Education; *Social Responsibility; Social Studies; Teamwork; *Thinking Skills Constitutional Rights Foundation; *National Basketball IDENTIFIERS Association; *Professional Sports ABSTRACT This lesson plan uses students' interest in sports to teach good citizenship. With its focus on rules, responsibility, conflict resolution, and teamwork, the unit emphasizes the development of critical thinking, decision-making, and citizenship skills in young people. This lesson plan is part of a series of fully prepared, interactive classroom lesson plans offered by the Sports and the Law program of the Constitutional Rights Foundation. Each lesson includes detailed teacher instructions, background information, and student handouts. This lesson presents a National Basketball Association (NBA) mock draft. Students roleplay team owners, players, and members of an arbitration panel while dealing with free agency, the salary cap, and building a competitive team. (BT) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and (ktarocu Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) /This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES 0 Minor changes have been made to INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) improve reproduction quality e Points of view or opinions stated IR this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy cr) Mr cwv AVAIABLE Cif) " WO R K Todd Clark Executive Director Marshall Croddy Materials Development Director of Programs and Charles Degelman and Bill Hayes Writers and Editors Andy Schwich Curriculum Designer Director, Sports & the Law Andrew Costly Production Manager CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS FOUNDATION 601 South Kingsley Drive Los Angeles, CA 90005 (213) 487-5590 (213) 386-0459 FAX Foundation 01996, Constitutional Rights 3 Objectives Introduction Students will: onstitutional Rights Foundation's C Sports and the Law program uses stu- Practice cooperative learning, criti- dents' interest in sports to teach good citi- cal thinking, and decision-making zenship. By learning how ruleson and off skills. the playing fieldrelate to society, students Evaluate the pros and cons of an acquire knowledge necessary to become issue (the NBA salary cap). responsible citizens and effective partici- pants in our democracy. CRF believes that Identify and distinguish player posi- good sportsmanship is good citizenship. tions and tasks in basketball. With a focus on rules, responsibility, con- Manipulate player statistics, player flict resolution, and teamwork, Sports and contract information, and salary cap the Law emphasizes the development of guidelines to create a desired result. critical thinking, decision-making, and citizenship skills in young people. Compare attitudes about an issue (the salary cap) before and after This mini-unit is part a series of fully pre- exploring it. pared, interactive classroom lesson plans offered by the Sports and the Law program. Each mini-unit illustrates important aspects of law and society and promotes an understanding of law-related concepts by Materials and linking the excitement of sports to broader Preparation social issues. Lesson One Overview Handout AThe NBA Salary Cap-1 per student This two-lesson mini-unit explores the pros and cons of the NBA salary cap and its Lesson Two influence on the way basketball teams are per stu- Team Management Packet-1 put together. dent In Lesson One, students role play players, Handout BTeamwork Terminology team owners, and review panel members Handout CTeamwork Player Roster who must decide whether to keep an NBA salary cap of $16 million per team per year. Handout DTeamwork Player Pool In Lesson Two, students work together in Prepare a method for drawing lots to deter- small groups to assemble a competitive mine the order of a five-team draft (e.g., team under the rules of the NBA salary selecting cards from the ace through 5). cap. Each group must fill 10 roster spots under the imposed salary cap of $16 million. Groups will attempt to put together "the best team on paper." 3 4 What are the best arguments Lesson One: against a salary cap? (Accept var- The Pros and Cons ious answers.) Role PlayPlayers, Owners, and C. of the Salary Cap Basketball Commissioners A. Focus Activity Tell students that today they are 1. going to play the roles of basketball Ask students: players' representatives, team own- How much money do pro basketball ers, and league commissioners who players make? (They make millions must decide whether or not to of dollars per year.) establish an NBA salary cap of $16 million per team per year. Tell them What will happen to ticket prices if each person will make a two-minute salaries continue to go up? (Ticket presentation before a commissioner prices will rise.) in a group. Do you think limits should be Divide the class into groups of 5-6 2. placed on NBA salaries? Why or students each (preferably 5). Assign why not? (Accept various answers. two students in each group to be Explain that this has been a contro- player representatives. Assign two versy in the NBA as well as other others to be team owners. Assign sports in recent years.) one student the role of league com- The NBA Salary CapReading and missioner. (If you have six in a B. Discussion group, assign this person as another vistrioute Handout A: ihe NtSA I. to students. Ask students Salary Cap Regroup the class so students can 3. to read the handout. consult with one another while preparing for the role-play. Player When they finish, hold a discussion 2. representatives should sit on one by asking: side of the room, team owners on What is a salary cap? How much another side, and commissioners in was the NBA cap in the hand- front. The player representatives and. out? (A salary cap limits the team owners should think up their total amount of money a team best arguments and the commission- can pay all its players per sea- ers should think of questions to ask son. In Handout A, the NBA each side. salary cap was close to $16 million [15.961.) What are the best arguments in favor of a salary cap? (Accept various answers.) 4 Lesson Two: Reassemble the groups of 5-6 stu- 4. dents and begin the role-play. Call Building a Team time for all the groups according to the following schedule: A. Preparation for Small-Group Activity- 2 minutes Player representative #1 . Building a Team 2 minutes Team owner #1 Inform students that NBA teams 1. 2 minutes Player representative #2 . must build teams with players who 2 minutes Team owner #2 fit within the salary cap. Tell students that in a few minutes they are Commissioner's questions 2 minutes going to break into groups and role Remind them the commissioner(s) play owners of professional basket- can interrupt anytime to ask ques- ball teams and try to assemble a tions. championship ball club within a salary cap of $16 million. 4. When the role play ends, allow the commissioners time to make their Distribute a Team Management 2. decisions. Then call on them to give Packet to each student. Review the their decisions and the reasons they packet as follows: decided as they did. Tabulate their Ask students to read Player. votes on the board. Positions on Handout B: Debrief the role-play by asking: Teamwork Terminology. Inform 5. What were some strong arguments? them that their team will need Why? two players at each position. Ask students to read Contracts on Handout B: Teamwork Terminology. Answer any questions they may have. Explain Handout C: Teamwork Player Roster. The first four players (1-4) are already on their team. The next two (5-6) will be taken in a draft. The final four (7-10) will be signed as free agents. Inform them that all the players are listed on Handout D: Teamwork Player Pool. Tell them to pay particular attention to the 5 6 After the draft, tell the groups to fill column in capital letters: POS., 4. the other four positions on their ros- RATING, and SALARY. Explain ter from the list of on Free Agents that each player has a perfor- Handout D. Remind students that mance rating expressed as a they must: decimal such as 3.2. (This rating does not exist in real lifeit's have two players for each of the just so students can get the best five positions. team "on paper.") go over the salary cap of $16 not Tell them that their goal will be to 3. million. get a team that: After the four new players have 5. has the highest-possible player been added, give each group the performance rating; and option of trading one player on the roster for one player on the list of stays beneath the $16-million Tell them to cross off Free Agents. NBA salary cap. the old player and add the new play- Remind them that each team must er and his information and to make have two players at each position. appropriate adjustments in their Small-Group ActivityBuilding an totals. B. Effective Team Have each group total up the team's 6. Divide the class into five groups. performance ratings and salary. 1. (Note: This activity can also be Determine the final results by corn- completed by students working liaring performance ratings of all ;- fh,3 el;Yr r 4-b; c l.,11.421167 draft simulation must be eliminated. Teamwork Roster under the salary This will mean that students can cap. The highest rating wins. on choose any Draft Choices C. DebriefingMaking Choices for Handout D.) Teamwork Have each group draw lots to deter- 2. Ask students: mine its order in the draft. Before What do you think it takes to build a beginning the draft, give the groups winning team? Do you need a star? A a couple minutes to decide who strong leader? A well-balanced team? they want to pick from Draft on Handout D. Choices How did the salary cap influence your efforts to build a good team? Begin the draft. Give each group 3. one minute to make its choice. Do you think a salary cap helps or hurts Have students cross out each player the NBA? Explain. (Compare student who is picked so they will know who opinions to those they held after Lesson is left to draft. Make sure students One.) record their two draft choices on Handout C. 7 6 Handout A, page 1 The NBA Salary Cap the issue of salaly In sports, a great deal of attention has been focused on salary caps put a limit on the amount of caps. Imposed by the league, money a team may pay its players in one year. Salary caps are controversial. Most owners favor them because they cut they put a limit on down on team expenses. Players oppose them because and their salaries. In recent years, differences of opinion between owners baseball players over salary caps have resulted in a strike by major league players and a lock-out of hockey players by their owners. the salary Today, you are going to explore some of the pros and cons of Basketball Association. For one recent cap controversy in the National for each team was $15.96 million. The total season, the NBA salary cap had to fit under this cap. You will amount paid to all players on a team become player representatives, team owners, and NBA commissioners. bad for basketball. To Your task will be to decide if salary caps are good or that do this, you will want to be familiar with the pro and con arguments of this handout. you will find on page two © 1996, Constitutional Bights Foundation. Team Wo rk Handout A, page 2 The NBA Salary Cap SALARY CAP PROS AND CONS Arguments FOR a salary cap (Owners) 1. A salary cap keeps rich teams from spending huge sums of money on This allows a team in a smaller city to compete equally high-priced players. with teams in larger cities that have more income. It A salary cap helps limit runaway pay scales for popular players. 2. protects owners from unlimited player salary demands. The salary cap helps keep costs down and makes team expenses 3. Stability teams attract investors who are interested in seeing more stable. long period of time. expenses remain roughly the same over a Arguments AGAINST a salary cap (Players) . r psi n T a.... 1 _ _ IN, AO V; market economy, players have the right to earn the best possible salary. A salary cap is a tool that the owners want because they cannot con- 2. On one hand, owners complain trol competition between themselves. about skyrocketing salaries. On the other hand, they offer huge contracts to star players. These For every salary cap rule there will be a loophole or exception. 3. "special cases" will defeat the purpose of the salary cap. For Discussion 1. What is a salary cap? 2. What are the best arguments in favor of a salary cap? 3. What are the best arguments against a salary cap? © 1996, Constitutional Rights Foundation Team Work Handout B TEAMWORK TERMINOLOGY Player Positions for bringing the ball up POSITION 1 This is the POINT GUARD, who is responsible fast break and shoots from outside. court and calling plays; usually leads the usually provides the outside POSITION 2 The off guard, or the SHOOTING GUARD, guard; often shooting for a team; usually not as good at handling the ball as the point rebound. shoots off the dribble or drives to the basket; sometimes helps good outside shooter and scorer; POSITION 3 The SMALL FORWARD, is generally a help with rebounding. with the off-guard, gets downcourt on the fast break; may player who plays strong POSITION 4 The POWER FORWARD is a strong, rugged leading scorer, but must defense under the basket and rebounds; not usually a team's "enforcer" because of be able to get offensive rebounds and score; often called an aggressive play. frequently the tallest player and POSITION 5 The CENTER, often called the post, is their center to score a lot; others use may score from close range. Some teams want the center for shot-blocking and rebounding. Contracts pool of amateur (usually col- DRAFT The procedure for selecting players from the of final standings lege) athletes who want to turn pro. Teams select in reverse order drafting order of the from previous season; NBA uses a lottery to determine the teams that do not reach the playoffs. player under contract; NBA salary MINIMUM The lowest salary that can be paid to a minimum is $150,000. RATING The value of each player based on performance. NBA rosters ROSTER The specified number of active players that make up a team; have a maximum of 12. Your team will have a roster of 10. the amount of money a team SALARY CAP Imposed by the league, it puts a limit on total amount paid all players must fit under the may pay its players in one year; the cap. player and a team; player may STATUS The present state of the contract between a deal) or be a free agent. either be under contract (in the third year of a five-year offer his services to any team in FREE AGENT At the end of a contract, a player may league. the league and is free to sign a contract with any team in the 1996, ConStitutional Rights Foundation 10 Team Work