OBJECTIVES

To encourage pride in growing strong in mind and body. To foster a sense of personal achievement by developing new skills and interests. To convince boys that fitness is essential to good health.

Where to go and what to do

	Attend high school track and field meets, football games, etc.
	Use a local gymnasium for a den or pack Olympics.
	Attend a professional sports event.
	Invite a high school athlete to discuss his training, including the importance of diet and rest.
	Set up and run a physical fitness obstacle course and run it as a race.

What is an athlete?

An athlete is one who keeps his body physically fit... strong, graceful, coordinated and agile...a desire of practically every boy. Tell your boys about the athlete and what it takes to become one. Impress them with the fact that the body is a priceless gift and only a few minutes of exercise each day are required to keep it physically fit. By adequate exercise, getting the proper food each day - adequate servings from the four food groups - and taking care himself, a boy can become an athlete.

The activities of the Athlete Activity Badge can help a boy measure up to the standards of strength, agility, endurance and coordination necessary for good active Boy Scouting and activities in later life.

Many WEBELOS leaders use Athlete as the first badge a boy earns upon joining the den. This starts off their year in WEBELOS with an early badge to inspire them onward. By laying out a permanent, accurately measured 50-yard dash and 600-yard run neat your meeting place, you can easily test your new WEBELOS in less than half an hour. Use a stop watch when timing these sprint and distance runs.

As the boy completes the requirements, fill in Column 1 of his Fitness Progress Chart in his WEBELOS book.

For fun and to stimulate interest in improving their physical abilities, use some of the dual contests found in the WEBELOS Book and the Program Helps.

To be an athlete, a person must be physically fit. This means he can rise to each task with bounce and enthusiasm and enjoy life mote than anyone who is physically unfit. If he is fit as a boy, he can be fit as a man.

REMEMBER: When putting boys to any test, the important thing is that they do their best! While some in physical feats do excel, some others in mental abilities do well. So don't compare and expect the same of all; let each set his Personal Best goal. "Give them encouragement and praise their skill, and you'll find they will strive their best to fulfill".

Obstacle Course

These are some suggestions on how to layout an obstacle course, depending on the abilities of the boys. Missed obstacles have to be repeated.

1. For hand-over-hand crossing obstacle, use a 12' ladder raised 6' above the ground.
2. Old tires from a service station placed flat on ground for broken field running obstacle.
3. Three sawhorses to jump over and under.
4. Tarp, 6'x8' (or larger) on ground for somersault.
5. Curved 2' wide path, marked by string or by other means. Runner must stay in bounds.
6. Wooden 2x4, 10' long, laid on the ground with narrow side up to cross without losing balance. Peg the board at intervals to prevent it from wobbling.
7. Large carton or crate to crawl through.
8. For hand-over-hand climb, use 9' knotted rope or broomstick rope ladder.
9. Series of 2' and 4' high boxes to dive over head first, landing on hands.
10. Ladder laid of bricks or boards about 6" off of the ground. Run fast through the ladder rungs.
11. Marked path to the finish line.

    -Boys' Life, January, 1972, and Theodore Roosevelt Council, 1987 Pow Wow Book.