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Athletics Merit Badge
Being involved in an athletic endeavor is not only a way to have fun, but it also is one of the best ways for a person to maintain a healthy and strong body, living up to the promise each Scout makes "to keep myself physically strong."
Requirements
- Show that you know first aid for injuries or illnesses that could occur while participating in athletic events, including sprains, strains, contusions, abrasions, blisters, dehydration, and heat reactions.
- Explain the following:
- The importance of the physical exam
- The importance of maintaining good health habits, especially during training
- The importance of maintaining a healthy diet
- Select an athletic activity to participate in for one season (or four months). Then do the following:
- With guidance from your counselor, establish a personal training program suited to the activity you have chosen.
- Organize a chart for this activity and monitor your progress during this time.
- Explain to your counselor the equipment necessary to participate in this activity, and the appropriate clothing for the season and the locale.
- At the end of the season, discuss with your counselor the progress you have made during training and competition and how your development has affected you mentally and physically.
- Do the following:
- Give the rules for two athletic activities, one of which is the activity you chose for requirement 3.
- Discuss the importance of warming up and cooling down.
- Explain to your counselor what an amateur athlete is and the differences between an amateur and a professional athlete.
- Discuss the traits and importance of good sportsmanship. Tell what role sportsmanship plays in both individual and group athletic activities.
- Complete the activities in FOUR of the following groups and show improvement over a three-month period:
Group 1: Sprinting
- 100-meter dash
- 200-meter dash
Group 2: Long-Distance Running
- 3k run
- 5k run
Group 3: Long Jump OR High Jump
- Running long jump OR running high jump (best of three tries)
- Standing long jump OR standing high jump (best of three tries)
Group 4: Swimming
- 100-meter swim
- 200-meter swim
Group 5: Pull-Ups AND Push-Ups
- Pull-ups in two minutes
- Push-ups in two minutes
Group 6: Baseball Throw
- Baseball throw for accuracy, 10 throws
- Baseball throw for distance, five throws (total distance)
Group 7: Basketball Shooting
- Basketball shot for accuracy, 10 free-throw shots
- Basketball throw for skill and agility, the following shots as shown on the diagram:
- Left-side layup
- Right-side layup
- Left side of hoop, along the key line
- Right side of hoop, along the key line
- Where key line and free-throw line meet, left side
- Where key line and free-throw line meet, right side
- Top of the key
- Anywhere along the three-point line
Group 8: Football Kick OR Soccer Kick
- Goals from the 10-yard line, eight kicks
- Football kick or soccer kick for distance, five kicks (total distance)
Group 9: Weight Training
- Chest/bench press, two sets of 15 repetitions each
- Leg curls, two sets of 15 repetitions each
- Do the following:
- Prepare plans for conducting a sports meet or field day that includes 10 activities, at least five of which must come from the groups mentioned in requirement 5. Outline the duties of each official needed and list the equipment the meet will require.
- With your parent's and counselor's approval, serve as an official or volunteer at a sports meet to observe officials in action. Tell your counselor about your responsibilities at the meet and discuss what you learned.
Resources
Scouting Literature
Backpacking, Canoeing, Climbing, Cooking, Cycling, Fishing, Fly-Fishing, Golf, Hiking, Horsemanship, First Aid, Personal Fitness, Rowing, Skating, Small-Boat Sailing, Snow Sports, Sports, Swimming, Waterskiing, and Whitewater merit badge pamphlets.
Books
- American College of Sports Medicine. ACSM Fitness Book. Human Kinetics Publishers, 2003.
- American Red Cross. First Aid/CPR/AED Program Participant's Booklet. American Red Cross, 2001.
- Burke, Edmund R., Ph.D., ed. Precision Heart Rate Training. Human Kinetics Publishers, 1998.
- Carr, Gerry. Fundamentals of Track and Field. Human Kinetics Publishers, 1999.
- Dintiman, George Blough. Speed Improvement for Young Athletes: How to Sprint Faster in Your Sport in 30 Workouts. National Association of Speed and Explosion, 2002.
- Ellis, Joe, D.P.M. and Joe Henderson. Running Injury-Free: How to Prevent, Treat and Recover from Dozens of Painful Problems. Rodale Books, 1994.
- Fortin, Francois, ed. Sports: The Complete Visual Reference. Firefly Books Ltd., 2000.
- Green, Laurence S., and Russell R. Pate. Training for Young Distance Runners. Human Kinetics Publishers, 1996.
- Jackson, Colin. Young Track and Field Athlete. Dorling Kindersley Publishing, 1996.
Organizations and Web Sites
Amateur Athletic Union
National Headquarters
P.O. Box 22409
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Telephone: 800-228-4872
Web site: http://www.aausports.org
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
One IBM Plaza, Suite 2500
Chicago, IL 60611-3604
Telephone: 312-464-9700
Web site: http://www.aapmr.org
Mayo Clinic
200 First St. SW
Rochester, MN 55905
Telephone: 507-284-2511
Web site: http://www.mayoclinic.com
National Youth Sports Safety Foundation Inc.
One Beacon St., Suite 3333
Boston, MA 02108
Telephone: 617-277-1171
Web site: http://www.nyssf.org
The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
Department W
200 Independence Ave. SW, Room 738-H
Washington, DC 20201-0004
Telephone: 202-690-9000
Web site: http://fitness.gov
Teenagers Today
Web site: http://teenagerstoday.com
TeensHealth
Web site: http://kidshealth.org/teen
USA Track and Field
One RCA Dome, Suite 140
Indianapolis, IN 46225
Telephone: 317-261-0500
Web site: http://www.usatf.org
U.S. Olympic Training Center
National Headquarters
One Olympic Plaza
Colorado Springs, CO 80909
Telephone: 719-866-4500
Web site: http://www.usoc.org
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