Athletics

Merit Badge Workbook

This workbook can help you but you still need to read the merit badge pamphlet.
This Workbook can help you organize your thoughts as you prepare to meet with your merit badge counselor.
You still must satisfy your counselor that you can demonstrate each skill and have learned the information.
You should use the work space provided for each requirement to keep track of which requirements have been completed,
and to make notes for discussing the item with your counselor, not for providing full and complete answers.
If a requirement says that you must take an action using words such as "discuss", "show",
"tell", "explain", "demonstrate", "identify", etc, that is what you must do.
Merit Badge Counselors may not require the use of this or any similar workbooks.
No one may add or subtract from the official requirements found in Scouts BSA Requirements (Pub. 33216 – SKU 653801).
The requirements were last issued or revised in 2020 • This workbook was updated in June 2020.

Scout’s Name:__________________________________________ Unit: __________________________________________

Counselor’s Name: ____________________ Phone No.: _______________________ Email: _________________________

http://www.USScouts.Org • http://www.MeritBadge.Org
Please submit errors, omissions, comments or suggestions about this workbook to: Workbooks@USScouts.Org
Comments or suggestions for changes to the requirements for the merit badge should be sent to: Merit.Badge@Scouting.Org
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
If meeting any of the requirements for this merit badge is against the Scout’s religious convictions, the requirement does not have
to be done if the Scout’s parents and the proper religious advisors state in writing that to do so would be against religious
convictions. The Scout’s parents must also accept full responsibility for anything that might happen because of this exemption.

1.Do the following:

a. Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards you may encounter while participating in athletics activities, and what
you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these hazards.
Hazards:

What you should do:

Workbook © Copyright 2020 - U.S. Scouting Service Project, Inc. - All Rights Reserved
Requirements © Copyright, Boy Scouts of America (Used with permission.)
This workbook may be reproduced and used locally by Scouts and Scouters for purposes consistent with the programs of the Boy
Scouts of America (BSA), the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) or other Scouting and Guiding Organizations.
However it may NOT be used or reproduced for electronic redistribution or for commercial or other non-Scouting purposes without
the express permission of the U. S. Scouting Service Project, Inc. (USSSP).
Athletics Scout's Name: ________________________

b. 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.
Sprains:

Strains:

Contusions:

Abrasions:

Blisters:

Dehydration:

Heat reactions:

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Athletics Scout's Name: ________________________

2. Do the following:
a. Before completing requirements 3 and 5, have your health-care practitioner give you a physical examination, using the
Scout medical examination form.
The Scout medical examination form (Annual Health and Medical Record Form) can be downloaded from this link::
https://www.scouting.org/filestore/HealthSafety/pdf/680-001_ABC.pdf
b. Explain the importance of a physical exam

c Explain the importance of maintaining good health habits, especially during training - and how the use of tobacco
products, alcohol, and other harmful substances can negatively affect your health and performance in athletic activities.

d. Explain the importance of maintaining a healthy diet.

3. Select an athletic activity that interests you.. _______________________________________________________________

Then do the following:
a. With guidance from your counselor, establish a personal training program suited to the activity you have chosen.

Athletics - Merit Badge Workbook Page 3 of 10

Athletics Scout's Name: ________________________

c Follow this training program for three months.

b. Create a chart to monitor your progress during this time.

Date Progress

c. Explain to the counselor the equipment necessary to participate in this activity, and the appropriate clothing for the time
of year,
Equipment:

Clothing:

Athletics - Merit Badge Workbook Page 4 of 10

Athletics Scout's Name: ________________________

d. At the end of four (sic) months, review the chart you created for requirement 3b, and, discuss with your counselor what
progress you have made during training. Tell how your development has affected you mentally and physically.
Progress:

Mental and Physical effects:

4. Do the following:
a. Give the rules for two athletic activities, one of which is the activity you chose for requirement 3.
Activity 1: ______________________________________________________________________________________
Rules:

Athletics - Merit Badge Workbook Page 5 of 10

Athletics Scout's Name: ________________________

Activity 2: ______________________________________________________________________________________
Rules:

b. Discuss the importance of warming up and cooling down.

Warming up:

Cooling down:

c. Explain to your counselor what an amateur athlete is and the differences between an amateur and a professional athlete.

Athletics - Merit Badge Workbook Page 6 of 10

Athletics Scout's Name: ________________________

Amateur:

Professional

Differences between amateur and professional:

d. Discuss the traits and importance of good sportsmanship.

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Athletics Scout's Name: ________________________

Tell what role sportsmanship plays in both individual and group athletic activities.
Individual

Group

5. Complete the activities in FOUR of the following groups and show improvement over a three-month period:
Activities Beginning Three Months Later
c Group 1: Sprinting
a. 100-meter dash
b. 200-meter dash
c Group 2: Long-Distance Running
a. 3k run
b. 5k run
c Group 3: Long Jump OR High Jump
a. Running long jump OR running high jump (best of three tries)
b. Standing long jump OR standing high jump (best of three tries)
c Group 4: Swimming
a. 100-meter swim
b. 200-meter swim
c Group 5: Pull-Ups AND Push-Ups
a. Pull-ups in two minutes
b. Push-ups in two minutes
c Group 6: Baseball Throw
a. Baseball throw for accuracy, 10 throws at a target (distance to
be determined by age): ages 11 to 12, 20 feet; ages 13 to 15,
30 feet; ages 16 to 17, 40 feet
b. Baseball throw for distance, five throws (total distance)

Athletics - Merit Badge Workbook Page 8 of 10

Athletics Scout's Name: ________________________

c Group 7: Basketball Shooting

a. Basketball shot for accuracy, 10 free-throw shots
b. Basketball throw for skill and agility, the following shots as shown on the diagram (on next page)
1. Left-side layup
2. Right-side layup
3. Left side of hoop, along the key line
4. Right side of hoop, along the key line
5. Where key line and free-throw line meet, left side
6. Where key line and free-throw line meet, right side
7. Top of the key
8. Anywhere along the three-point line.
c Group 8: Football Kick OR Soccer Kick
a. Goals from the 10-yard line, eight kicks
b. Football kick or soccer kick for distance, five kicks (total
distance)
c Group 9: Weight Training
a. Chest/bench press, two sets of 15 repetitions each
b. Leg curls, two sets of 15 repetitions each

Athletics - Merit Badge Workbook Page 9 of 10

2Athletics Scout's Name: ________________________

6. Do the following:
a. 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.

b. 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.

When working on merit badges, Scouts and Scouters should be aware of some vital information in the current edition of
the Guide to Advancement (BSA publication 33088).Important excerpts from that publication can be downloaded from
http://usscouts.org/advance/docs/GTA-Excerpts-meritbadges.pdf.
You can download a complete copy of the Guide to Advancement from http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/33088.pdf.

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