Health and Fitness - Red Star Activities

No matter who you are, having an active life is the first step in being fit and healthy. These activities will teach you the basics of how to take care of your body and keep it in shape.

RED STAR
ATHLETE BADGE
CYCLIST BADGE
SKATER BADGE
SKIER BADGE
SNOWBOARDER BADGE
SWIMMER BADGE
TEAM PLAYER BADGE
CANADIAN HEALTHY LIVING AWARD

RED STAR (Updated November 1999)
Choose and do any five of the A Requirements and any two of the B Requirements. 
A. Requirements
1. Choose and do any five of the athletic activities illustrated in this chapter (front roll, back roll, etc.).
2. Develop and follow your own personal active living program, with at least 15 minutes per day of activity for a two-week period.
3. Describe some safety rules for water activities.
4. Lead a group in an active game, and explain why good sportsmanship is important.
5. Discuss how to protect your body from injury in different sports (e.g. using eye protectors, mouth guard, helmets or padding).
6. Show the proper way to sit, stand, walk and run. Learn how to take your pulse rate before and after exercise.
7. Plan balanced meals for home or camp.
8. Describe the dangers of the common cold, and explain three ways to prevent it from spreading.
9. Describe how to take care of your own clothing and belongings, and explain why such care is important.
10. Describe how to take care of your hair, ears, eyes, teeth, nose, nails and feet, and explain why. Explain the importance of washing your hands before handling food, before eating, and after using the washroom.
B. Requirements
1. Meet with a health worker or other knowledgeable adult to discuss, or make a display showing the effects tobacco use has on your body.
2. Meet with a health worker, police officer or other knowledgeable adult to discuss, or make a display showing the effects alcohol and drug abuse have on your body.
3. Design, build and use a simple gym or an outdoor obstacle course.

BADGE ACTIVITIES

ATHLETE BADGE
1. Show the proper way to sit, stand, walk, and run. Learn how to take your pulse rate before and after exercise.
2. Explain to an adult and your six the importance of diet, sleep, and exercise to the development of your body.
3. Take part in an ongoing personal fitness program. Explain the importance of warm-up and cool down exercises.
4. Demonstrate your best in any seven (7) of the following:  
     a) a 50 metre run 
     b) a 200 metre run 
     c) a running high jump 
     d) a running long jump 
     e) a standing long jump
     f) sit-ups
     g) push-ups
     h) a rope or pole climb 
     i) a baseball or frisbee throw 
     j) a long distance run 
     k) rope skipping

CYCLIST BADGE
1. Own or have access to, and use an approved bicycling helmet while earning this badge. Explain how to tell if a helmet is approved for bicycling.
2. Have the use of a bicycle that is the right size for you and conduct the following safety check:
     a) Check lights, reflectors, pedals, seat, horn or bell for good working condition
     b) Check handle grips for tightness
     c) Check steering assembly for tightness
     d) Check tires for air pressure and cuts
     e) Check all nuts and bolts for tightness
     f) Check chain for tightness and properly oil the chain
     g) Check wheels for wobbles and broken spokes
     h) Show how to keep the bike clean
3. Explain the meaning of the following street signs or signals and how to properly respond:
     a) Stop sign
     b) Yield sign
     c) Pedestrian crosswalk sign
     d) Colours of a traffic light
     e) Railway crossing sign
     f) One way sign
4. In a safe, off-road area, demonstrate the following skills:
     a) Start, stop and pedal smoothly
     b) Ride in a straight line
     c) Do a shoulder check: while riding in a straight line, look back over your shoulder for a few seconds. Be able to ride in a straight line while looking back and tell your leader what you saw
     d) Hand signals for left turn, right turn and stop
5. Explain why you should stop and check for traffic before riding out of your driveway and know what side of the road to ride on.
6. Explain how to make yourself more visible at night by wearing bright and reflective clothing, use of bike reflectors and lights.
7. Explain other bicycling safety tips such as riding in wet weather, avoiding road hazards such as holes and grates, avoiding car doors, and how to lock your bike.

SKATER BADGE  (ice, roller skates or in-line skates) 
1. Know and discuss the safety rules for skating. For ice skating, include ice safety. For roller skating and in-fine skating, include street safety and use of protective gear such as helmet, pads and gloves.
2. Show how to care for your skating equipment.
3. Demonstrate how to start and stop on a given signal. Then demonstrate any five of the following moves: 
     a) Skate forward with arms free or behind body
     b) Skate backward
     c) Make turns to left and right, cutting corners
     d) Skate in a curve counter-clockwise
     e) Glide on one skate for three metres
     f) Forward and back edges on alternate feet on curves not less than five metres
     g) Forward cross cuts, clockwise and counterclockwise, on a circle three metres in diameter
     h) Back cross cuts, clockwise and counterclockwise, on a circle three metres in diameter
     i) Two jumps with clean and controlled landings
     j) A simple spin on two feet

SKIER BADGE  (downhill and cross-country) 
1. Show how to carry poles and skis properly.
2. Show how to care for your equipment properly, including how to store it off-season.
3. Explain some rules for safety when skiing.
4. Put on your own skis and adjust the bindings properly.
5. Climb a hill using side-step, traverse and herringbone.
6. Snowplow straight down a hill in complete control.
7. Do right and left linked snowplow turns.
8. Describe how to get help in case of a skiing accident.
9. Explain how to dress for various types of weather.
10. Do either (a) or (b):
     a) Show the safe use of a rope tow, T-Bar or chair lift
     b) Describe the emergency equipment and supplies you should carry on a cross-country ski trip

SNOWBOARDER BADGE  (Updated January 2000)
1. Show how to care for your board and boots, and how to put them on properly,  (This should be include the use of a "runaway strap" or a "leash".)
2. Demonstrate how to mount and dismount either a surface lift (rope tow, T-bar, poma and platter) or a chairlift - whichever is used on beginner and intermediate hills in your area.
3. Explain proper dress, including the use of a helmet, when in snowboarding parks or half pipes.
4. Demonstrate your ability to do the following:
     a) Walking/skating
     b) Climbing side stepping
     c) Straight running (toe/heel drag)
     d) Traverse with a stop
     e) Static rotation exercise
     f) Isolated beginner turns
     g) Linked beginner turns
5. Know and understand the Alpine Responsibility Code.

SWIMMER BADGE  (Updated November 1999) 
Hold the Canadian Red Cross AquaQuest Level 7 swimming award, or do the following:
1. Explain and show how to use the buddy system.
2. Show how to check a swimming area for possible dangers, such as deep water, rocks and slippery surfaces.
3. Complete all of the following:
     a) Tread water in deep water (over your head) for a minimum of 1½ minutes.
     b) Enter the water using the front dive (the stride position).
     c) Front crawl 25 metres.
     d) Back crawl 25 metres.
     e) Endurance swim of 50 metres.

TEAM PLAYER BADGE
1. Be a regular member of an organized sport team. The team must be under the supervision of a Cub leader or other approved person.
2. Explain the basic rules of the sport you play.
3. Take part in at least six games.
4. Show a good sportsman-like spirit in all Cub games and activities.

AWARDS

CANADIAN HEALTHY LIVING AWARD
1. Earn the Red Star.
2. Earn one of the Health and Fitness related badges.
3. Earn two of the Outdoor Activity related badges.
4. Participate in a hike-a-thon, bike-a-thon, road relay, special runs or someone other activity that creates public awareness for being fit and healthy.
5. Create a display or participate in a program based on some of the Olympic sports.
6. Research and report on a Canadian outdoor person or sports figure who has made significant contributions to Canada or the world. 
7. Help show other Cubs how to safely participate in a physical activity of your choice.