The Cub Scout Academics and Sports program complements the scouting program by providing opportunities for scouts to improve scholarship, develop sportsmanship, and explore new games while collecting Cub Scout belt loops and pins. The emphasis of the program is to try new things and to put forth a best effort, not of achieving proficiency or winning. This program is one method of addressing the third aim of Scouting: the development of physical, mental and emotional fitness. Fitness includes the body (well-tuned and healthy), the mind (able to think and solve problems), and the emotions (self-control, courage, and self-respect).
There are currently 28 sports activity areas: Archery, BB Gun Shooting, Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Bicycling, Bowling, Fishing, Flag Football, Fitness, Golf, Gymnastics, Hiking, Hockey, Horseback Riding, Ice Skating, Kickball, Marbles, Roller Skating, Skateboarding, Snow Ski and Board Sports, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Ultimate, Volleyball
And, 25 academics activity areas: Art, Astronomy, Chess, Citizenship, Collecting, Communicating, Computers, Disabilities Awareness, Family Travel, Geography, Geology, Good Manners, Heritages, Language & Culture, Map & Compass, Mathematics, Music, Nutrition, Pet Care, Photography, Reading and Writing, Science, Video Games, Weather, Wildlife Conservation