Trench and camp. ([Admiral, Md.) 1917-1919, 1918-02-28
ATHLETICS HKlgEFTT lERS
MENTALLY AND MORALLY,
As WELL AS PHYSICALLY

&@MkW A$&Aw1&A@3 3@8 @&G0AAA p@MA@%@ n@
che last fWw months im~prOviding attn
lode roeTUae10m to- SA0 eA@ueam0B ct
men n tho tA1Etv-ew0 lsae5O@es Army
and 0ua9& Gangs @m@ Q 18g9ca@e Of
feB D1aM@ ewg further pgom@&aMg this
vast work are contained On O state
ment issued BY Dr. Joseph y. Ray
esOfe athlete sapesvlBgg og tAe Cem-
missaon, who has moved HIS head
quarters from PYincwtgm Co WaaAimg-
ton for The duration o. tAo wxg.
The keen TeIattORsAfp between ae-
tuaI warfare and the va1ioWa spoTsD
That have been fosteHed I'm the canton
meats n emphasized I'm the s<atament.
The SPORTS inclndea IN the camp eur.
ricnlum, such n boxing. football and
soccer" DE-. RayeTo4t declares. have
been selected moe only 40 means Of
amusement but % prepare ths men
for the struggle 20 come, and the VAL
ne Of the athletic training they have
receive Win b fully realised whaM
they go over the top"
Umt6arm Daesm't Mako OoHdSeR
when the Commission ATyt began
itD work I'm this diRec4tom there was q
weaR-deAm@d belief prevalent that O
soldier was made by putting man In
Q Uniform and teaching him the man-
Eual Of arms" DT. RayeRofv s1atea.
1--WE lave proved the uttag 9All@ey Of
tAis theory By showing that athletics
Increase q MANS fighting eGBcieney 90
well as providing him with wholesome
recreation during hi@ leisure AouT1
some idea OF the scope Of the
work Ne are doing can be obtained By
visualizing the faet that at one wese-
eyn cantOmment 10 baseball aiGmon91
have been laid cut I'm one great Mosd
and game@ have been In sfmultanaOW@
progress on each, while &c another 70
grfdirons, with goal-posts and hlsaeA-
era having . seating e1naesC ~
10. eco. were IN n@a last fAlA
with this picture In mind, Il can
BE- readily seen that the various sports
have besa promoted On . scale IN
paxallelsd An Afseory. Tia cd ordsr
OF things han heen ban1nhad and In ikB
place new rules and regulations have
been formulated to govern conditions
attendant to tie participation Of hun
dreds Of men I'm o single game. For
instance. tha player limit ON football
teams An most camps has BEEN raised
from IL to Is, while in soccer games
In which 900 men have taken part.
with as many % eight TO ten balls Nm
use at once, have occurred frequently.
Nothing Ike Il has ever been at-
tempted before. Experfemee has
TAUGHT Allied officers the great helm
good athletic training renders O
man in battle, but IL has remained for
the United States 70 give sports .
definite place I'm the military program
and make &c plain that o thorough
athletic training In q vital adjunct an
me equipment Of every American soI.
der.
Soccer Highly Valuable
Dwelling on the part that athletScn
VIII play in the conflict, DR.. naycrof1
points out that the training they have
received I'm such sports % boxing and
soccer VIII be OF inestimahA@ valma.
While playing soccer he explains,
20 man must be ready constantly 60
strike ct the bali with either foot. In
this way he naturally acquires q short
gait and balance that viii ssrve him
I'm good stead In t1aveT1ing the
churned and fnrrowed suKface Of 10.
Mans land.
lin boxing." Dr.. RayerOft eontin-
uaa. nearly every blew and position
has its counterpart In bayUneting.
Where Q man Row starts Q left hook
for the head Of his opponent IN o
friendly camp bout, he win soon DO
using the same movements I'm Sending
his bayonet slashing &c the throat Of
an armed antagonist, while Q right
hook to the jaw Will DO duplicated
when he swings the butt Of hia gum
on the Jaw Of dtsarmed foe.
DR.. Rayeroft has been greatly Ella.
ted BY the fashion In which the sal
diers. have taken TO soccar. His state
ment says:
cit Is a highly exhilaxatfng game,
combining the maxfmum Of exercise
and recreation with O training that
win be mighty useful to the men
when they meet the enemy. Then
too, any number can participate In 9
game and 1t can be played I'm the com
pany streets, % no special equip
ment or field are needed. These adj
vantages make it an ideal spcrt for
the campo.
"Plans are now being worked out"
DR.. Raycroft says, whereby pYigea
and individuals for athletic pFolicien-
cy." This, he expects; win excite
even greater interest tn camp sports.
There are mere men participating
In organized athletics today than ever
before" Dr.. Rayeroft concludes, "And
not only Il this training helping them
to at themselves physically, but Il q
hetteging them morally and nhvm.