With the second week of the Tokyo Olympics in full swing, I’m going to share with you a story from the 1912 Olympics involving a Native American Indian named Jim Thorpe.

Jim’s early years where a little rough. As a member of the Sac and Fox Nation, in 1887 he was born in Indian Territory in what is now known as Oklahoma. The children of these tribes were separated from their parents an taught to forget their heritage and to be more Anglo-American. His original name of Wa-Tho-Huk translated into English is “Bright Path”, and Jim did have a bright path ahead of him. As a youth he attended Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where he was a two-time All-American for the school’s football team under coach Pop Warner. Some of you who play football may recognize Pop Warner’s name… that’s a whole other story.

Jim went on to participate in the pentathlon and decathlon at the 1912 Olympics held at Stockolm, Sweden. On the morning of his events, Jim discovered that he could not find his shoes. It’s speculated that they were stolen from him the evening before. Luckily, a team-mate found an extra right shoe and Jim found a left shoe in the garbage can. The left shoe was too big for his feet, so Jim improvised and wore extra socks to make it fit. While wearing these shoes, Jim won two gold medals that day.

When presented the challenge of not having shoes to compete in his events, Jim had two options. Quit… or figure out a solution to the problem. We are given the same options every day. If your own shoes have been stolen, if your health is not the best, if your having relationship or family troubles, don’t let it stop you from running your race. To quote Robert Anthony, “You can only have two things in life, reasons and results. Reasons don’t count.”

After his experience at the Olympics, Jim went on to be one of the best athletes in the nation. Playing baseball for the Cleveland Indians and Football for the New York Giants, He was eventually inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame along with the College Football Hall of Fame.

From our beginning days as a Cub Scout, we learn the Cub Scout moto: “Do Your Best”. When we become a Webelo we start to learn about the Scout motto of “Be Prepared”. When combined, these two mottos work very well together. We can be prepared for the hard and challenging times, and when they arise, we can do our very best through them. Let us all strive to have the same attitude as Jim Thorpe had back in 1912 Olympics when the next hardship or challenge presents itself to us.