Arizona KidCats Club

🐱 STORY OF BEAR DOWN

One of the University of Arizona Athletics’ most enduring traditions is the slogan and battle cry, “Bear Down.” But it’s a strange call for the home of the Wildcats. Here’s the story of why we say, “Bear Down.”

In 1926, one of the University of Arizona’s most venerated students and athletes, John “Button” Salmon was killed in a car accident. The coach at the time, J.F. “Pop” McKale, told the football team that Button’s last message to his teammates was, “Tell them... tell the team to bear down.”

The message stuck as the UA students and fans took up the rallying cry. The Arizona band director at the time, Jack K. Lee, wrote the fight song, “Bear Down, Arizona” that you’ll hear echoing through stadiums and fields.

At your next football game, make sure to look for the stature of John “Button” Salmon outside of Arizona Stadium. Whether you rub his head for good luck is up to you but always remember to…Bear Down!

🎶 FIGHT SONG

Bear Down Arizona
(Words and Music by Jack Lee)
Bear Down, Arizona
Bear Down, Red and Blue
Bear Down, Arizona
Hit 'em hard, let 'em know who's who;
Bear Down, Arizona
Bear Down, Red and Blue
Go, go, Wildcats, go;
Arizona, Bear Down

🖐️ WILDCAT HAND SYMBOL

Show your Wildcat pride with the Wildcat Hand Symbol!

Using your right hand, put your pinky finger, ring finger and middle up to form a "W" and your index finger and thumb in the shape of a "C" to complete the Wildcat Hand Symbol!

It’s very important for all KidCats to eat right and stay active in order to grow up to be strong and healthy Wildcats one day! Here are a few pointers from one of Arizona Athletics’ very own trainers on how you can stay in tip-top shape!

Activity is needed to keep your heart healthy and your bones strong. It can also be good fun! Try to include some form of activity every day: it may be just walking to school or running up the stairs. However, games like skipping, basketball, and even tag at break times are good for giving the body a workout. Any form of physical activity that gets you up and moving is great! Try to shoot for 60 minutes a day! Are you up for the challenge?

All the student-athletes at the University of Arizona need to eat healthy in order to have energy and strength to compete! Fruits and vegetables are among the most important foods an athlete can eat and the same goes for kids. We should all try to eat at least 5 servings a day. For example, a glass of fruit juice at breakfast, perhaps an apple and banana as snacks and two vegetables at meal times. There are always fun ways to make your fruits and veggies as tasty as they can be! Try adding shredded cheese to your broccoli or peanut butter to your apples. Be creative in the kitchen!

One of the best things you can do for your health is to drink plenty of fluids! All around Arizona you will see different types of cacti, which can hold water inside them to protect them from the heat of the desert! We aren’t cacti, we’re Wildcats and we need to drink plenty of water in order to withstand the hot hot heat here in Arizona! You should be drinking at least 5 glasses of water each day. Water is preferable but juice and milk are great substitutes every once in a while!

Arizona Playbooks 

Crossword Puzzles 

Make Your Own Rainbow 

Play Bear Down 

Right or Left 

Fill in the Blanks & Answers 

Rhyming Worksheet 

Word Search 

MoneyCoach for Students