BROWNIES' OLYMPIC DAY : ACHIEVEMENT, CAMARADERIE EMPHASIZED OVER RIVALRY.

Byline: Enrique Rivero Daily News Staff Writer

Crossing the finish line at the end of the obstacle course, Jenny Sargent hopped out of her potato sack and with an arm pumping ``Yes!'' ran under the barricade and into her mother's waiting arms.

The 8-year-old from Camarillo was one of hundreds of Brownies who took part in Saturday's Brownilympics at the Thousand Oaks High School stadium. It wasn't that she performed particularly well that had her so excited - it was that she was having so much fun.

``I liked it,'' she said, still a little winded from the exertion. ``I like to do stuff with other people and race.''

In fact, the second annual Brownilympics wasn't necessarily about winning, said Tom Lucas, director of the Conejo Valley/Camarillo Brownilympics. Every participating girl came away with a medal, with those doing well in two or three events getting an extra gold star.

The girls race against the clock, not each other, Lucas said.

``We try not to emphasize this as a competitive experience, but as a fun day,'' he said.

About 385 first- through third-graders participated in this year's daylong Brownilympics, a significant jump from last year's 230, Lucas said.

Organizers hope the trend continues and that next year's participation will be double this year's, Lucas said. That shouldn't be difficult, given the roughly 1,400 Brownies in the scout region that covers Camarillo in the north to Westlake Village in the south, he said.

``We know we can - we try to take this a step at a time so we're not completely overwhelmed,'' he said.

There were seven events: obstacle course, soccer dribble, softball throw, 40-yard dash, 240-yard relay, sack relay and inner-tube relay.

Though the youngsters got to demonstrate their athletic prowess to the 900 or so family members and friends who came to watch, an experience in camaraderie was the most important thing the girls could take away from the event, Lucas said.

The youngsters not only met girls from other troops, but they learned the importance of rooting for each other, Lucas said.

``My daughter has gotten more out of this association with other troops than anything else,'' he said. ``The Brownies have become a social family for us.''

Jenny Sargent's mother, Pam, who is a co-leader of Jenny's Troop 335, agreed: ``It pulls the troop together, cheering each other along and cheering the other troops along.''

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2 Photos

Photo: (1--color) Sarah Speer, 8, races through inner tu bes in one of seven events during Saturday's Brownilympics.

(2--color) Melody Kennedy, 7, scoots between cones at the Thousand Oaks High School stadium.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News