Loping Okie

Got involved in one of those "I will go if you will go" things. Of course he quit after the first weekend but by then I was hooked. Best management or any other training I ever had. As a bonus I met some great people. Ever notice that most wood badgers act like their critters. Always wondered how they matched that up or is it just karma. Buffalos bull there way through, Owls contemplate, Beavers always busy at who knows what Just Loping along (This message has been edited by Loping Okie)

I have used ScoutTrack (http://www.scouttrack.com/) in a Cub Scout Pack and now TroopMaster in our troop. For me it is important to make the most of my limited time with technology where I can. ScoutTrack has the advantage of being completely internet based so multiple leaders can enter information at the same time. It does a good job on advancements but does not do the fanatical part. There is a reasonable yearly service fee and for that as many leaders and parents can sign in as you want. We have TroopMaster with the .Net and Ledger additions. We are using Ledger but I am not involved so dont really know how it works. With TroopMaster.Net multiple leaders can have a copy on there local machine and can change and update the master database on the internet. When one leader has it open, all others are locked out of making changes untils that leader signs off. They can download a read only copy. Both work well so I guess it mostly depends on how you are going to use it.

I dont know about tentsonsale.com but if you are looking for a good deal on quality tents, sleeping bags, ect try http://www.alpsmountaineering.com/Scouts.htm sign up for their scoutdirect program. They have a huge discounts directly to scout leaders and troops. I have bought tents, bags and several other items from them and it is great quality stuff, comparable to REI at very reasonable prices.

Thanks Ronvo for bringing this back to the top of the list. It was a good read for me. I have a similar situation. We have 12 new 5th graders, 3 - 6th graders and two life scouts that are supposedly working on Eagle projects. I really dont expect the two older boys to be around in 6 mo. We split the new boys into two patrols. I am the ASM and former WDL for 5 of the boys in one of the patrols and we add the one boy who came in by himself that that patrol. The other ASM is overseeing the other patrol that came out of his old Pack. It is a very old Troop but has been struggling quite a while. They did not die but for all practical purposes we are starting over. The 6th graders have been in a little less than a year and are almost 1st class. The two older boys rarely show at meeting and although they have been in name SPLs they really are not doing the job and at this point I dont know they ever will be. I hear they had a great SPL a couple of years ago but he moved away. The SM, other ASM and I are relatively new to the troop although the SM has lots of Troop experience with an older son and knows the ropes. We are all WB trained and we have a great group of experienced adults who boys have passed through still hanging around to aid us. At this point we are certainly in still in the coaching stage. I fear if we try to push too fast we will just frustrate the boys. I am seeing steady progress over the last few meetings and we will get there eventually. A couple of the 6th graders show great promise will be capable to running things at some point but they still need a little more maturity to fly on there own. PLC is being run pretty much by the SM because they really would have no idea what needs to be done or where to start. Info is passed on here to the PL and they are responsible informing their patrol of what needs to be done and getting it accomplished. I know it depends on the boy, but has anyone had much success with 12 year old SPLs? How fast do we push for a full boys run troop? You rarely if ever get any more out of someone than you expect. We are setting high expectations for these young boys and they are more than living up to the challenge. Great fun to watch. Glad to see there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I was WDL for 2 years (and CC for one). I recently crossed over to Scouts as an ASM. It is a old (1913) but young and small troop. They were struggling along. The new SM was also a WDL and between the two of us we brought 12 new boys in. There are 3 active boys one year older and a couple of boys who are about to Eagle out. ASM is a lot more enjoyable to me. As both CC and WDL the last year it seems I was doing most everything. I had a couple of boys who wanted all 20 badges and we covered most all of them. It was a lot of work and I think we missed out on some fun things we could have done working so hard on badges. The SM has been there before and has the Vision for a boy run troop. It is great fun watching the boys do for themselves, even though I spend a lot of time with my hands in by pockets and biting my tongue to keep from jumping in.

I have had a short tenure as an adult compared to some of you. A late starter who only stepped up when things started going wrong in the pack. (For which I have much regret in wating that long.) I have been WDL, Pack CC, and helped some as an associate OA Advisor since I have got reinvolved. I had a lots of jobs in the troop as a boy, DC, SPL, PL ASPL, SPL, JAS but that was over 30 years ago! I have now moved over with my son as an ASM and am doing a District job organizing Webelos Woods for this year. I am learning the vision from one of EagleDads ASMs when he was SM. Dont sell the vision short, or the effect of those who have it. It is very infectious and even though I have only a passing acquaintance with Berry I am beginning to see that his Vision is affecting me greatly. Pebbles in the pond... ASM is the most fun I have had in years. Dont see that changing any time soon. Mark

As the old saying goes If you really want something done, give it to a busy person. It is really just a matter of commitment. People can find the time if it is really important to them. That does not mean everyone can take the very next session that comes along. Schedule conflicts do exist. Make a (training) plan and work the plan. That is all we can reasonably ask. Anything worth doing is worth some sacrifice, or at the very least some inconvenience. I take something away from every training. If nothing else you will meet some great people there.

Took my course in the spring... Melted the first weekend and froze the second (2 weeks later) weekend wearing everything in our packs. So goes Oklahoma weather.. most any time of the year. If you don't like it stick around a few days. Hope you get the Lopes... thats a good sign for any WB course.

As the Scouters around her say "If it ain't raining we ain't training". Time to do some Training around here in OK and TX.

People start talking about Standards and I get nervous. (Must be the Engineer in me) In my view of the world there are Standards and there are Guidelines. Standards are rules than need to be followed to the letter because of there importance. Youth Protection and GSS should be standards we all live by. Many other aspects of Scouting Wisdom from on high should be a Guideline. Guidelines are good practice that show the best way to do something. If a program plan is laid out for 20 adult leaders with an unlimited budget to execute and all you can get is 5 leaders and your budget is severely limited, you may have to pick and choose what you take from that plan. BSA does not, in my opinion, always do a good job of drawing a line between the two.

As a Webelos II Den leader nearing the end we have worked on them all. Several of the boys last year got their 20 and my boys all wanted to go for it. (2 or the 5 will make it) I dont know that the boys have burned out but I can tell you the Den Leader has. Cant help but think we would have had more fun with less pressure to get them all done. It also required quite a bit of work at home on many of the badges in addition to weekly Den meetings. I thing the offer to help those who what to take the initiate is the right path. In retrospect I wish we would have worked only on the AoL required and fun ones and did some other things like spend more time camping with Troops.

Might want to look at: http://www.macscouter.com/WoodBadge/WoodBadgeStuff.html Some good info here with references.

Come on Buffalos! You know how us Lopes hate to held back!