Sports Over Camping

[Proud Eagle]

Long diatribe to follow. Please skip if you don't enjoy that sort of thing.

 

 

Sports does a better job of marketing to society as a whole. They also have a better starting position. Every school has many sports teams. Almost all colleges have major athletic programs. There are pep rallies for sports. There is entire section of the newspaper dedicated to sports (and at best a page per week on community groups). There are sporting events on radio, broadcast networks, satellite, and cable. Heck, card playing gets more TV time in a week than Scouting does in a year. Then there are all the celebrity athletes. Some are NHL, NBA, MLB players. Others are Olympic athletes. It is hard to convince people that Scouting is really important when society gives more of its attention to a single man (pick any of several) then it does to an entire program.

 

Now, some of us have had the opportunity to experience both sports and Scouting in our own lives. I personally liked Scouting more. Sure my parents encouraged me to play sports, but they also encouraged me to do Scouting. In the end, Scouting was what did it for me. I probably should have stayed in sports longer, but I wouldn't trade my Scouting memories for the all the sports in the world.

 

If I was a parent, I think I would look at Scouting as a more important thing. All you really need to do is look at the mission and vision and ask what do sports have to compete against that? Sure, its a great thing for Scouts to also play sports. But honestly, does every kid really need to play six sports?

 

The truth is though, sports have become some sort of cultural thing with a life of its own. The fact that we have so many fat kids, and fat adults, indicates the sports programs aren't doing as good of a job in promoting physical fitness as they once did. On the other hand, we now have a bunch of fanatical sports junkie parents that place the sports programs above almost everything else in their children's lives. It is pretty common for parents to write notes saying their kid couldn't do his homework because a little league game didn't end until 11:00 pm, and this for elementary age kids. There are lots of otherwise church going people who will decide to put a Sunday practice or game ahead of going to church.

 

I think the both the fanatics and the people that lose interest are both a product of the current sports culture. There isn't really much room any more for the kid that just wants to play for fun and doesn't really want to commit 24/7 to the team or the sport. So what happens is some people don't do any sports, while others become sports junkies.

 

I think this has even impacted the quality of high school athletes, at least around here. Think about this. The star basketball player in 6th grade, it is assumed, will eventually be a key player on the local high school's varsity team. At the same time, the mediocre player, it is assumed will never even make the JV team once he gets to high school. Coaches devote attention to one, not the other. One continues in the sport, the other does not. Now, three years later, they both enter high school. The former 6th grade star is now a 5'6" kid with some trouble playing against his taller contemporaries. The kid that quit playing, is now the tallest member of the freshman class. That sort of thing happens. On the other hand, if the former star had been the one with the growth spurt, maybe he would have gone on to become one of those new wonders that goes directly to the NBA from high school.

 

 

Now Scouting on the other hand is different. We don't have an MVP. We don't have an all-star team. We don't try to turn the coaches son into the star player so he will be a starter on the varsity team some day and maybe get a college scholarship. We don't demand total commitment. We don't tell a kid to give 110% or get lost.

 

Instead, we will take in just about anyone. We have room for the eager beaver, the slow poke, and lots of room for those normal kids, that don't want to dedicate their life to a sport, or Scouting, but instead want a place to have some fun, be with other kids, maybe learn something, and still have a life.

 

Something I would be willing to bet on. More Scouts probably do Scouting in their adult life, than athletes do sports. If we look at total life time as our retention goal, I bet we do better than any sport out there.(This message has been edited by Proud Eagle)

[fotoscout]

Bob, the problem is that no one in the Troop is a spectator, everyone is a participant. Everyone contributes to, and everyone affects the end product. In a play everyone has a 100% commitment, even the understudy. How would that play turn out if the understudy was a part timer and had to go on stage knowing only some of the lines?

 

But getting back to the original question, its about commitment. Coaches demand commitment, and we dont. When the boy decides to play soccer, its in part because the coach expects him to be at the game and the boy doesnt want to let him down. Call it a guilt trip if you want. We dont do that.

 

When little Johnny says to his CM, I wont be at the Cub Campout this weekend because I have a Soccer Game, the CM replys, Im sorry to hear that, you are going to miss some good stuff, well miss you.

 

If it were turned around, the coach would respond, Gee Johnny, I was counting on you being at the game, the team really needs you. Why dont we go talk to your dad and see if youll reconsider.

 

[Eagledad]

>>Those 10 boys can work themselves to death in an effort to better the program, but the other 20 are going to stand as an impediment to progress at every turn.

[Bob White]

They are a spectator until you make them a participant. Kids are used to being made to sit still and listening to aduls. We train them that way in school, at home, visiting relatives at church. To kids, when in the company of adults, this is a sit and listen world.

 

To make matters worse, far too many scout meetings are sit and listen programs. Is it any wonder kids don't show up for scouting when it is more of the same sit and listen that they do all day long at school.

 

To say as a defense, "yeah but this one was different" isn't going to make a difference. They all have to be different. Scouts have to expect that having a great meeting is the norm not the exception.

 

We need to quit looking for outside forces to solve our problems. When it comes to the program, we are the solution, the unit volunteer. Do not expect anyone, or anything else to make your meetings fun for scouts. Do not expect others to change, do not expect the world to change. If your meetings are not keeping the scouts coming back for more...then you have to change.

 

 

 

 

[hops_scout]

I'll come right out and say it for those who dont already know it-- I play 3 sports at the high school level. I'm a Star Scout. Several of my friends are getting their Eagle Projects completed. I have found that most who end up quitting Boy Scouts will quit sports as will. And vice versa. My brother is guilty of that.

 

We cant catch them all.

 

Right now, our SM is afraid our troop is dwindling. We're working to find out why. I dont think it is sports.

 

We are working to get out of this "Mr. Jones Show" and get it run by the boys. I am going to turn it around. I've been elected ASPL so I will be SPL in 6 months.

 

I'll add more when I've got the time, but I've gotta run for now.

[evmori]

Sit and listen world? Spectators until you make them participants? This isn't the '50's! Father Knows Best isn't a top ten show anymore!

 

Kids will participate in whatever interests them. No one has to make them participants!

 

Sit and listen?

 

Scouting doesn't demand commitment like sports or band or acting does. Scouting is sort of just there as an extra curricular activity for kids to participate in if they want to. Should there be more commitment? Sure! But getting that commitment is a tough thing to do. Maybe if they would sit & listen that would help!

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[hops_scout]

Alright, so as I started earlier...

 

Somebody had mentioned that we, as Scouts, dont get the publicity that sports do. That is totally true.

 

Last night my sisters were watching some show where a girl's mom goes through like 3 guys' bedrooms looking for a "good" guy for the girl to date.

 

Whatever...

One boy's room was completely spotless. It looked as if the room was cleaned every 15 minutes. She opens up his closet (very little privacy on the show) and what's she find? A Boy Scout uniform; recognized instantly. Turns out, he's an Eagle Scout. He's got this medal and a bolo tie hanging in his room, etc. She finds his laptop and starts looking at the history of where he's been, etc. What's she find? Apparently hard-core porn.

 

That is the publicity that I've seen for Boy Scouts of TV for as long as I can remember. He looks great, sounds like a great person. He's still a boy! I can honestly tell you I have looked at it.. I wont lie, but I sure didnt stay on that site long.

 

How can we get the word out more? Tell ya what, I'll start a new thread spun-off of this one so we can post our ideas.

 

 

[ManyIrons]

I share your frustration Its Me, but if I may suggest, your focus is wrong. How many of your Cub Scout will be attending the campout? Like hops has already offered, you won't always have 100% participation. Don't agonize over who isn't attending, instead look at how many do. If you look at it from that angle and focus on providing a quality program, I believe your unit will be healthy and your level of satisfaction will increase. Its when you have virtually no participation that you need to worry.

 

On the issue of Scouts vs sports, I'm definitely in the camp of those who say if you aren't providing an interesting program you can't complain about attendance. But it must be recognized that even if you have a great program it still doesn't mean you'll always draw 100% attendance.

 

Lets face it, our own constancy sometimes does us in. While each sport generally has a life span limited to a few specific months, the troop is a year-round activity. If a boy wants to participate in that sport, hes limited to a specific time period and if he misses it, he may have to wait until next year. On the other hand, the boys know that the troop will be there when the season is over. Sure he may miss a cool campout or an awesome field trip, but he knows therell be others.

 

Look at it another way, if the rules of the team are such that you cannot miss practices or games then by skipping troop meetings and campouts, the boy is meeting his obligations to the team. You can miss Scout meetings and campouts with minimal impact -- unless you have a leadership position (and thats a separate topic). From the boys perspective its the difference between Ill get kicked off the team versus Ill have to wait a few extra months to make rank. Which one looks more devastating to a 12-14 yr old?

 

I have several boys in my troop that are very active in sports and become virtual ghosts during their particular season. Do I like it? Honestly, no, but its their choice. Do I worry about it? No. I focus on the program, because for every boy who skips a troop activity for sports I have at least two who choose Scouting. Do I discuss it with them during SM conferences? Yes, but I do it in a very matter of factly and non-threatening way. Im not there to chastise their choices, only to help them understand the results.

 

So if I were to choose a course of action from Bob Whites list Id say 1 and 3.

 

1, because on some level you have to accept it, and 3 because you never stop trying to produce a program that attracts the maximum number of boys.

 

So, bottom line Its Me, go on that campout and have a great time with your Cubs and at the next Pack meeting cover a table with photos, brochures, patches, etc. to show everyone what you guys did and how much fun you had.

 

Focus on the program and make sure you have fun. The rest will take care of itself.

 

[Its Me]

Good comments ManyIrons and all. Really thanks for the replies. I will have more than half my cubs for all or part of the campout. I have one family that just joined our den and I believe they are acquiring the equipment to old fashion way; borrowing it!

 

Both sports an scouting have a place within our youth's childhood. The only thing that I was a little bent on was that this is our premier Cub campout, but there will be a couple other campouts in the spring.

[Proud Eagle]

Just a thought.

 

Perhaps using sports analogies to explain the imporance of that once a year event may be a good idea.

 

Let everyone know it is the Cub Scout equivalent of the final tournement or something along those lines.

[BigMac]

When planning an annual event great care needs to be taken to avoid conflicts. Find out when the succer season is over etc.

What has not been said is the problem with divorced parents and the other parent's weekend is the camp out. It is very difficult to inject a discussion with the parent who is not involved with scouting. Great care must be the rule or you will be pulled into a very ugly situation in a hurry.

As to sports-VS-scouts it greatly depends on the individual scout and where he is in the program. My 14 year old who is very solid in his scouting skills is also a runner with a chance to go to Nationals this year, I have to back the running in the near term, but scouts will come back to #1 soon.

[Bolo]

Bob White wrote:

 

The ones that come expect, and deserve, the best show in town.

 

One of the wonderful things about Scouting is that it IS NOT competitive. And who says there's "no teamwork" in Scouting? Duh?

Give the program to the boys who show up. Scouting competes with many other activities, but look at the small number who make it to Eagle. I'll bet you find they found the time to play sports, excell in academics, sing in the church choir, play in the band AND attend Scout functions.

 

 

[cliffgolden]

 

I enjoyed competing in sports during high school and college. I also did Scouting during those years as well. We all set priorities for how we spend our time.

 

As a Scoutmaster I don't worry about competing with sports. I think we're on the same side. Both Scouting and sports are positive influences upon a boy. I'm here for the positive development of boys so I support their involvement in sports, band, theater, and the rest. It helps them become well rounded.

 

What Scouting is competing against is gangs, drugs, illiteracy, crime, violence, etc., etc.

 

Scouting is an all-year activity, we have no down time in our troop. We work to keep it the boys' program, they lead, they plan their calendar, it's their troop.

 

If a boy takes a few months off to play a sport or pursue some other interest, we're still there when he's done with it.

 

Scouting is an opportunity, not a cross to bear. I work with the boys that come down on Monday nights and on weekends. The boys who miss those opportunities will be back soon enough.

 

We should all be interested in the positive development of boys, within Scouting and beyond.

 

I support all the positive things in their lives.

 

I just presented an Eagle a couple weeks ago. He earned varsity letters in two sports and was co-captian of one. He was also involved with his church, a good student, had a part-time job, a girlfriend, and other interests, all while his parents were going through a divorce.

 

He is now entering the Navy and recently thanked me for the program he enjoyed in Scouting and said I had been like a second father to him. He said it really meant a lot to him to have Scouting as a place he could always turn to.

 

It should never be about Scouting verses some other activity. Don't put them in a position where they feel they have to make a choice or feel guilty for following their interests.

 

Don't turn Scouting into an obligation, but keep it an exciting opportunity where boys can grow and experience great things.

 

Remember, it's all about the boys.

 

YIS,

Cliff Golden

Scoutmaster Troop 33

DeKalb, Illinois

[eagle90]

Cliff Golden, well said.

 

I will be presenting an Eagle in January to a young man who is a varsity athlete, plays in the band, is very active in his church, and has a girlfriend and a car! And still finds time to become an Eagle!