Pinewood Derby Trophies

[SeattlePioneer]

Generally I'm negative about awarding Tiger Cubs and Cub Scouts trophies for winning a competition.

 

I favor awarding boys stickers for winning competitions, usually a sticker for each time they do an activity, such as a single Pinewood Derby race.

 

Plenty of time for high stakes competition when boys are older and more emotionally ready to lose. High stakes competition usually involves one winner and 25 losers, and Cub Scouts is too young for that to be the method used, in my opinion.

 

However, last year there was some parental demand for PWD trophies, so I designed my version of a PWD trophy.

 

It's quite simple. a 8"x8" or so wood base of 3/4" wood, and a section of 2x4 with the top cut at a 45 degree angle. I cut both the base and the riser and painted them.

 

The boys assembled their trophy, placing the riser wherever they wish on the base, and nailing the riser in place. I built a couple of jigs which made assembling the trophy easier.

 

I used a color printer to print up a sticker for the trophy with the pack number, date and Cub Scout images for both the base and the riser, and the boys put the stickers on where they wished.

 

The nifty part was driving a nail in at the bottom of the 45 degree angle on the riser, which allowed boys to use their trophy to display their PWD car --- something you wont find on commercial trophies!

 

 

So boys built their PWD trophy the meeting before the PWD race. The trophies were collected and put on display at the race, and the first time a boy won a PWD race, they could come forward and be awarded their trophy.

 

Boys were awarded a sticker for each PWD race they won, and they could put their stickers on their car, their trophy or the PWD Driver's license they were given at registration.

 

So... was this "trophies for everyone?" Well, yes..... and no.

 

Boys had to build their trophy and then had to win a race to have it awarded to them.

 

I maintain that's Cub Scout level competition. It uses the natural competition boys like and enjoy without imposing the high stakes competition more appropriate to Boys Scouts and adult activities.

[mashmaster]

We give each boy a design trophy and then we have speed trophies for the fastest car per rank.

 

For the design trophies, I got nice wood (Walnut) donated from the local lumberyard from their scrap and used gold spray paint on hot wheel cars. Took me and another dad about an hour to knock out 50 trophies. We used a dymo labler to print the "engraving" on the trophy base. You can get the cars free if you ask your neighborhood facebook page for them. People are more that happy to get rid of them.

 

So 50 trophies costs us about $10.

[Rick_in_CA]

SeattlePioneer, I really like your idea for trophies! I going to suggest it to our pack pinewood derby chair!

[st0ut717]

I dont think any trophy should be awarded to a cub that Dad builds the car for him.

 

 

[mashmaster]

I dont think any trophy should be awarded to a cub that Dad builds the car for him.

 

 

 

I agree, but how to tell? I don't let my son use the bandsaw but he does everything else.