Patrol Yell for Coyote Patrol

[ShutterbugMom]

Our Webelo 2s are officially crossing over this weekend and have voted to be coyote patrol, however, they cannot come up with a short patrol cheer that everyone likes.  Any suggestions?  I've google searched and found a few funny ones that 10 year olds shouldn't use, but nothing else catchy.  Thanks!

[RememberSchiff]

Relax, have a seat, a cup of coffee, and let your scouts figure out what sound the Coyotes make.

Edited February 21, 2017 by RememberSchiff

[Stosh]

Unless they know the reason for the yell, what's the point?  In all my years of Scouting no one has been able to have a patrol yell for any other reason than for meeting a useless requirement.

Edited February 21, 2017 by Stosh

[qwazse]

Not your problem. Make it clear that it's not your problem. They either fix it or be the umpteenth patrol in this country who never settled on a yell.

 

If they want to get unstuck, have them try this ...

Go to the library, check out Hank, The Cow Dog series (in paper or audio books), enjoy the story or fast forward to where Hank encounters coyotes, pick a really cool line from the coyote characters, convert it to a yell.

 

But let me re-emphasize: not your problem to solve.  Like @@Stosh says, it may not even be a problem. The boys may call the SM/SPL about how often their troop uses patrol yells. If they do, ask the SPL on an older scout to pay your boys a visit. If they don't, well, there you have it.

 

Finally, there's nothing saying they can't have a multi-part yell: one for the morning, one for the evening, one for when they brush their teeth ...

 

Real coyotes certainly know how to mix it up. They've been driving us campers nuts ever since they've been reintroduced to WPa.

[Eagle94-A1]

As others have said, not your problem.

 

Three things you need to memorize if you will have anything to do with Boy Scouts.

 

1: "Have you asked your patrol leader?"

 

2: "Not my problem."

 

3: ' Where's the coffee ( hot cocoa for our LDS brethen)?"

[craig.noah]

Yep.  I'll repeat what others have said: "Not your problem".  Also, likely not a problem.  However, I have been in more than one troop where each patrol gave their patrol yell as they were sitting down to eat.  It was a source of competition to see who would be ready first and last.  It's also a great way to announce the patrol's presence at an event, but very few do.

[Col. Flagg]

[Adamcp]

"Ring-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!

Gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!

Gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!"

 

"Wa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow!

Wa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow!

Wa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow!"

 

"Hatee-hatee-hatee-ho!

Hatee-hatee-hatee-ho!

Hatee-hatee-hatee-ho!"

 

"Joff-tchoff-tchoffo-tchoffo-tchoff!

Tchoff-tchoff-tchoffo-tchoffo-tchoff!

Joff-tchoff-tchoffo-tchoffo-tchoff!"

 

Oh wait. That is what the Fox says, not the Coyote. Carry on.

 

(Sorry, could not help myself.)

[ShutterbugMom]

Wow.  That was really not helpful and kind of mean spirited to be honest.  I'm sorry I asked.

 

There are 4 of them moving as a patrol and they have been arguing among themselves for several weeks about the best patrol yell.  I thought if I had a few fresh ideas for them maybe they could all agree and get started on the right foot.

 

And FYI our troop patrols use their yell at the end of every meeting.

[desertrat77]

Wow.  That was really not helpful and kind of mean spirited to be honest.  I'm sorry I asked.

 

There are 4 of them moving as a patrol and they have been arguing among themselves for several weeks about the best patrol yell.  I thought if I had a few fresh ideas for them maybe they could all agree and get started on the right foot.

 

And FYI our troop patrols use their yell at the end of every meeting.

As the others have already stated, figuring out the yell is strictly the scouts' business. 

 

If the troop patrols use their yell at the end of a meeting, the new Yell-less Coyotes will figure out one pretty darn quick when it's their turn and they are standing around staring at each other.   A good lesson in motivation.

 

Their patrol, their yell.   Fresh ideas need to come from the patrol.

Edited February 22, 2017 by desertrat77

[Stosh]

Wow.  That was really not helpful and kind of mean spirited to be honest.  I'm sorry I asked.

 

There are 4 of them moving as a patrol and they have been arguing among themselves for several weeks about the best patrol yell.  I thought if I had a few fresh ideas for them maybe they could all agree and get started on the right foot.

 

And FYI our troop patrols use their yell at the end of every meeting.

 

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that what is happening with this patrol is no different than every other patrol ever formed.  I have my boys still fighting over the patrol yell and they've been a patrol for almost a year now.  Someday they will figure it out or they don't get TF rank.    It's up to them, it's the most basic form of group dynamic on the planet, how to come to a consensus.  If the PL dictates, that's not a consensus and there will be discord, if they get past this, the next challenge will be easier and each one of them after that.  The real reason for this requirement is the first step in team building and creating a team of their own. 

 

I think the advice is well given and not with any animosity in the process.  Boy led takes a bit of stepping back, grab some coffee and watch some good things happen in the mean time.  Problem solving is a skill all the boys need to learn as they develop.  It's not a bad thing to let them work it out on their own.

 

By the way, the historical reason (which everyone really no longer understands) was the patrol yell was the means by which a PL could call his patrol together and form up.  View it as a vocal bugle call.  Same for the patrol yell.  Whenever the PL wanted his patrol to gather, he would wave the patrol flag and give the yell.  The boys then have a visual and an audible reference point to gather at.  This process allows the PL to gather up his boys without having to run all over camp looking for them.  My PL;s in my former troop  would gather their boys up with flag and yell, quick inspection of uniform and then march in with the flags for the opening flags.  If a patrol had something they needed to do together, the PL would flag and yell and the boys would come running.  That's how it is supposed to work.

 

For longer distances where the voice would not carry, the job of the bugler was to do the same thing long range.  Each patrol has their own ditty (series of recognizable notes) and then the bugle call.  If the SPL needed the Coyotes back in camp for some reason, he could play the ditty and then assembly and the patrol would follow the bugle call to wherever the bugler was.  If the SPL only wanted the PL to report back to camp, he did the patrol ditty then played Officer's Call.  Historically it was a really effective system for boys that were out and about and the troop officers could call back patrols or patrol leadership with a simple bugle call.  It is quite surprising how far away a bugle can be heard.

 

So maybe a brief history of the flag and yell would go a long way to help the boys understand the importance of the flag and yell so that it can be used in a more mature manner other than just trying to get first in line at the mess hall.  To me the patrol yell has a more serious side to it than the joke it's become in today's troops.

[Stosh]

Unless they know the reason for the yell, what's the point?  In all my years of Scouting no one has been able to have a patrol yell for any other reason than for meeting a useless requirement.

 

Okay 2 gave me green arrows and 2 gave me red arrows.  Sounds like something to look into.

 

Care to explain WHY this requirement is all that important?  I can give historical reasons (back in the good old days, when Stosh was a kid kinda thing), but Hey People, lets get scouting into the 21st Century.  Why are we using such arcane requirements when we have cell phones that could easily do better, ya' know, STEM stuff an' all.

 

Maybe the Coyotes could have some words of wisdom from the forum on why they have to have a yell at all.  If they thought it all that important they might actually come up with one rather quickly.

 

If it wasn't for some troop "rule" or camp "tradition" the boys would never do a patrol yell on their own, right?

Edited February 22, 2017 by Stosh

[desertrat77]

Okay 2 gave me green arrows and 2 gave me red arrows.  Sounds like something to look into.

 

Care to explain WHY this requirement is all that important?  I can give historical reasons (back in the good old days, when Stosh was a kid kinda thing), but Hey People, lets get scouting into the 21st Century.  Why are we using such arcane requirements when we have cell phones that could easily do better, ya' know, STEM stuff an' all.

 

Maybe the Coyotes could have some words of wisdom from the forum on why they have to have a yell at all.  If they thought it all that important they might actually come up with one rather quickly.

 

If it wasn't for some troop "rule" or camp "tradition" the boys would never do a patrol yell on their own, right?

I'm not sure why it's important, aside from heritage.   Team building too.

 

Practically speaking, the best yells tend to be the odd-ball stuff that a patrol will concoct on their own, and everyone else is in stitches laughing every time they hear it.

Edited February 22, 2017 by desertrat77

[Stosh]

Yet some of the best patrol yells I have heard from my boys sounded something like this "Hey Troop 77 Ravens, FALL IN!"  It worked just fine.  Oh, and by the way, they used it all the time, not just when someone in authority told them to parrot it back to them when promoted.

Edited February 22, 2017 by Stosh

[Chadamus]

@@ShutterbugMom I'm confused as to your role. Your first post led me to believe your involvement was in a Pack of Cubs preparing to crossover into Boys Scouts. Then you mention your Troop patrols use their yells at the end of every meeting. The "mean spirited" responses you've received have been from Scouters who are involved with Boys, not Cubs. Thus the oft repeated (and appropriate) message of "let the Scouts figure it out." When I was a Cub leader I could see having a similar reaction to such responses. As an ASM of a Troop, not at all. Two different animals entirely. Parent led vs boy led. (Ideally!)

 

@@Stosh I felt your first response was a 'lil dismissive. Well explained comment regarding the history of the patrol yell in your second however. Up arrow'd. So if you're still keeping score, you're even good sir.   (Our patrols don't use yells btw.)