Competitions-- Healthy or Detriment to Character Building

[matuawarrior]

As a Scout in the 80's, our Troop always had competitions to build up our Scout Skills, Teamwork, Sportsmanship, and most of all it was FUN. Back then, I didn't know that joining patrol or troop competitions would be building Character, not until I was up in the ranks as a SPL, then a JASM and later on, year's later, as a Scoutmaster.

 

So I took what I learned as a Scout and from many Boy Scout Leadership Trainings and applied it to my Troop, Crew, and Pack. The young boys and girls had no idea that they were learning Character development or leadership skills until we did reflections. With Competitions, we sometimes have it patrol vs. patrol or 1/2 the unit vs. the other. Most times it was patrols vs. their old patrol record.

 

Now in the District, There are times when we have competitions like orienteering, First Aid, or Pioneering, or on some other Scout Skill during camporees. Where different Patrols from different troops would compete against each other. When planned properly, many events were FUN. We even have a huge competition event for Summer camp where all the troops compete against each other in various categories: games, Scout skills, pioneering projects, service projects, camp inspections, and citizenship.

 

When we do competitions our camporees and summercamp turn outs are pretty well attended. When we don't have competitions, not many troops show up.

 

-----------------------

 

During one of our summercamp planning meetings, the group was told that the traditional camp competition will not happen because it sends out the wrong message that "We're better, badder, Bigger" to the units that do not win. Now this competition has been on going since 1994 as a camporee award and modified in 1997 as a summer camp award. Since implementing this award, our summer camp attendance has grown every year. The retention of Older Scouts returning to camp with their troop or as camp staff was high because camp was no longer boring.

 

The alternative stated at the meeting is to have a "Jamboree type experience" where all the scouts would just socialize during a certain period in the camp program and play Capture-the-Flag or some Mongrel Bulldog game. (I thought there wasn't supposed to be any competition during camp)

 

Is it just me or has competition now become a target to Political Correctness?

 

--We don't want Scouts to get hurt emotionally so we now have to do away with competitions.

 

We might as well pack up the Pine Wood Derby Tracks. All Cars have to go down the same time with a yard stick in front of all the cars, so they can all finish at the same time. We don't want little Johnny Tenderfoot breaking a tear drop because his car came in 2nd. There will be alot of disappointed dads. At least the parental shouting matches will be gone.

 

Is this just happening in Scouting or is little league and soccer having the same problem? Are sports scores now "0-0" so that both teams are happy. So what happens at the finals?

 

I could go on and on on various good programs that involve some type of competition but I don't have all the time in the world.

 

Do you use competition in your units, districts, councils as a tool to build skills, teamwork, character?

 

I looked in the G2SS (Orange Cover) and competition was not on the restricted list. I'll probably pass this off as another Scouting Urban Legend.

 

Matua

 

 

[LovetoCamp]

I was a Scout in the early to mid 70's and we had Patrol vs. Patrol, white-knuckled, take-no-prisoners, Capture the Flag competition as often as we could make it happen. The Leadership Patrol consisted of the Troop's Eagles and older boys who were generally from the Class of 79. My Patrol was made up of us who were 2,3, and 4 years younger. Our whole purpose in life was to beat the Leadership Corps. We rarely did. But on the few occasions we did win, it was glorious.

 

In sales, I'm in competition every day. If I just gave up on every customer who had proposals from two or three of my competitors, my kids would starve.

 

I do notice that the group of Scouts we have are all on the honor roll, are top of their classes, and involved. But, they seem to lack initiative and drive. Have they as a generation lost the competitive spirit? Something is definately different. I earned most of my merit badges as a kid, by scouring through the counselor list and dialing their phones after school. "Hi Mr. Smith, this is Trail Pounder, I would like to work on the Reading Merit Badge with you at a time and place at your convenience." (If Mrs. Smith would allow it!!!) I've even given them the telephone numbers of counselors, and told the counselors to expect a call. That was a bit embarrassing, because they never called him. Could these young folks be missing something because everything's been done for them and they've been given everything? When do do they get introduced to "The School of Hard Knocks?"

 

I've had a mom recently tell me I push junior too hard. If my little urging for scout advancement were too hard, I don't know what school's like for this kid (he's not one of the honor students), but wait until he gets a boss.

 

It's not going to be pretty. Or more likely, he'll be living with mom for the rest of his days.

[Fat Old Guy]

Oh, the backlash against competition. My kids can't play dodgeball at school because it makes some kids "feel bad." Then there are the games in which "no score is kept."

 

Probably some of this is a response to the sports fanatics who scream, "Show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser."

 

Back in the day, we used to compete at everything. Who could run fastest, who could spit farthest, who could read more (yep), and whose mom made the best cookies. I was dead slow in a sprint but that never hurt my self-esteem. I did discover that I could run farther tham most of my friends so I'd challenge them to 3 laps around the block.

 

This constant reward and no child should ever lose has even invaded Scouting. Back in the 60s, millions of kids were Cub Scouts and they were happy earning rank badges and arrow points. Now to keep kids "interested and engaged" we give out belt loops, beads, and pins galore.

 

I don't remember where I read about it but not long ago, I read of a School system that was no longer allowed to publish the honor roll. Two reasons were stated. The first was that privacy was an issue, as if everyone doesn't already know who gets the good grades. The second was that some kids felt bad if they didn't make honor roll even though they tried hard.

 

 

 

[KoreaScouter]

My Troop plays capture the flag or manhunt in the evenings at almost every campout we go on. In fact, we use it as a "Sword of Damocles" to ensure that after-dinner cleanup is done promptly -- it always is.

 

It's amazing to me how many adult men, serving and surrounded by boys, who were once boys themselves, seem to have completely forgotten what it was like and what boys are interested in doing.

 

KS

[acco40]

Most boys turn EVERYTHING into a competition. I recently chaperoned a group of 8th graders on a trip to Chicago. The boys and gals spent time in the hotel pool on Friday night. At this age (13-14) the sexes still keep somewhat separate. The girls all strutted around showing off the newly acquired "curves" and the boys were mostly oblivious and engaging is a competition of who could hold their breath the longest underwater. Ah, to be 13 again!

 

Competition can work wonders. Effort should also be rewarded. In Cubs, DO YOUR BEST, is rightly emphasized. On my honor, I will DO MY BEST, ... That is the goal. Winning is not the real goal but competition does help many to really strive to do thier best. Some need competition to get them to do their best, some do not but for a very small minority competition hinders them from doing their best.

[dozer]

It all came to a head last fall, at our camporee. We had to ask each patrol, if they had come to compete, or play games. 90% had come to compete. But 10% thought they had no shot at winning and didn't want to be scored.

I feel that, not competing is a defeatist attitude and should be discouraged by the scouters in charge. So what if you came in second, did you give it your best. Go home and get better for next year.

[Bob White]

Water...vital for life or a dangerous and deadly substance?

 

It all depends on how it is used.

 

Competition...healthy or a detriment to character building?

 

Same answer.

[acco40]

And just like water ...

 

Now people pay big bucks for it from a bottle and it used to be relatively free from the tap.

 

When I was a youth, we played and infinite amount of games amongst the neighborhood youth, no adults involved. It only cost us (or for the lucky ones, their parents) a few broken windows. Now, for my children, every sporting event requires transportation, league fees, referees / umpires / linesmen, complete uniforms, trophys, etc. It is so formalized.

 

A year ago, we had a wall climbing / rappeling event for our troop meeting. Most of the boys participated. One set of parents did not want their sons participating because they may not be able to do it as well as the other boys. That is the problem I see today. Many parents shelter their children from failure to an extreme. Everyone has to have maximum "esteem" and feel good. The problem is when that child becomes an adult in the real world and experiences failure for the first time, they don't know how to deal with it. Some of the Tiger Cubs can't handle the "loss" at a Pinewood derby. It is a learning experience for them. It is much better to learn about failure in a controlled environment like Scouting at a young age than to experience it for the first time at college or on the job and not have a clue how to deal with it. I've seen so many 20 somethings here at work that can't accept responsibility. Nothing is ever their fault. Someone or something else is always to blame.

 

Boy, don't I sound like a cranky old codger!

[fotoscout]

Everything the young kids do today is a competition. All of the youth sports key on competition over sportsmanship or skills development. School, clothing, toys, even YuGiOh is a competitive card game. And then theres Gameboy, a one man (boy) competition against the computer.

 

Lets not forget that the kids are very keen to the competitive outcomes and they are not shy to say YOU LOSE, I WIN.

 

Everyone needs to compete once in a while to prove himself and hopefully have some fun at it, but I think its gotten out of hand. I have boys who truly dont understand anything unless its explained in a competitive context. Some cant engage in an activity without turning it into some sort of competition. I happen to think its very sad. Complete dont Compete is something I constantly repeat to my boys, I hope it sticks.

 

[OldGreyEagle]

Totally confused here,

 

From my recent memory of the forum, it appears the main competition (as it were) for scout membership is with the organized sports leagues that demand wholesale allegiance to them. Don't those teams keep score? Only retain the best atheletes? and only play the youth who will benefit the team? Should there be competition in scouts? Sure, you betcha, how else do you know how good you are unless you match up with some one else? You may think you know orienteering, but how do you know if you are tops unless you try your skills against others?

 

Way back there was an older sister who played basketball, had a younger brother who played as well. Well, in one on one games, the older, bigger sister would dominate the younger brother, block his shots and muscle him around. Well, through necessity he developed a long range jumper that evened things out. Well, now sister Cheryl watches brother Reggie Miller play ball, and I know for sure if Cheryl had let Reggie win a few, and get by her for an easy shot, Reggie would not be the three point shooter he is today

[zippie2223]

I always sucked at sports in little league.

But I would always win a trophy at the end of the years for "Good Sportsmanship". I was a lot smaller then the rest of the kids. They looked at me as a mascot I guess because I was always cheering us on even till the bitter end (probaly because I did not keep up with the score and had no idea that we were 50 points behind.)

The coach put me in as cornerback (probably so I did not get killed up on the line) and at nine, the QB rarely throw the ball. Well my best moment came when the QB threw the ball my way. I ran in front the receiver jumped up and tipped the ball. When I came down there it was in my hands. I had no idea how it got there, but it was there. For most of the team it was no big deal to make a play like that, but for me it was the biggest thing that ever happened. I hung in there and DID MY BEST. I was happier that day then ever before and never felt that happiness till the day my first child was born. Competition is good even if you don't win, as long as you try and DO YOUR BEST.

 

 

[dsteele]

Every time I see a Cub Scout leaving a pinewood derby with his car in his hands and tears in his eyes, I feel bad for the little rascal.

 

Then my brain kicks in and realize that we just taught him a good life lesson and that after he eats his ice cream, the sting will be gone and he'll march ahead in life knowing that the world doesn't end if you're not the first one down the track.

 

Competition, when done in a healthy way, is not only fun but a good learning experience.

 

I also agree with Bob White that competition as a tool can be used in a damaging way. For example, I was wandering around a camporee with the other commissioners. The camporee was a competitive one. The winning troop got the honor of chairing the next camporee. About 1/3rd of the troops were told to "play to lose" so they didn't have to accept the honor. I consider that negative. However, the problem was the prize, not the competition.

 

Unc.

[LovetoCamp]

I got to Chair our last Fall Camporee. It was a lot of work and judging by the reaction of the competitors a success. We averaged the ages and divided the teams into junior and senior divisions. We had 10 events and the Sea Scouts and Ship's officers served as judges, guides, timers, and Ranges Safety Officers. We had a backpack race. Next year we're going to put some more weight and distance on the senior division. An orienteering course, I've got to get out earlier with the GPS and make it tougher and longer. We drove teams from the State Park to our Indoor Rifle range to compete on our 10 M Air Rifle Range. Warm up and then fire 10 shots for record. You think that wasn't popular? We had a Fire Dept. rescue dummy race. A four man sprint with a 200 pound dummy on a stretcher. A knot tying challenge (it needs work). A race to put up properly 4 Voyager tents. Fire Starting race. The winner used a pile of steel wool and a 6 volt battery, WHOOSH. A Scouting Trivial pursuit test. A physical fitness test. Push Ups, sit-ups, chin-ups, and long jump. We ended it at night with a Dutch Oven Cobbler cook-off. All the adults were judges. After we gorged on the samples, we voted for out top three favorites, and the one with the most votes won.

 

We awarded everyone a patch, a hat with the patch affixed to it, a nice certificate, and to the two winning teams went a nice new pocketknife and to their troop a shiny new Dutch Oven.

 

At the campfire, the boys were stoked up. They had too much energy at the end of the day, I obviously didn't challenge them enough.

 

BTW, if anyone has any activities that would work in the above type of competition....please share it!!!!

 

Have a great weekend.

[LovetoCamp]

Uncle,

 

That's kind of sad, "Play to Lose". Were they told that by their adult leaders or their youth leaders?

 

Trail "Duke Fan" Pounder

[SR540Beaver]

Ah competition! I put the damper on competition at our last campout. Everyone had turned in for the night except three boys. One ages out next month, but acts like he is 11. The other two are probably around 12 to 13 years old. They had the misfortune of plopping down at a table about 15 feet away from my tent. I hear the older one tell an off color joke that the other two most likely didn't get. Then the older one says, "hey I know, lets have a competition and see who can tell the most dirty and vulgar joke". I didn't wait for the other two boys response. I said in a rather loud and deep voice, "guys, there are people trying to sleep over here....and keep the jokes clean". I heard some very meek "oh's". Two minutes later they decided to head for their tents. I hate to stop a good competition except in some instances.