Selecting a Boy Scout Troop: Choosing between two councils?

[Acid Test]

Hi all!! I have a Webelo I who will cross over within a year to become a boy scout - can you believe it - less than a year away!

 

So, we began the search for a troop in our area. The good news is there are 13 troops within 10 miles of our house. The bad news is there are 13 troops within 10 miles of our house.

 

Since we live on the border of two councils, we can choose between the Bay Area Council which covers where we live and south and the Sam Houston Council (our current pack is in Sam Houston) which borders us north and west.

 

What should I look for when selecting between councils? Does anyone have any experiences with either council, but preferably Bay Area, they could share. But please, let's try to keep this as positive as possible.

 

If you really have negatives, could you forward them to my email address at cdouglas408@yahoo.com instead of posting them here.

 

Thanks in advance!!

 

[oldisnewagain1]

Maybe it's me but I think the focus should be on what the troops are like.

 

Perhaps you should visit some of the troops and see which troop your Webelo feels the most "at home" in with Leaders you are confortable with. I sure there is not a scoutmaster out there who would not welcome a potential scout for a visit.

[Acid Test]

Great advice and we are well into looking at several troops. In fact this last weekend, we camped with a troop at a Camp-o-ree and saw several troops in Sam Houston in action. One of the items on my comparison matrix is the council since the camp facilities for many council events are held there. I had heard a rumor that the Bay Area facilities were not being maintained adequately and this is a concern for me.

 

Thanks for your reply!

[Acid Test]

 

 

(This message has been edited by Acid Test)

[Acid Test]

Please disregard the post just above this one. I was in the wrong thread. Sorry.

[resqman]

It depends on how often the troop uses the council factilities.

 

My troop has only used the council summer camp once in 7 years. We rotate through 7-8 different summer camps within a 5 hour radius.

 

We use the council camp for a weekend campout once a year for YLT. It is close by and we can use the COPE course and get a buiding opened for class room work.

 

Otherwise we do not use council factilities. District camporees are typically only announced 6 months in advance. The troop plans out its calendar a year in advance. We often already have stuff planned and skip district and council activities due to the short announcement time. Yeah it would make sense for them to hold the same event the same month every year but they don't.

 

I would worry more about the actual troop than council or district. It is the troop that really makes the program.

 

Things I would look at include full uniforming, camping trips min once a month, high adventure trips for 14+ yr olds every summer, trained leaders, boy lead, and number of older boys still attending regular meetings.

 

I would also look at the depth and breath of adult leadership. If the entire program is being held together by one or two people, then when they leave or quit, the troop may fold. I want at least 5 ASMs and a full committee of adults who are not ASM. The SM or CC may be exerting a lot of personal influence over the program but there are enough other players that the loss of a single leader does not kill the troop. Advancement is important if no one is advancing but on the other hand if all advancement is being run lockstep, that is also a problem

 

[The Blancmange]

I agree that finding a troop with whom your son is comfortable and likes the program a far more important factor. All those things being equal, I would probably be inclined to look at the camping facilities and that may be the deciding factor.

[John-in-KC]

1) To me, the impact of a Council/District are the events they organize: Camporees, Order of the Arrow, summer camps. If there is a clear difference between the two councils, it'd be about the 3d tiebreaker ... certainly not a primary decisionmaker

 

2) A second impact is the quality of service and support given by District and Council, including advancement and Scout Shop. Again, if a clear difference, this'd be for me a 4th tiebreaker.

 

Things I'd look for in a Troop:

 

- Are the boys, through a leadership structure (the Patrol Leaders Council), with a light hand mentoring, making the program decisions about the Troop? If yes, POSITIVE. If no, negative.

 

- Are boys teaching boys, particularly in basic skills (camping, cooking, primary first aid, hiking)? If yes, POSITIVE. If no, negative.

 

- Is the Troop actively camping and going places? If yes, POSITIVE. If no, negative.

 

- Do boys seeking in-depth skills seek out merit badges through their Scoutmaster and out-of-troop MB Counselors? If yes, POSITIVE. OTOH, if there are MB classes at Troop meetings and the unit goes to more than one MB day a year and/or goes to a host of "overnight merit badge campouts", negative.

 

Just some thoughts...

[Acid Test]

Thanks for the wonderful remarks - very helpful for us since we have limited knowledge with boy scouts.

 

The Camporee was a lot of fun and we got to spend time a solid troop. My son shadowed a patrol for a day and I got to observe other troops in action. While it was only a snapshot, I was able to rule a couple of troops out very quickly. One, for example, for their repeated unruley behavior even with adults sitting around. Another I have serious concerns with based on unruley behavior and their class b shirts - maybe I'm a little critical, but having "bad to the bone" written on the back and a skull wearing a bandana and with cross bones on the front says a lot about decision making to me.

 

We also learned about another troop we didn't know existed and ruled back in another that had great organization, leadership, and behavior.

[qwazse]

One that nobody mentioned: Does a troop have anybody your boy already knows from school or church? Sometimes a friend or two makes the difference in a kid sticking with it. (It can also work the other way, if the friend quits, the boy may, but I haven't seen that with my two sons.)

 

Here's another one for moms: are female adult leaders welcome on any overnight activites? I'm not saying "required". I'm just saying that if dad is not an outdoorsman (or he's pulling double shifts in this tough economy) or if it's a single parent family, it's nice have troop that welcome whoever steps forward.

[acco40]

Technically, you don't have a choice of Councils. You reside in one council, not two and you should limit your troop choices to that council.

 

However, practically speaking, many do what you suggest.

[NealOnWheels]

Acco,

 

Why should one not consider units in a council they do not live in?

 

[acco40]

It is my understanding that Councils don't just take anybody that wants to join. Units (Packs, Troops, etc.) are supposed to only accept members from the geographic boundaries of their council. I know not all adhere to this. Therefore, one should only have a choice in which council if one is willing to move.

 

We can debate if this is a good or bad policy but it is the policy.

[RememberSchiff]

Nope urban myth. You need not be a resident within a Council's geographic boundaries.

Many attend church, etc. across state and council lines and elect to join the units sponsored there.

Split custody is another situation where a scout might join a unit in a different council.

In my case, I opted for the better Council.

 

My $0.02

 

[Engineer61]

In a nutshell....organization.

 

Granted, I don't buy into the Patrol Method...but I think that is more because our Troop is so disorganized and inconsistent.

 

If you are considering a troop, go to more than one meeting....I'd suggest three. That way you can hopefully see them on their good and bad nights.

 

Some things to look for:

 

1) Is the same SM/ASM there at each meeting?

 

2) Is the same Scout leading each meeting?

 

3) Is there a meaningful number of older Scouts at the meetings? (That means more than 2 or 3)

 

Good luck...I hope you do better than we did.