OscarTango Posted August 7, 2010 Share Posted August 7, 2010 Hi, I'm joining a Venturing Crew and came across a program called Varsity Scouts on Meritbadge.org? What is the difference between those teams and Venture Patrols? Are they still around or popular? I can't join anyway, since I'm a girl, but was just curious as to what they were. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UCEagle72 Posted August 7, 2010 Share Posted August 7, 2010 Varsity is a program centered around sports, and works off a sports theme. It is the same age group as Venturing (14-21) but I have never seen a Varsity team that was not connected with an LDS ward. Just another way to keep older Scouts engaged. 14 year old First Class Scouts, who join a Varsity team, are allowed to continue working on advancement to Eagle until they reach 18. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle92 Posted August 7, 2010 Share Posted August 7, 2010 OT Varsity Teams are individual units, equivalent to a troop, that have a sports emphasis. They were created for specifically for the LDS Church, although anyone can start one, but as far as I've seen they are not popular except in councils with large numbers of LDS churches. Venture Patrols, from 1989-1998 called Venture Crews (hence a LOT of confusion with Venturing), are usually the older scout patrol who focus on HA activities. At one time Venture Patrols could earn the Varsity/Venture letter, and at first specific HA related pins, while Varsity Teams focused on the sports related pins. Then around 1993-1996 range, Both the sports and HA pins became available to both groups. Now there is a lot of questions about whether Venture patrols can still earn the letter and pins. Other than the awarding of the letter, pins, and recommended ages for the Venture Patrol, they are two separate things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDPT00 Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 "Varsity is a program centered around sports, and works off a sports theme. It is the same age group as Venturing (14-21) but I have never seen a Varsity team that was not connected with an LDS ward. Just another way to keep older Scouts engaged. 14 year old First Class Scouts, who join a Varsity team, are allowed to continue working on advancement to Eagle until they reach 18." *** Just in case someone is trying to learn something about Varsity Scouting, the above information is totally inaccurate and should be ignored. BDPT00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle92 Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 Some things from national http://www.scouting.org/sitecore/content/scoutparents/scouting%20basics/path%20to%20eagle/varsity%20scout.aspx A Varsity Scout is a young man who is a registered youth member of a Varsity Scout team. Varsity Scouting is a part of the Boy Scouts of America for young men who are at least 14 but not yet 18 years old. The unit is a team; the unit leader is a Coach. Emphasis is on advancement, high adventure, personal development, service, and special programs and events. http://www.scouting.org/about/factsheets/overviewofbsa.aspx # 2009 membership, teams, and leaders: * 60,240 Varsity Scouts * 8,522 Varsity Scout teams * 23,027 Varsity Scout leaders How to Utilize Varsity http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/Resources/ThreeWaysVarsity.aspx NOTE: it says lots of organizations use Varsity, and that LDS uses it for 14-15 y.o. BUT as was told to me at PDL-1, the program was created specifically for the LDS Church, and the only time I have ever seen Varsity Scouts since it's official creation in 1984 has been with LDS churches. more info can be found here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varsity_Scouting_%28Boy_Scouts_of_America%29 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary_Miller Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 BDPT00: "*** Just in case someone is trying to learn something about Varsity Scouting, the above information is totally inaccurate and should be ignored." BDPT00, actually as an LDS scouter I find, Eagle92's, description of Varsity Teams quite accurate. While any CO can charter a Varsity Team the program was created at the request of the LDS church in order to have a separate program for their YM ages 14-15. The program was centered around sports and its purpose was to have something that would keep that age group engaged in scouting with a program that that age seemed to enjoy. Its that age group where we start to lose YM to sports and other activities. BDPT00, if you have other information then lets here it instead of making broad unproductive statements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDPT00 Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 Gary, Please read my entire posting. I had quoted someone, then pointed out that it was incorrect. Find something in the post quoted that's correct, and I'll rescind my unproductive post. My concern was that someone reading it would end up with misinformation, and I couldn't think of a better way to say it without naming names. I guess there was really no easy way to do it. The posting was in error, and I wanted to point it out. Try this instead: The posting by UCEagle72 is totally inaccurate. Please don't pay any attention to it. I'll now add: In addition, pay close attention to Eagle 92's posting. How's that? BDPT00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beavah Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 Yah, perhaps it might have been more helpful to mention what exactly it was that yeh felt was inaccurate? We all make mistakes. Getting the right information is helpful. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OscarTango Posted August 8, 2010 Author Share Posted August 8, 2010 I think BDPT00 meant that the age group was wrong? Because from what I've read, Varsity Teams are in the age group of 14-18, cutting off at the same time as Boy Scout Troops. Just my idea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beavah Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 Yah, could be, O.T. Do yeh have any more questions, or did folks cover it for you? It's another program like Venturing, all male, wears the tan uniform with orange tabs, is sports focused, can earn Boy Scout ranks and awards. It's almost exclusively used by Mormon chartering partners, who break up their scouting by age to match their religious education program for boys. So Varsity is the age 14-15 program for them. I've also seen Varsity used occasionally by teams of a club-sport variety in rural areas, mostly just for access to facilities and insurance. Those don't usually use the uniform and Boy Scout advancement components. Beavah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDPT00 Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 OT, Sorry I have to explain it. Nothing was correct. The age was wrong. The rank thing was wrong. The sports thing was wrong (note Eagle92's post quoting from national ... "sports" is not mentioned). The point was ... ignore the post. It's incorrect. BDPT00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OscarTango Posted August 8, 2010 Author Share Posted August 8, 2010 Yes thanks Beavah for your explanation. I was just curious and all the replies helped. :] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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