Compare Scouting vs Sports ?

[Venividi]

>"Remember the Titans" is a good story, but the virtue/value of the coach was the source of the boy's growth, NOT the football sport.

 

I must be missing something? I'm not seeing this pointing out a difference between football and scouting. The value that youth get out of either of them is highly dependent on the coach or the ScoutMaster. All the coaches that I am familiar with in my school district stress values in addition to skills and effort.

[RememberSchiff]

If I could only take 1 thing from Sports and apply it to Scouting, it would be the discipline, particularly taking away awards (even Heisman and Olympic gold) for rules violations.

 

Runners-up:

- physically strong (physical conditioning)

- a local central authority ( league, conference) with enforcement powers over team programs and personnel.

- scholarships

- competitive spirit and sportsmanship

- no sewing

- membership would be nice too, far more involved in sports

- Hollywood. There are many sports movies (Rudy, Remember the Titans, Hoosiers, Miracle on Ice,...) but only 1 boy scout movie. Say where is "Waiting for Green Bar Bill", the documentary that I am fabricating that Kudu is producing ?

 

My $0.02

[Engineer61]

SCOUTING: + Everyone can earn First Class, with or without help. And help will be there.

 

Gotta watch those infinitives...had he gone into Scouting, my oldest son would have never even earned Tenderfoot. He has a vehement disinterest in camping in anything but an RV ... refuses even to consider the family campouts.

[Engineer61]

 

SPORTS: - Not everyone will "make the team".

 

That depends on the level of play...every Youth Rec league I know of has a mandatory play requirement. We coaches have a rule in my Baseball League, "everyone sits once before anyone sits twice". It is an enforced rule where violations get coaches ejected.

 

At HS levels, it is another issue...just as every kid doesn't have the drive or ability to make Eagle, not every kid has the drive or ability to play varsity.

 

Sports: - You either play, or you don't. Team manager? Score keeper? Not the same thing.

 

See above.

 

[Lisabob]

Things may be different elsewhere. But those youth rec leagues end at about 4th grade around here. After age 9, forget it. Either you're "good enough to make the cut" or you don't make the team. And seriously, many of the kids who are "good enough" at age 10? Are either burned out or injured by age 14. Unfortunately, there are few chances for slightly later developers to get in on things by that point, because they didn't have the same intense coaching as the competitive league kids got between ages 10-14. Put in economic terms, the barriers to entry past about age 10 become higher with each season.

 

Thankfully, boy scouts gives slightly older kids many avenues to be physically active just about when "everyone plays" rec leagues start to fall away.

 

 

[Venividi]

Good point, Lisabob. Rec leagues go a bit longer around here. They even have a co-rec for soccer at the high school level; no practices, just show up for games, though it isn't very popular.

My son went out for the high school soccer team as a freshman. He had played rec league before, but had not been interested in playing in a competitive league. He didnt make the team, and I have to say that it was the best thing that could have happened to him. He joined the high school cross country team instead, which is a no-cut sport here. The athletes supported each other to an unbelievable degree, cheering on all runners no matter where they finished.

My nephews also ran cross country at their school (different state). Their coach had goal setting meetings individually with each of the runners. The goal setting went beyond running, including academics and life goals as well.

[Beavah]

Yah, same thing around here, eh? Da youth rec teams peter out earlier and earlier. Yeh get very competitive "cut" programs well down into elementary school now. Can't say I care for it much. And even where a middle school has a "no cut" policy they don't have an "everyone plays" policy. A lot of kids sit da bench or play the last few minutes of garbage time until they get the hint.

 

B

 

[Eagle1982]

"Yep sports are costly. Oldest takes karate. "Class A" uniform was $80, 2 t-shirts for "Class B" was $40, monthly fee is $80,and his first belt test, which actually covers White and Yellow is $100 ( yep they called the uniforms Class A and B, and yes they get tested for white, although they already gave it to him). That doesn't include tourneys or seminars. And I was informed that as he gets higher blets, he will need to go to seminars."

 

Not to offend, but this sounds a bit McDojo-ish. Does the belt fee increase as the rank goes up? Do they have a special "Black Belt" club?

[Engineer61]

The baseball league that I coach in (Pony League organization) has multiple age brackets and divisions...it's common with most of the other leagues here.

 

At the 9-10,11-12,13-14 brackets, there are rec and competitive divisions, but both have mandatory play time. The rule is "everyone sits once, before anyone sits twice"...fun for the coaches to figure out...but we do it.

 

At 15-18 there is only one division, but the playing time rule is the same.

 

The school teams operate differently, since 50 kids will try out for 12 spots on the basketball team, you have to cut.

[Beavah]

$100 for a belt test?

 

Yah, maybe we should do somethin' like that for rank tests in Scouting, eh? We could get rid of popcorn.

 

B

 

[Eagle92]

Yes the higher the belt, the longer the test, the more it costs.

[83Eagle]

Yes the higher the belt, the longer the test, the more it costs.

 

Same here. They start at $30 for the first belt and go up to $300 for the black belt test. That's just the test, not the uniform. Once they have you hooked...

 

Music lessons are $20/per plus the instrument $000s...sports are who-knows-how-much plus the cost of travel to tourneys...more fundraising...

 

These are all reasons that I don't put much stock in complaints about "how much uniforms cost at the scout shop." Now obviously it is an economic issue for some families (which is why their kids aren't in other extracurriculars), but we have hardship assistance and a uniform exchange--something that neither sports nor martial arts has, at least in our area. Most other times that's not the real issue.

 

Oh, and cigarettes are $50/carton.

[Eagle92]

Gotta,

 

please don't tell me the tests cost that much?!?!?!?! In-laws are paying for karate practice, and oldest is putting in $20 he has saved towards the belt test. It's been challenging to come up with the money.

[evmori]

I still don't understand the need to make this comparison?

[83Eagle]

Eagle92,

 

In the spirit of the political season it appears I may have...exaggerated?...a bit. Checked the form and it's $235 for the black belt test. But still enough!

 

Regarding the "need to compare" the two programs, there obviously is none, just like there is no need to comment about the lack of need to compare the two. It's just an interesting discussion so if you're not interested feel free not to read it.