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Re: Varsity Scouts
(no name) ((no email))
Sat, 12 Sep 1998 13:13:52 +0000
Bob Gallo <rmgallo@NETGSI.COM> added some rather great background
to my comments in explaining the Varsity program:
>Mike Walton stated that ". . . Varsity, originally designed for
>youth as an optional part of a Troop operation, is now a separate
>program with separate charters for each Team. "
>This statement is somewhat misleading. Actually, Varisty Scouting
>was originally started in the early 1980 as separately chartered
>Scouting units called Teams and continues to be so to this day.
I think I was trying to explain the "Varsity Crew" concept within
Troops, and not the outside program.
The BSA, under the Troop Operations Plan of 1989, divided our
Troops into three "divisions" by age and ability:
*Traditional Troop program, which is where we would find the New
Scout Patrol(s) and the rest of the younger Scouts
*Varsity Scouting, which was a Squad of three or more Scouts
*within* the Troop operation which emphasized sports and outdoor
programming
*Venture Scouting, which was also a Crew of three or more Scouts
*within* the Troop operation which emphasized more "rugged
outdoors" programming and extended-stay trips.
The age groupings for Varsity/Venture Scouting overlapped as both
were the "senior Scout" program of the Boy Scout program. While
the external Varsity Scout Team was chartered like a Boy Scout
Troop (I was one of the first Varsity Scout Team Coaches of an
non-LDS Team in my Council at the time...Team 8), the internal
crews and squads didn't go off well because a lot of Scouters
confused them with the earlier "Leadership Corps" program and the
BSA reformulated the "mix" later onward.
The BSA removed the Varsity Teams and Squads from Troops and forced
them to become separately chartered or convert to Venture Crews
within the Troop.
>It will be interesting to see if 10 years from now, Scouters will
>understand that the Venturing program that BSA is now introducing
>evolved from the old Exploring program and not from what we are
>now calling venture patrols in Boy Scout troops.
I agree, Bob...I really wish that the BSA would take a look at the
Venture *patrol* in the Troop and RENAME it to something else to
end the confusion. But then, we also had in our history Explorer
Crews in our Troops and Explorer Posts and Ships outside of the
Troop's operation, and they worked out fairly well. I'm still
trying to find one of those old "Explorer Crew" (Patrol) flags!!
Settummanque!
(c) 1998 Mike Walton ("no such thing as strong coffee,...") (502) 827-9201
(settummanque, the blackeagle) http://dynasty.net/users/blkeagle
241 Fairview Dr., Henderson, KY 42420-4339 blkeagle@dynasty.net
(note that these addresses will expire on 1 October 1998)
privately at kyblkeagle@aol.com or waltonm@hq.21taacom.army.mil
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