Sports Merit Badge Requirement

[ScruffyJake 10]

I'm starting to counsel the Sports MB. One of the requirements require two seasons of two differnt sports.

 

"Take part for one season (or four months) as a competitive individual or as a member of an organized team in TWO of the following sports: baseball, basketball, bowling, cross-country, field hockey, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, water polo. Your counselor may approve in advance other recognized sports, but not any sport that is restricted and not authorized by the Boy Scouts of America. Then with your chosen sports do the following:

 

Question, do you feel organized, competitive summer swim team, with eight organized meets, would meet the requirement. I'm not sure why they would list swimming.

[evmori 11]

I'd count it.

[ScruffyJake 10]

Sorry, I reread my question, I should have typed the work "not"

 

I'm not sure why they would NOT include swimming as a sport listed.

[Buffalo Skipper 13]

Playing the devil's advocate here, I can see why Swimming may have been left off. Team score is based upon individual performance, not on a cooperative team effort (except for medleys). I would equate swimming to "Track and Field" which is also absent from this list.

 

This is not to say that bowling, for example, is not based upon multiple individuals' composite performance. Tennis and cross-country are similar, but not the same.

 

I am not against including swimming, just presenting a different point of view.

[ScruffyJake 10]

Thanks Buffalo, I always like to know the reasons behind something too, your theory makes sense.

 

 

[evry 10]

I would definitely count Swimming as an approved sport. I would even count taking part in orienteering as part of an orienteering team as a sport!

[shortridge 184]

Swimming is as much a team sport as tennis, table tennis or cross-country.

 

In fact, a track relay race is more of a team sport than any of those.

 

I'd count it.

[Beavah 205]

Yah, my memory is that earlier versions of da badge required scouts to participate in one season of a team sport and one season or tournament of an individual sport. It would list examples of each.

 

Not sure when da badge switched to just two seasons of any sport, but when the change is made it seems like they kept a partial list.

 

I'd count swimming as just fine, given da new wording.

 

Beavah