FITNESS, character, and citizenship

[packsaddle 753]

Chippewa29, I think that is a great idea. Back when I was a BOY scout, our district did have such competitions but they were disguised as chariot races, canoe races, scouting olympics, etc. We trained hard and came home with the ribbons. I'd like to see it again. And require the leaders to humble their bodies as well. Just have plenty of stretchers ready and waiting.

[Trevorum 24]

This is a topic that came up at our last RT. Someone mentione having a Scout Olympics in our district next spring. Offer a variety of track & field events, have troops do their own prelims and then send their best competitors to the event. Award trophies or medals for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, places etc.

 

The discussion was mixed about this idea. Have any of you guys done this in your district?

[gwd-scouter 11]

Many years ago our District Camporees had a variety of troop competitions during Saturday. Unfortunately, many of the scouts and troops started to become disenchanted with the competitions because one troop in our District won everything, consistently, year-after-year. They were the largest troop - at least four times more scouts than the next largest troop. So, by consequence, they could and did always enter their best, strongest, largest, heaviest, etc. etc., scout.

 

Small troops and/or those with only young inexperienced scouts just couldn't, and therefore didn't, compete.

 

Things have begun to change though. I've noticed that the really big troop is now about average sized and several other troops have grown in size and experience.

 

Last fall's camporee had a few competitions during Saturday afternoon and our little troop actually won a few events! They scouts sure were proud that they "actually beat Troop xxx at something."

 

Also, we seem to have a bit more comaraderie between the troops these days so I am hoping that we could put on a Scout Olympics type Camporee. Sounds like fun.

 

 

 

 

[madmike 10]

that sounds like a really good idea (except for going up against the "goliath" troops.)

 

Maybe they could be set up like some of the Survivor Games were there is also some thinking / enginuity thrown in with the physical events.

 

We used to have a war games campout versus another troop, sort of a capture the flag (with bombs made out of some sort of flour / dough mixture)thing, It was always a blast ,and you would definatly get some exercise. Aside from the "fun" part we also had to make towers out of lashings, and some of that other "stuff" in the boy scout handbook.

 

These days I dont know if that would be percieved as "to military like" but it sure was one of the campouts that had a very high level of participation

[Lisabob 13]

I used to coordinate an "olympics" week for a camp where I worked, and my son's troop also holds an olympics-themed camp out for webelos every year. In both cases, it seems as though having at least a few events where speed and strength are not the only determinants of success can go a long way toward encouraging participation and camaraderie. Think of events where being small might be an advantage (agility or obstacle courses), where the emphasis is on teamwork or creativity rather than individual strength, and have a couple of just plain goofy events too, and everybody should be happier. Of course this doesn't mean get rid of the physical skills - just have a wider mix of activities.

 

Lisa'bob