Question on Pack coordinating.

[chad9229]

We started a new pack this year and my son and I are veterans on building a car. We can build a pretty fast car. We are going to have only about 12-15 boys in our derby and most of the boys are new to scouting.

Should my son build his car not to win this year? I think it would look pretty bad if the Pinewood coordinator's son blew every boy away. I just don't think this would send a very good message and my son could be accused of cheating since I have access to the track, even though we would never use it before the race, or anyway allow my son to cheat.

By the way, I am having two workshops to let them know some of the secrets that my son and I have discovered throughout the years.

What do you guys think?

[Pinewood Daddy]

We started a new pack this year and my son and I are veterans on building a car. We can build a pretty fast car. We are going to have only about 12-15 boys in our derby and most of the boys are new to scouting.

Should my son build his car not to win this year? I think it would look pretty bad if the Pinewood coordinator's son blew every boy away. I just don't think this would send a very good message and my son could be accused of cheating since I have access to the track, even though we would never use it before the race, or anyway allow my son to cheat.

What do you guys think?

We're kind of in the same boat. We're an established Pack (about 25 kids) but we've got 4 years experience and the only competition we had left last year. I expect 1 or 2 might come within a foot or 2. Then my younger son still has 2 years of PWD left. I've heard comments of "Why don't they let someone else win?!".

You could take it easy on them.

[Stan Pope]

When significant differences in skill exist, consider establishing some categories of competition. For instance, use years of experience as a criteria for dividing competitions for trophies or bragging rights.
1. Rookie (first year racers)
2. Veteran (others)
3. Masters (past winners)
May or may not include Dad's experience!

If you have to qualify racers to district or council races, you still have to have some direct competition between the divisions,

[knavekid]

After my son's car took the pack derby his first year (he started as a Wolf), I was appointed co-coordinator the following year. As a coordinator, I took less involvement in his car when he was a Bear. He picked the shape, sanded, painted, and decorated the car. I prepared the axles, installed the wheels, and added the weight. He took the pack again.

I have heard the complaints. However, I am not going to purposely cripple his car so it won't win. I would rather help the other competitors and step up the level of competition. I emailed a list of tips along with how I prepare the cars. My goal is for his car this year to be faster than last year's car, but I hope that others take advantage of the advice and we have many very fast cars.

Only you know the level of involvement and support that your scouts' parents provide to them. The workshops should really help. You could prepare the axles for those who attend the workshop, and also help them with weight placement and wheel alignment. This way, those who participate in the workshops will have the best shot at being competitive.

You should also include a parent new to scouting in the preparations and setup of the derby. This way, you will have a witness as to the integrity of the derby.

Good luck with your new pack!

[Pinewood Daddy]

I would rather help the other competitors and step up the level of competition. I emailed a list of tips along with how I prepare the cars. My goal is for his car this year to be faster than last year's car, but I hope that others take advantage of the advice and we have many very fast cars.

Only you know the level of involvement and support that your scouts' parents provide to them. The workshops should really help. You could prepare the axles for those who attend the workshop, and also help them with weight placement and wheel alignment. This way, those who participate in the workshops will have the best shot at being competitive.

I also handed out a PWD Guide hoping to increase the level on competition. I offered workshops, which only 8 parents took advantage of. I have all the tools setup and ready to go. All they have to do is follow directions and they're guaranteed to be competitive.

[blcrow33]

After my son took 1st place in the Pack 3 years in a row, this year I am running the event and put on a couple of workshops to spread our knowledge and help other get more competitive. I have done all I could to help other build a faster car except build it for them. I even offered my tools to anyone who needed them. I would not ask or let my son build a slower car. If he wins again, I hope it just gives everyone else that added incentive to try to do better next year and try to win. After all it should be about the thrill of competition and doing your best and not just taking 1st place. (That's easy to say when we have the winning car )

[Pinewood Daddy]

After my son took 1st place in the Pack 3 years in a row, this year I am running the event and put on a couple of workshops to spread our knowledge and help other get more competitive. I have done all I could to help other build a faster car except build it for them. I even offered my tools to anyone who needed them. I would not ask or let my son build a slower car. If he wins again, I hope it just gives everyone else that added incentive to try to do better next year and try to win. After all it should be about the thrill of competition and doing your best and not just taking 1st place. (That's easy to say when we have the winning car )

I couldn't have written it better myself!!

I think for most people it's just another Pack meeting and a project to do at home. They don't understand what it takes to build a fast car (even though I gave then a guide with lots of info) and maybe they don't care.

All the boys can do is their best. If the others don't want to, even though I offer all the tools, there's nothing else I can do about it.

[Go Bubba Go]

Agree with the two posts immediately above.

The Cub Scout Motto is "Do Your Best". I would not allow my boys to dumb their cars down, nor would I encourage others to do so. Likewise, there are other activities in Scouting at which my boys do not excel, and I would not encourage those that excel to dumb it down so that my boys performance in those areas doesn't "look so bad". Not everybody's "Best" result will be the same, but the boys should all do their own "Best" in every area.

I took over as PWD Derby Chairman this year and provided 2 workshops (had light but good attendance considering we never had them before), made visits to the Tiger Den meetings to catch the "rookies", attached a workshop flyer with my personal contact info to all the kits when they were handed out, and have basically made myself available as a "PWD hotline" to all our parents. A handful (esp. the Tiger parents) are calling and asking further questions, and I would expect to see this set of adult/parent teams (it is a JOINT project - different topic) do well.

What I told the parents is that I know a good amount about this PWD stuff (the other Dad from our Pack that knows as much / maybe more is also on my PWD committee and attends the workshops to make sure I don't forget anything major) and am more than willing to share. In return, I only ask that they also help out with the subjects / areas in which they are knowledgable in order to help make the overall program better for the boys.

In some ways, PWD does teach boys a lesson they need to learn early on. Top performers (Sports, Academics, etc.) are very typically those that put in the most time, energy, and study in their respective field of endeavor. If the boys / adults put in a low amount of effort (I would consider it a low amount of effort to NOT accept offers of free workshops, tips, access to "Bubba's workshop" tools, and "hotline" guidance), they shouldn't be surprised or blame anyone but themselves if their results reflect this.

For our 2 cents, do all you can to encourage / inspire / teach the other adults so that they can help their boys (again, it is a JOINT project), but DO NOT allow or encourage your boy to dumb it down.

Bubba

[blcrow33]

For our 2 cents, do all you can to encourage / inspire / teach the other adults so that they can help their boys (again, it is a JOINT project), but DO NOT allow or encourage your boy to dumb it down.

Well put and totally agree. I held our first ever workshop this year and about 15 parents showed up. I hoped for more but since it was the first one, I guess it was a good turn out. I am anxious to see at the race this Saturday, how many of the scouts that came to the workshop make it to the Championship race.