District race open to everyone......

General race coordinator discussions.
Post Reply
User avatar
CuriousGeorge
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 125
Joined: Sun Feb 12, 2006 3:50 pm
Location: KY, USA

District race open to everyone......

Post by CuriousGeorge »

This year our District race is open to everyone. I have read that to get the most participation you should open the race to only the top 3 from each division from each pack, but I don't believe this is always true. If all of the packs in your district have a pinewood derby, it is probably true. But in my neck of the woods we have a lot of packs that don't have a derby (despite the fact that I offered our track (and myself) to the District Executive for any pack that wants it). This year registration is WAY up. What happened is that the packs that don't have derbies are building cars for the District derby and we have at least 7 new packs in our district this year. Packs that wouldn't normally be able to participate due to the past 'top 3' rule are allowed to participate this year. And more kids building cars equals more parents spending time with their kids. I personally love scouts because as I tell everyone "If nothing else, the one great thing about scouts is that it makes you spend time with your kid"

Any thoughts?
CuriousGeorge
"They say you learn by your mistakes, in that case I must be a genius."
User avatar
Stan Pope
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 6856
Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2003 7:01 pm
Location: Morton, Illinois
Contact:

Re: District race open to everyone......

Post by Stan Pope »

Watch participation during the next few years under this plan. If it holds up, great! If it drops, look for the reasons why. They will probably be the same reasons that the national average is lower for totally open district races.

Other data to track includes (2) overall PWD participation, including total participation in the pack events, and (3) number of packs that hold Pack PWD events. When those drop, your district derby is no longer serving its primary role of creating PWD excitement in the units!

We already know that district-wide participation in Pack PWD is lower because of the number of units that do not hold a Pack PWD. Might be worth some study to try to understand the reasons.
Stan
"If it's not for the boys, it's for the birds!"
User avatar
Darin McGrew
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 1825
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2003 1:23 pm
Location: Knoxville, TN
Contact:

Re: District race open to everyone......

Post by Darin McGrew »

That's pretty much how our regional derby works. It's open to everyone, and many of the smaller units just use the regional derby, and don't bother holding their own local derby.

But frankly, we haven't sent many kids to the regional derby, and we don't publicize it much. For us, our own local derby is the culmination of derby season, and then we move on to other things. We don't need the regional derby to boost interest in our local derby either, since we usually have close to 100% participation as it is. Actually, greater than 100% participation if you count the kids who show up for club only during derby season.

So I guess the question is, what is the purpose of your regional derby?
User avatar
CuriousGeorge
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 125
Joined: Sun Feb 12, 2006 3:50 pm
Location: KY, USA

Re: District race open to everyone......

Post by CuriousGeorge »

Darin McGrew wrote:So I guess the question is, what is the purpose of your regional derby?
I can think of lots of reasons to have a District pinewood derby.

Just a few and in no certain order:

1. If nothing else, scouts that wouldn't normally get to experience the derby and everything it entails from spending time with their parents to the pride of racing something they built with their own two hands get to.

2. It brings scouts together from 9 counties, an opportunity that only happens 4 times a year (2 council camporees, district day camp, and the district derby). Most scouts don't attend the camporee's and day camp is very expensive compared to the derby (I'm also the district day camp director).

3. We've got tv and newspaper coverage of the derby this year and are holding the derby at the mall. It will be great publicity for the scouts and hopefully kids that aren't in scouting will see how much fun we're having and check it out.

4. It gives me something to do. (I mean worry about :lol: )
CuriousGeorge
"They say you learn by your mistakes, in that case I must be a genius."
User avatar
PWD_addict
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 705
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2007 10:35 am
Location: Middle River, Maryland

Re: District race open to everyone......

Post by PWD_addict »

Curious--
I think it's a great idea for the Packs that don't have a Derby. Perhaps in the future, you could have the Packs that didn't have Derbies race first to get the top three finalists, and for the Packs that have had their Derbies, just invite the top three from each rank.

But then again, if you are having great participation, and the competitors found the competition meaningful, don't change anything!
User avatar
CuriousGeorge
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 125
Joined: Sun Feb 12, 2006 3:50 pm
Location: KY, USA

Re: District race open to everyone......

Post by CuriousGeorge »

We usually hold our derbies around 11:00. I think next year, I'm going to offer our track and set up to a couple of more packs to do their derbies after ours. Maybe say 3:00 and 6:00? It would be a long day for me, but it would be a one time set up, and they would have everything they need. A track and a place to hold the derby.
CuriousGeorge
"They say you learn by your mistakes, in that case I must be a genius."
doct1010
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 1300
Joined: Wed Dec 21, 2005 5:06 pm

Re: District race open to everyone......

Post by doct1010 »

George,
We had a similar situ last year. It was the districts first ever PWD. The DE decided it MUST be open to all. We had a good turnout, 185 IIRC. Many who attended did not have Derby's of their own. Judging from the competition, I gathered some of the better builders stayed home. I understand both sides of this coin.

As the event chair I opted for an invitation only event, believing the event should serve as reward for a job well done by the boys at the pack level. DE did not agree. His philosophy on any district level event was to include and invite all. The event was a big hit and went off with only minor mishaps. Many boys had their first and only chance to race PWD.

IMO the event suffered in the area of competition. At times it appeared as nothing more than a bigger pack level race, with an occasional DNF. (Our pack hasn't had a DNF in three years) I did not expect that at the district level.
User avatar
Darin McGrew
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 1825
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2003 1:23 pm
Location: Knoxville, TN
Contact:

Re: District race open to everyone......

Post by Darin McGrew »

If you don't mind running two regional derbies, I suppose you could run an open regional derby, followed by an invitational regional derby that is open only to winners of local derbies and to winners of the open regional derby.

(Don't mind me. I'm just thinking out loud...)
User avatar
Stan Pope
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 6856
Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2003 7:01 pm
Location: Morton, Illinois
Contact:

Re: District race open to everyone......

Post by Stan Pope »

Darin McGrew wrote:If you don't mind running two regional derbies, I suppose you could run an open regional derby, followed by an invitational regional derby that is open only to winners of local derbies and to winners of the open regional derby.

(Don't mind me. I'm just thinking out loud...)
Not bad thoughts! The "open" could be to support those packs which, for whatever reason, don't hold their own derbies. Awards standardized and awarded for competition within pack. (Maybe two or three options depending on the size of the pack contingent.) And the cost could be per pack rather than per entrant, according to the awards option chosen.

Part of the thinking is to encourage more participation and competition within the packs.

But, if packs start opting to NOT have their own derby and use the "open" derby instead AND if pack membership participation drops, then we should seriously ask if that plan was a success.
Stan
"If it's not for the boys, it's for the birds!"
Post Reply