Couple of ideas as we get going

Discussions on race planning, preparations and how to run a "fair" and fun race.
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rdeis
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Couple of ideas as we get going

Post by rdeis »

Some Ideas I've had that seem wise, but many of you are wiser than I so please comment as need be:

1> Design awards need to be as impressive, though quite different that, speed awards. I'm planning to use display-stand type trophies for design that show off the winning car, combined with some sort of prize. Race winners get big racing cup trophies and advanced to district, but no addtional prize.

2> Teamwork within the dens goes a long way toward sharing race secrets. Based on another pack's suggestion, I'm planning to offer a "Leaders of the Pack" perpetual trophy that the Den earns as a whole through a combination of participation, sportsmanship, and, yes, speed. I have secured permission to leave the big trophy in the school's display case.

3> Individual opportunity for awards should be maximized. I'm planning on offering very small awards like ice cream cone cupons to heat winners. Excess cupons will be given out as door prizes, perhaps in a clandistinedly less than random fashion to ensure a good distribution among those that didn't win heats....

4> Everything hinges on Scout/parent integrity. It's not difficult to ram this home when the kits go out with a Pinewood Derby Promise:

On my honor
I will do my best
To build my own car
With the help of my adult partner
To follow the rules of the race
And to display good sportsmanship at the Derby

5> To make things "fair," one must either penalize the leaders, or assist the stragglers. The latter is better. Lots of tips, hints, workshop time, and other scaffolding should be available.

**EDIT** forgot one!

6> Sportsmanship is learned by example. Highlight examples of good sportsmanship at the race and make a big deal of them. My nephew's pack has a "Spirit of Scouting" award that I think is givin to the scout that best exemplifies that ideal on race day. I was considering asking leadership to try and "catch" a few scouts in the act of good sportsmanship so we could call them out , say what they did right, and maybe give them something during the awards ceremony.

Obviously all these awards depend on local businesses supporting us with donatiopns-- but so far that support seems available. I've gotted a lot of positive responses to my cold calls.
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Darin McGrew
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Re: Couple of ideas as we get going

Post by Darin McGrew »

rdeis wrote:Design awards need to be as impressive, though quite different that, speed awards.
I'm curious why you think design awards should be quite different from the speed awards. We use exactly the same trophies for the top design and speed awards, and the same medals for the remaining design and speed awards.

I think the best way to keep design awards just as special as speed awards is to treat them the same: have about the same number of each kind of award, allow cars to win both a design award and a speed award (that is, don't treat design awards as consolation prizes for those who don't win the races), use the same kind of trophies/medals/ribbons/whatever for each, etc.
rdeis wrote:To make things "fair," one must either penalize the leaders, or assist the stragglers. The latter is better. Lots of tips, hints, workshop time, and other scaffolding should be available.
Amen. I've got an appropriate quote in my .signature list: "You can't strengthen the weak by weakening the strong."

Another thing to consider when drafting your rules: It should be possible to "just build the car" without worrying about violating some obscure rule. This is my big objection to "all 4 wheels must touch" rules: anyone who just builds the car will probably have only 3 wheels touching, and will have to work very hard to get all 4 wheels to touch.
rdeis
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Re: Couple of ideas as we get going

Post by rdeis »

Darin McGrew wrote:
rdeis wrote:Design awards need to be as impressive, though quite different that, speed awards.
I'm curious why you think design awards should be quite different from the speed awards. We use exactly the same trophies for the top design and speed awards, and the same medals for the remaining design and speed awards.
Good question, I had to think about it a bit. THe main reason I feel that way is that design awards are of a different character from speed awards. You're awarding a kid's ability to think creatively and and their ability to bring that thought through to reality. It's quite a different skill set than executing a solution to a well understood engineering problem.

But neither skill is more or less important than the other, so you have an excellent point in treating them the same, which drove me to a backup position based on practicality:

You don't generally hand out 2nd and 3rd place awards for design, only firsts in various categories.

All the design awards could, of coure, match the fisrt place speed award, but that tends to downplay the value of the runners up for speed, so I'm driven to want something as different and unique as the creativity and craftsmanship that went in to the design.

Ideally the prize should be related to the category as well-- The idea that a creative kid executing some craftsmanship skills might be ready to embark on a new hobby is what triggered my original trip to the hobby shop looking for donations.

I don't have concerns about design prizes overshadowing speed trophies partly because speed is the first thought on most people's minds, and partly because the speed winners go up to District and the design winners do not.
I think the best way to keep design awards just as special as speed awards is to treat them the same: have about the same number of each kind of award, allow cars to win both a design award and a speed award.
Agree on all those points.
rdeis
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Re: Couple of ideas as we get going

Post by rdeis »

Darin McGrew wrote:[Another thing to consider when drafting your rules: It should be possible to "just build the car" without worrying about violating some obscure rule.
Good idea. My (pack level) rules will be constrained by the need to match the district rules, but I'll be highlighting any peculiarities or details that might cause problems (or allow for advantage) to our scouts as they begin.
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Re: Couple of ideas as we get going

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Darin McGrew wrote:I think the best way to keep design awards just as special as speed awards is to treat them the same: have about the same number of each kind of award, allow cars to win both a design award and a speed award (that is, don't treat design awards as consolation prizes for those who don't win the races), use the same kind of trophies/medals/ribbons/whatever for each, etc.
I agree for the most part. I do like spreading awards around, especially the trophies. If someone has won a speed trophy and a design trophy, we give them the choice of which one they would prefer, then bump someone up to get the other. We try to do this discretely, of course. I have been surprised, some of the kids would rather have a lower place design award over a higher place speed award.
Randy Lisano
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Awana Grand Prix and Pinewood Derby racing - Where a child, an adult and a small block of wood combine for a lot of fun and memories.
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