Race by Den or Open Pack and Open District

[3 Cub Dad]

I would like to hear your thoughts on running the derby by Dens or as an Open pack competition, also open district.

We have a relatively small pack, about 30 kids. Some of our Dens only have 3 or 4 kids. For our Raingutter Regatta, we have a Junior Division, (Tigers and Wolves) and Senior Division (Bears and Webelos), since the race is dependant on the scout physically blowing the boat.

In running the whole pack, (perfect-N, each car runs twice in each of four lanes), all of the kids are involved, no waiting for another Dens heats to finish. Last year, 7 of the 8 top cars were from the Wolf den, (they all actually came to the workshop). The finals were held among the fastest cars. The 3rd place pack fastest was 3rd in the Wolves. If we only advanced by Den, he wouldn't have gotten the pack award. Using GPRM, we can also tell the ranking within a Den.

For District this year, we have asked the pack to send their overall 3 fastest racers. This will determine the fastest in the District, whatever the rank, while still managing to have the district race in a reasonable amount of time.

District is already set as an Open class, so I can't change that this year, (but could for next), but we haven't had our Pack race yet, so I'm just looking for input.

Thanks

[Stan Pope]

Well, you are off to a good start, since you have synchronized the pack process output to the district race input!

I'd comment more on district race if I knew more about how many units you have to feed from, how many racers you could reasonably handle on each physical track at district and how many tracks you can line up for district races. I personally like district competition by grade since it gets more boys involved and more chances to "win a slot at district".

Your district race should serve two purposes: it should serve some number of scouts directly by providing them a racing opportunity, and it should serve about 5 to 10 times that number indirectly by motivating units to hold races, providing a purpose for those races and setting a reasonably attainable goal for the scouts who participate.

A survey that I did somewhat over 10 years ago suggested that participation in the district derby peaks when the boys win an invite to district in their pack races. But that participation drops off again when the invite is too hard to get. About 4 invites per grade per pack was near the middle of a broad maximum participation rate. The key is to be selective, but not to be too selective.

We have used a number of schemes over the years to cram 300 or 400 scouts into a day of district racing and to give each one enough runs on the track to make the day seem worthwhile to them. Four tracks scattered around the Mall, back before Tiger Cubs were invented. Three tracks scattered around the Mall with a morning session (Webelos I and Webelos II) and an afternoon session (Bears, Wolves, and Tigers). Four tracks casttered around the Mall with a single inspection area and stagger start the age groups in 1 hour intervals (starting with Webelos II and ending with Tigers, back on the same track as Webelos II) with common ispection area to resolve a bunch of inspection variance issues. Individual groups were typically 50 to 100, which is manageable.

[3 Cub Dad]

Our District actually has over 30 Packs in it, but hasn't had a District Derby in as long as anyone can remeber, at least 5 years. When we came into the District last year I thought this was simply unacceptable. I organized our Pack Derby last year, (new 4-lane track, timer and software), and set and enforced rules. Then volunteered to organize and run the District Race this year. Wrote and distributed the District Rules, (so our Pack's rules sink perfectly!). Myself and a couple of the leaders from our Pack will be running the District and I've had a couple of other Pack leaders step up who will be helping. Only having the one track to run this year, and not knowing how many will show up, we put out that the top 3 finishers from the pack can advance to the district, the pack can also name a 4th alternate. We also opened the design competition to any scout in the disctrict, but only the top pack racers race. It's possible that we could have around 90 kids, but I'm expecting more in the range of 30-50 since it's just getting re-started.

[Stan Pope]

Great!

By race day, have your team so well trained that you can wander around and watch to make sure things go smoothly. (That is an established management technique ... "management by wandering around.") Then, in between times, sneak around and talk to folks wearing CM and ACM and DL uniforms and assess their interest in joining the fray next year ... build up a "contact list." The fact that they are there, in uniform, is a point in their favor toward becoming "part of the team."

Hopefully this year's rules did not clash too greatly with current practice around the district. Since each pack has been "doing its own thing" for several years, bringing diverse rules together could be quite interesting.

Shortly after the race, have a sit down with the district program chairman and the DE and talk about what went well and what needs to improve, how you would like to fit into future PWD event, and where they think the event should go. Then, if all goes well, start the ball rolling at least 9 months ahead of next year's event! Early focus on rules and scope. Then get as many CM as possible involved for their input, still 7 or 8 months ahead. By then you should have a fair idea of interest and likely turnout if you decide you want to make it grow and become a motivating event for the pack programs.

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They asked who wanted to be on the team, and I held up my little sign that said "NO"! Unfortunately, I held it up upside-down. So, I was "ON" the team. And for volunteering so early, I got lots of "opportunities" (AKA work.)