Racing mixed groups

Debates and discussions on the various race scheduling methods that can be used and their fairness and accuracy in determining the winners.
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pgrenier
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Racing mixed groups

Post by pgrenier »

Hey all.
SO I have been asked to find out if it's possible in GPRM to set it up so we have groups (tiger, wolves, bears, Webs) and have them race mixed by time so a tiger might race a bear and a wolf might race a web, ect. Since its by time the best times in the group would determine placement IE 1st, 2nd, 3rd, place tiger, 1st, 2nd, 3rd place bear, ect. I have found in trial and error that if I create groups, the races race only in their group. I can use the master schedule so the heats are mixed, IE a heat of tigers, then a heat of bears then a heat of which ever, ect...The reason I ask is we found that previously, we would race all the tigers first, then the wolves, then the bears , ect..by the end if they didn't win their group they were just leaving the event. We would like to have everyone stay to the end and make it exciting for all.

So is it possible to race mixed group?

thanks
ngyoung
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Re: Racing mixed groups

Post by ngyoung »

I don't think you would want the ranks to mix in each heat if you are awarding separate 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trophies for each rank. To keep kids from not having too much down time I would go with cycling a different group each heat in the master schedule like you mentioned. If you are only awarding the top 3 in the pack you can just randomize the whole pack in one group. Then make a second round with just the top qualifiers. I would also look for alternative activities for the kids to do to keep occupied if they get bored watching. Adding a best design, theme, scout spirit, etc awards to be announced at the end may entice more to stick around hoping to still win something. You can hand out ballots to each scout at check in to cast votes for their favorites. Some use beads or beans to put in a cup or something and hand out 2-3 to each kid so they all don't just vote for themselves.
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gpraceman
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Re: Racing mixed groups

Post by gpraceman »

You certainly can. Your group is your pack and your subgroups are your dens/ranks.
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.
Rukkian
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Re: Racing mixed groups

Post by Rukkian »

We used this feature this year, since we have greatly differing sizes of dens. We put the Tigers (5), Web1 (3), and Web2 (4) in sub-groups of one group, then put the Wolves (14), and Bears (15) in their own groups. You have to run by times if you do this (as points would not really be fair anyways), but it worked pretty well.
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Stan Pope
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Re: Racing mixed groups

Post by Stan Pope »

Rukkian wrote:We used this feature this year, since we have greatly differing sizes of dens. We put the Tigers (5), Web1 (3), and Web2 (4) in sub-groups of one group, then put the Wolves (14), and Bears (15) in their own groups. You have to run by times if you do this (as points would not really be fair anyways), but it worked pretty well.
While I'd prefer to run times, in "the good old days" I ran 4-lane 13 car points competition with mixed groups with good results. This is possible because 4-lanes 13-cars is a totally balanced competitors. Everybody races the fastest older boy's car ... and every other car in the competition ... once. To simplify comparing scores on the paper record, I had reps from each group draw for high number / low numbers, etc. Then I separated the numbers accordingly and had the groups draw from their numbers. For instance, if I had 5 Web-II and 7 or 8 Wolves, I'd pull #1 and #13 and have reps from the groups draw. If the Wolf drew the #1, I'd combine #1 with #2-#7 or 8 and have all of the Wolf Scouts draw from those. Then combine the #13 with #9-12 and have all of the Web-II draw from those.

Keeping score on an overhead projection, it was pretty easy for the audience to keep track of proceedings... to check the score keeper's work, and to compare the scores within the groups.

Worst problem I had was breaking a tie between two brothers ... typically the fastest in the pack. The cars were closer in performance than the two best matched lanes on our old ratty track. After alternating lanes for head-to-head runs a few times, the Committee Chairman said to call it a tie and buy another 1st place trophy!
Stan
"If it's not for the boys, it's for the birds!"
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