Proud Dad moment at Pack race!

[Aron]

My son had his pack race last weekend and thanks mostly to this board he was quite sucessful. He won the pack championship for the 3rd straight year. He also won most original design. needless to say he was quite happy. The thing that made me most proud though was after they handed out all the trophys and everyone was getting ready to leave, my son comes up to me and says "I'm going to give one of my trophys to my friend" I said what? He proceeded to tell me that it was his friends last race as a scout and he didn't get any trophys and was very sad. I asked him if he was sure, and without hesitation he said yep, grabbed him trophy and walked straight over to his friend and gave it to him. Wow was I proud of him! Thats what scouting is all about!

[Scrollsawer]

That's a great story. I'd have been proud too. One thing my Pack does that I like, is that If Cubs win a speed category, then their place in the non-speed categories (e.g., 'most creative', 'most futuristic') is removed to allow a Scout who did not win a speed trophy to 'move up' in the non-speed category rankings. This spreads the awards out nicely across the Pack. So in our Pack, Cubs usually build for speed, or for creativity in their design, but not both.

Scrollsawer

[FatSebastian]

thanks mostly to this board he was quite successful

He couldn't have done it without you. Don't sell yourself short!

Wow was I proud of him!

One thing my Pack does that I like, is that If Cubs win a speed category, then their place in the non-speed categories (e.g., 'most creative', 'most futuristic') is removed...

Some on DT might suggest that makes the design awards "consolation" prizes.

[Scrollsawer]

FS, in the strictest sense, you may be correct. However, none of the kids the past tree years I've seen participate in the race in our Pack have felt that way. Rather, they see the 'design/build' component (outside of pure speed factors) to be an equally cool and fun and challenging category. I know a lot of Cubs in our Pack that would much rather win the 'Coolest Car' plaque than a 2nd or 3rd place speed trophy. I think it comes down to what's being emphasized in the Pack about the Derby. What's cooler? The speed of the Ferrari, or the famous design lines, and throaty growl of the engine? I suggest that, properly emphasized, both aspects are equally aspirational for a Cub building a car with his Dad.

Scrollsawer

[FatSebastian]

both aspects are equally aspirational for a Cub building a car with his Dad.

Agreed! Opinions vary, but I think the concern with "spreading the awards" has been that a Cub building a car with his Dad therefore cannot be recognized for both aspects, if truly deserved. Like with Aron's boy Lake.

[Darin McGrew]

I know a lot of Cubs in our Pack that would much rather win the 'Coolest Car' plaque than a 2nd or 3rd place speed trophy.

So, what happens when one of those cubs wins the "Coolest Car" plaque, and then comes in 3rd in the race itself?

Does he get the "Coolest Car" plaque? Or does he get the 3rd place speed trophy (a "real" trophy), and someone else (who didn't get a "real" trophy) gets the "Coolest Car" plaque?

Do kids who want a design award need to ignore (or deliberately sabotage) their cars' speed, to guard against accidentally winning a speed award that would then disqualify them from the design award?

[Shawn Stebleton]

Our pack does the same thing (scout can only win one trophy), mainly because a scout can only enter into one category for the District races.

There are two groups (two complete sets of races):
Tiger Cubs
Cubs (Wolves through Webelos II)

Within each group, we award the following categories:
Speed: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place
Best Design
Most Original

The 1st place speed, Best Design, and Most Original trophies are all the same size. Tiger Cub non-winners get participation trophies. None of that participation trophy stuff for the older cubs, though, because they understand. My sons thankfully never got one of those.

If a scout earns more than one trophy, the scout must choose which he wants. If he wins both 3rd place speed and Most Original, he can accept one of them. The next scout in line for the trophy not accepted gets bumped up to a trophy position. The trophy winners are all offered the opportunity to go to districts.

If a scout is unable to go to districts, despite having earned the right to do so, another scout next in line gets bumped up and is offered the chance to go to districts.

For packs greater than a given size (I believe 40), the number of scouts eligible to go to districts is doubled for each category in each grouping (6 Speed, 2 Best Design, 2 Most Original for each of Tiger Cubs and Cubs). That's up to 20 scouts total.

[chromegsx]

...If a scout earns more than one trophy, the scout must choose which he wants. If he wins both 3rd place speed and Most Original, he can accept one of them. The next scout in line for the trophy not accepted gets bumped up to a trophy position...

I wish they did something similar for my son's race last year. He got 4th place in speed (recieved a 3rd place trophy) but likely would have gotten 1st in design. This year he got 1st in speed and design didn't matter to him, although we were told he "may" have been in the running for design again. They give out speed trophies first and then design because whoever made the rule thought that's what a kid would want first since it is after all a race for speed. Personally I'd like to see the racer choose as well. Then maybe a piece of paper or some symbolic item giving honorable mention that they also would have placed in another category. Might be too complicated and start arguments though... about things not being fair and such.

[Aron]

It is an intresting topic. Some would say if the scout has put in the work he shoould get both trophys, and some would say spread them out to more scouts. our pack always has a group of guys from tthe mens club come in and judge. They leave before the race has run. Also our pack is fairly small so quite a few get trophys anyway.

[rpcarpe]

I saw a couple of Packs do the following for Looks Competition:
- Give every cub 3 beans
- Put a small cup near each car
- Vote with your beans
- Tally, give awards

Other awards as 'Greenest', 'Most Patriotic' were done as organizers saw fit for the builds presented.
Plus, they awarded individual speed awards and the Fastest Den award.