District Race - Improving Attendance

[gpraceman]

This year I will be running our district race. Unfortunately, since our district split in two there has been a low attendance at the race. I think that having opened up the race to all comers, it may have taken away the prestige of going to a district level race and resulted in a lower attendance. For this year's race it will no longer be an open event. Each pack can send their top 2 racers from each rank.

The problem of low attendance has made the event lose quite a bit of money the last couple of years. I do hope to drive up attendance and am working on driving down the costs. Our DE wants to at least break even. That appears to not be a problem since a local church is letting us use their large fellowship hall (complete with sound system and projection system) for free. Our pack is providing the track (for free of course). The trophies and ribbons are being donated, so the only real cost will be the patches. Even at that, I'm looking for a better deal on the patches.

Well, back to the attendance issue. What ideas do y'all have on trying to boost attendance?

[Mr. Slick]

One thing I did was change the top 3 from each pack to be "the top 3 Cub Scouts or Webelos and if there are 6 or more Tigers the top 3 Tigers. If there are fewer than 6 Tigers in the Pack, send them all!"

We have found this really helps to create enthusiasm amongst the Tigers and builds attendance each year. It also helps Tiger families learn/experience more than just the Pack in the realm of Cub Scouting.

I also have workshops to help even things out for all of the racers. I haven't gone to having Adult or Sibling division races but I have thought of it. I have even considered inviting some of the WIRL modified racers to come and show their cars.

[pwdarchitect]

Our distict is open to all racer and we still have +230 kids, which make for a long day of racing. Randy, See your other thread for an idea to gain that attendance. I believe the thought was to take a little bit of influence off of the race and make it more of a scouting type of event, which the kids seemed rather interested in.

Mr. Slick,

I think that's a great idea of having the WIRL racers come.

[gpraceman]

I believe the thought was to take a little bit of influence off of the race and make it more of a scouting type of event, which the kids seemed rather interested in.

Actually, I'm trying to talk our council into doing a race and coinciding it with our annual Scout Show. There would be enough going on elsewhere when racers are not competing and it would get lots of exposure to all of the scouts and prospective scouts. It is too late to get that going for this year, but hopefully it will happen next year.

I was thinking about arranging a race car or dragster for display in the parking lot. It would be cool, but I'm not so sure that it would really improve attendance even if we try to play it up.

I had also thought about having an open division "outlaw" race. With all of the changes with this years race, I wasn't going to try throwing that in the mix (yet). Though, for our pack race in January I hope to have one.

[Stan Pope]

Randy,

I agree that attendance should be sought. District and Council events should serve as many scouts as possible. It should not be a highly selective event designed to serve a small percentage of the scouting population.

That said, what leads to maximizing attendance? An informal survey that I did about 10 years ago strongly indicated that the event should be selective, but not very selective. Percentage participation seemed to peak when about 4 reps from each pack from each of the 5 age groups could participate in the district races.

The "why" of this seems to me to be that if participation must be earned, it will be valued more by potential participants. Secondly, packs are more motivated to actually hold a pinewood derby in their unit!

So, "how big" should your district PWD be? Well, how big a facility can you get to hold it? How can you organize the event to make it support more participants? A typical high school gymnasium with tiered seating can handle 150 or so Cub Scouts who are actively involved in the racing or maybe 200 or 300 Cub Scouts who are watching their cars being raced. A large community athletic facility might easily house 400 Cub Scouts who are actively involved as well as provide tiered seating for families. In our community, the cost of such a facility is $300 for the one-day event and includes setup time the night before (albeit rather late night!)

Staggering the start of age-group events can add capacity, but makes for a longer day for event staff!

[gpraceman]

An informal survey that I did about 10 years ago strongly indicated that the event should be selective, but not very selective. Percentage participation seemed to peak when about 4 reps from each pack from each of the 5 age groups could participate in the district races.

For this year's race each pack will be able send their top 2 racers per age group. If we get anywhere close to that we will have more than doubled attendance. Maybe next year we might open it up a bit more, but we'll see how it goes this year.

The "why" of this seems to me to be that if participation must be earned, it will be valued more by potential participants. Secondly, packs are more motivated to actually hold a pinewood derby in their unit!

That's exactly why we are going away from the open format. It should give the scouts a sense of accomplishment to have earned a spot at the district race.

Well, how big a facility can you get to hold it? How can you organize the event to make it support more participants?

The fellowship hall is rather large. I think it used to be their sanctuary since it has a full sound and projection system. There is no tiered seating, but hopefully having the projection system will help by displaying live video of the racing. The room doesn't have the noise issues that a gym would have, which is nice.

Staggering the start of age-group events can add capacity, but makes for a longer day for event staff!

We do stagger the age groups. Yes, it does make it a long day for the race crew, but I think it makes things more manageable. This is the schedule we have used in the past and will for this race.

8:00 am – 9:00 am Tigers (1st grade) check-in / weigh-in
9:00 am – 10:30 am Tigers (1st grade) race

9:30 am – 10:30 am Wolves (2nd grade) check-in / weigh-in
10:30 am – 12:00 pm Wolves (2nd grade) race

11:00 am – 12:00 am Bears (3rd grade) check-in / weigh-in
12:00 am – 1:30 pm Bears (3rd grade) race

12:30 am – 1:30 pm Jr. Webelos (4th grade) check-in / weigh-in
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm Jr. Webelos (4th grade) race

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Sr. Webelos (5th grade) check-in / weigh-in
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Sr. Webelos (5th grade) race

4:00 pm – 4:15 pm Finals check-in
4:15 pm – 4:45 pm Finals race

[Stan Pope]

For this year's race it will no longer be an open event. Each pack can send their top 2 racers from each rank.

Since this is a change from prior year's procedures, you must carefully manage the change. Get lots of info out well in advance, so that packs can plan their own programs accordingly. Most pack programs (I think) kinda replicate the plan from prior years.

Ways to get the word out can include "promo"s at roundtable, notes in newsletters, and commissioner's staff. This latter can be very strong, since the unit commissioner should have a close working relationship with his/her assigned packs, even those who don't show at roundtable. And, the commissioner can also get help for those packs that don't have equipment of their own.

[gpraceman]

Ways to get the word out can include "promo"s at roundtable, notes in newsletters, and commissioner's staff. This latter can be very strong, since the unit commissioner should have a close working relationship with his/her assigned packs, even those who don't show at roundtable. And, the commissioner can also get help for those packs that don't have equipment of their own.

We are already starting to get the word out at roundtables. We will also be doing a mailer to each cubmaster. It is a good idea to get the unit commissioners involved too.

[2kids10horses]

Randy,

Our District race is open to all, and we're going every year. We also have a Council Race, and only the top 3 Cubs (including Weblos) and top 3 Tigers qualify to go to Council. Actually, 12 in total qualify: 3 Cubs (speed), 3 Cubs (show), 3 Tigers (speed) and 3 Tigers (show).

In fact, it took so long to run the race last year, they're thinking of LIMITING the District race to the top 3 qualifiers from each Pack!

[Down-N-Flames]

Well this last year we got involved in a pack that a couple years ago the district split into three groups. The guy that was doing it last year told me that he tried the year before and got zero preregistered so he cancelled it. I was looking for the info last year and barely found it even after I had emailed him asking about it.

Well this is my son's last year but I love this stuff so much I plan to try and help the district with the event for a couple more years if I can. It is an open event at this point and we only had about 20 cars out of at least that many packs. Our Pack winner was horrible as the rules stated all tires on the ground which we were a 3 wheeler. totally screwed up the car. The rules will be put out early if I have anything to do with it and plan to make our Pack rules follow (we had no rules last year, my WIRL Mod. car could have raced).

We have access to a great church hall that we could run four tracks at once and have the kitchen and a great playground, so we need to get people there. Our pack has agreed to paying for the top 3 to generate interest.

My plan is to try and hit as many pack races as I can fit in and have a display set up for people to look at and grab a flyer. Get the kids excited about another chance to run the car.

One idea I had for the district also is a "car show" I figured set up some tables and let the kids show their old cars from years past. Even let the adults show some of their cars and even some WIRL cars. This would be a no touch, no race, no award, type of thing, something to look at while the kids aren't racing. I have set up my cars at some races and it seems everyone is interested. I love to see not only this years cars, but others people have done. TDean on this list has some great cars that might inspire some kids imaginations too.

I have thought about what Stan has stated earlier about more were involved with they had to qualify for it, so I even thought of a two part event where the Pack winners would race pack winners and still have an open race for the others.

just some thoughts. Woody

[PW Grasshopper]

Randy,

Our District race is open to all, and we're going every year. We also have a Council Race, and only the top 3 Cubs (including Weblos) and top 3 Tigers qualify to go to Council. Actually, 12 in total qualify: 3 Cubs (speed), 3 Cubs (show), 3 Tigers (speed) and 3 Tigers (show).

In fact, it took so long to run the race last year, they're thinking of LIMITING the District race to the top 3 qualifiers from each Pack!

Each of the 3 districts in our Council has a race but I would like to get a Council Race going. A few baseline facts...our district invites top 3 tigers and top 3 from a combined Wolf-Webelos race in each pack. So 6 boys from each pack. There must be 60-80 boys in the tigers and older boy race. Top 5 places with lowest average time over 4 heats take home trophies. The folks running our district do a real nice job and everything runs quickly and smooth.

I have two questions: Should only top 5 from each race move on to Council? With 3 districts that would be 15 boys per tiger and wolf-Webelos council race. It doesn't seem like that is enough participation. How about top 10? Any thoughts? Based on the number you suggest how many council speed trophies should be given?

The other thing is at least 2 of our district races have different rules. Ours are more open - extended wheel base, standard restrictions on wheels. Another district requires use of axle slots and no lathe turned wheels, sanding only. Has anyone encounter this before, what was done. Any advice on how to handle this potential pitfall?

One final point is our Council did have an adults race. Only 10-12 people showed. I am hoping a boys race might increase the number of adults building a car. Is there any chance it could have the opposite effect, a parent's son does not qualify for council so he doesn't show up?

[gpraceman]

The other thing is at least 2 of our district races have different rules. Ours are more open - extended wheel base, standard restrictions on wheels. Another district requires use of axle slots and no lathe turned wheels, sanding only. Has anyone encounter this before, what was done. Any advice on how to handle this potential pitfall?

It seems that if there is to be a council race, you need to get the PWD chairmen from each district to get together and hammer out a common set of rules. Otherwise, there will be lots of compaints from parents and a council race may die pretty quickly.

[PW Grasshopper]

It seems that if there is to be a council race, you need to get the PWD chairmen from each district to get together and hammer out a common set of rules. Otherwise, there will be lots of compaints from parents and a council race may die pretty quickly.

Thank you, Randy. I agree and hope the rules could be hammered out and shared with packs in time to be distributed with kits. December is not that far off.

For your situation, I know that the derby chair from our pack attends a mandatory district planning meeting. It does a good job of keeping our pack in the loop and excited. He in turn follows up with our top placers to make sure they are still interested and plan on attending districts. If someone chooses not to go then the next place finisher is offered the chance and will usually accept.

[2kids10horses]

Our Council distributes PWD rules that all Districts and Packs should follow. They're handed out at the beginning of the year and at Roundtable.