Handling qualifying for Council Races

Discussions on race planning, preparations and how to run a "fair" and fun race.
Post Reply
User avatar
pack529holycross
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 555
Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2007 4:25 pm
Location: Dr. Phillips, Florida
Contact:

Handling qualifying for Council Races

Post by pack529holycross »

Ok... so here are my qualifiers for Council:

• IF YOUR DISTRICT RAN A DERBY -Top THREE within each Rank Qualify for this event
• IF YOUR DISTRICT DID NOT RUN A DERBY – PACK CHAMPIONS Qualify for this event
• PWD PACK CHAMPIONS are automatically qualified to compete at the Council Level Event REGARDLESS of District Results


So how should I handle a Scout who is in a Pack with no derby, in a District with no derby?

Looking forward to the guidance

Nicholas
User avatar
Randy and Son
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 272
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2007 8:02 pm
Location: Elkhorn, Nebraska

Re: Handling qualifying for Council Races

Post by Randy and Son »

One idea might be to perhaps have a preliminary Derby a week earlier but only for those in the Council that don't have a Pack derby. Some group of winners from this race could move onto the Council race then.

Our Council race is open to anyone who wants to participate. The numbers never seem to get out of hand but that could be because it doesn't happen till May and most kids are interested in Summer outdoor stuff by then.

If the numbers could get too large for you, then maybe you cap it at a certain level for those with no qualifying race and it becomes first-come, first serve. I know that's not a real appetizing solution but maybe something like that would be OK for the first year just to get an idea of the level of interest.

Randy
User avatar
Go Bubba Go
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 1190
Joined: Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:09 pm
Location: Northern, Illinois

Re: Handling qualifying for Council Races

Post by Go Bubba Go »

Randy and Son wrote:...If the numbers could get too large for you, then maybe you cap it at a certain level for those with no qualifying race and it becomes first-come, first serve. I know that's not a real appetizing solution but maybe something like that would be OK for the first year just to get an idea of the level of interest.

Randy
If you can't swing another whole race setup, perhaps a prelim "wild card" round immediately before the Council races with a cap on the number of "wild card" entries as Randy describes.

If you have more interest than you can handle, ask the remaining applicants to help you organize a separate race for the remaining "wild cards".

If you have adults that want their boys to race and want you to do all the work, I guess I wouldn't sweat telling them you're out of slots.

On the other hand, if you have adults that want their boys to race and want to help you figure out how to make it happen and work with you to make it happen, there's the answer to your question.

Bubba
"Who's Grandpa's neighbor?"... Phil Davis, Down and Derby
mbb
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 221
Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2006 6:50 pm

Re: Handling qualifying for Council Races

Post by mbb »

We allow kids with no pack derby to compete at districts. This is because some packs alternate yearly between pwd, raincutter regata, space derby , etc.

But everyone at council must have finished in the top 3 or so in their rank at district. They change it and loosen the regs if too few kids were there previous yr, and tighten them if too many .

Much fewer kids show up for council. If you didnt finish in the top 4 or so at your district, you probably dont have much of a chance to place at council, unless you have a plan to make improvements . Therein is the greatest fault of impounding cars, it kills the desire to even bother to go to the next level, because you cannot make improvements. That is not what it is about, it is about encouraging parent-son teamwork in a fun competition.
User avatar
Stan Pope
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 6856
Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2003 7:01 pm
Location: Morton, Illinois
Contact:

Re: Handling qualifying for Council Races

Post by Stan Pope »

I'd not bail out the packs that don't run a derby by giving their Cubs a free pass. One of the benefits that a district/council derby can provide to all scouts is indirect by motivating packs to hold a derby each year. That way the district/council derby actually serves many more Cubs than actually race in it.

But it takes more than just holding a pack derby. There must be some degree of motivation to do well in the pack derby.

From an old national survey that I ran, it appears that 3 or 4 top racers from each rank from each pack is in the range of just selective enough to max the actual participation in the district/council races. That is not very selective! For most of the packs around here, that is about half the membership.

Now, for those who really don't want to hold an actual pack derby, they could use their imagination ... by holding an imaginary race! At the pack meeting before district race registrations are due, hold a drawing among those who want to race. Not a good solution, but it retains the value of the district race.
Stan
"If it's not for the boys, it's for the birds!"
Post Reply