It's paradoxical at first glance, but the Pinewood derby is both my least and (al)most favorite event of the Cub Scout year :-) Fast cars, screaming boys, high anticipation (and blood pressure!), trophies... what's not
to love???
Strangely, the Derby is NOT about the cars, which most parents miss (especially new Tiger parents). It's about doing something unique and special with your *Scout*, and the teaching opportunities that come with such projects. Doesn't really matter how the car looks, how fast it goes, or how long it took
to build in the bigger picture. This event too shall pass. There are so many things that derive from the Derby that parents often overlook:
- Spending quality time with your Scout
- Teaching about tools
- Teaching about woodworking
- Preparing them
to lose gracefully (only ONE out of 90 cars will be "The Fastest")
- Preparing them
to win gracefully (there will be 3 trophies per rank)
- Encouraging others when they are racing (A Scout is Kind)
- Cheering for others when they are NOT racing (A Scout is Cheerful)
- Understanding the engineering of car building
- Learning the rules of racing
- Setting goals (fast car vs cool car, what design?)
- Setting plans
to achieve those goals (go out and play or work on the car?)
- and on...
Yes, we'll have participation patches for all, many trophies for the top tier, lots of fun and excitement. But the day of racing pales
to the potential leading up
to it. It's up
to the parents
to realize that potential for these fleeting years of influence when your Scout still thinks you are [somewhat] "cool" and their friends hold less sway over them. It's these moments that you have the briefest windows
to plant seeds which will hopefully, with a lot of prayer and patience, help sow a young adult of character.
It's also ironic that the "best" looking cars are often the Tiger Scouts'.
Why? Yep, the dad did most of the work. But THAT'S OK. Understand that the parent's are learning just like the Scouts.
I actually expect the worst looking cars
to be the Bears as a general rule, as the parents encourage the Scouts
to do more and more of the actual build (within reason), but before the Scouts have the skills
to hone. The Webelos
I and Arrow of Light Scouts hopefully have learned enough
to either care about the car and are willing (mostly)
to put some effort into it, with varying degrees of success. But not always ;-)
Beyond the opportunities,
I hope parents understand that *everyone* in the Scouting program's units are volunteers trying
to "Do their Best." But inevitably mistakes happen. Doesn't matter how hard we try or how much we plan, there's 100% chance that most of these will happen at the Derby:
-A car will be overweight
-A car will be rejected for too low, too tall, too wide
-A car will fall off the track and break
-A Scout will drop their car
-A parent volunteer will not show up at their designated station/time
-The finish line will misbehave
-The start line will misbehave
-A glued object will come off the car (best
to screw in weights!!!)
I'll share with you a personal event, my biggest mistake,
I've ever done at a Derby.
I thought it would be a great idea
to have multiple scales at the Friday night Open Track where parents could check their cars out and get a head start on Saturday morning... but as you can imagine, not all scales (even with our calibrated weights) perform exactly the same and Derby morning the car was rejected at check-in.
I *still* get this awful sick feeling in my stomach thinking about the duress
I caused the mom, the dad, and the Scout due
to my "good intentions" but lack of vision after they had done everything "by the book" and within our rules. There were tears and stress and disbelief as the checkin deadline loomed. We fixed the car in time, but we had
to move the Earth and Sky
to do it. Needless
to say,
I've only allowed the "official" scale at Friday night's "fun" open track ever since. One day
I will write a book on Derby chairing
to compliment the gazillion books on car building!
Our Pack's Committee (of volunteer parents just like you) voted, at my behest,
to move the Derby up from January
to December.
I indeed have mixed emotions about that too, trying
to avoid a 4th straight year of unpleasant weather events during the Derby but piling on more "Scout things
To Do" during an already busy season, and minimizing the influence of our public school’s closing at the hint of a single snowflake. Please see the CubMaster or the Derby chair with honest thoughts or suggestions on improvements. We promise that though we all have different approaches, the end goal remains the same: help YOU provide the absolute best Cub Scouting program for your Scout as we can. Well-intentioned-but-flawed-
Humans and all ;-)
I cannot wait for the Derby. Neither can my youngest son! And
I beseech (who uses that word today??) any parent(s) who feel stressed or worried about the Derby
to contact your DL, or ANYONE. And remember, it's not about the cars...
- Brian Meny, Former Cubmaster, Pack 160 and Scout for Life
BMenyScout@gmail.com
