Scoutmaster Musings

In 2005, Northern Star council was created by merging Indianhead council and Viking council. There have been many other council mergers over the past decade and the trend to restructure due to economics, member levels, and demographics continues.

Knowing what your neighbors are doing is usually a good way to be prepared for change. In Michigan, the 11 councils in Area 2 are on the brink of a complete overhaul which I find interesting to read about at their Area Project website. They've posted tons of information and data that should certainly be useful for any other councils facing restructuring in the future.

I appreciate their volunteers for putting in the extra effort to share their process with the rest of us and wish them the best of luck with implementing their changes to improve Scouting in Michigan.

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Did you get your Sept/Oct Scouting magazine yet?
Take a look at page 24! We don't always stop at Dairy Queen on our hikes, but we do use gmap-pedometer.com a lot and it works pretty slick. That page is a good indication of what I plan to do for the next few years now that I'm not wearing the Scoutmaster patch.

I'm going to tackle the National Scenic Trails system - click the image for a larger map view. There are eleven of them:

1. Arizona NST - 800 miles
2. Ice Age NST - 1200 miles
3. Appalachian NST - 2200 miles
4. Pacific Crest NST - 2600 miles
5. Continental Divide NST - 3100 miles
6. Pacific Northwest NST - 1200 miles
7. North Country NST - 4600 miles
8. Florida NST - 1400 miles
9. Natchez Trace NST - 700 miles
10. Potomac Heritage NST - 700 miles
11. New England NST - 220 miles

From the initial research I've done, there's no camping nor connecting routes for the last three and thru-hiking them isn't really a probability. I plan to hike the first 8 in the order listed, starting in Spring, 2012. If I'm wrong about the others, I'll add them.

The AZT is shorter and requires hiking early in the season since water is scarce and heat is intense as summer approaches. It will give me a great opportunity to test out my equipment, abilities, endurance, and processes. If it goes well, then I'll do the IAT in late summer, 2012. This lets me be home for my last son's high school graduation and shipping off to college.

After that, it'll be a trail a year. As an initial plan, I'll do the Appalachian Trail in 2013, hopefully working it so I can drop in at the Jamboree at the Summit - it's only 50 miles off the AT in West Virginia. But, at this point, I'm not set on the order of the trails.

I do have some goals for doing this, not just to burn through a few pairs of shoes. I'm hoping to:

• Connect with scouts - I'll invite scout troops along my treks to come out and hike with me for a couple hours or days. I'll have a tracking device so folks can see where I am.
• Promote lighter-weight trekking. When we try to "Be Prepared" I think we overpack and make life more difficult than needed on the trail. I'll be an example of how to be light and safe.
• Promote Scouting - I'd like to represent the BSA on the hikes and talk it up to folks I meet.
• Record the Fun - through blogs, reports, stories, and journals I'll track and share the experience, hopefully providing a resource to help others.

I've gotten the Atlas and Guide for the Ice Age Trail and have developed an itinerary. The Arizona Trail books are in the mail so I'm really excited to start planning that one out. I'm walking about 8 or 10 miles each morning to keep the joints moving. My next part of the project is acquiring and testing gear.

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Next week will be my first free Monday night in over six years - no PLC meeting, no troop meeting, no committee meeting, no merit badges or patrols to visit. Now that the new Scoutmaster is trained and guiding the troop, I'm on my own. I've got some big plans, but first I'm curious to hear from you guys.

What role does the past Scoutmaster play in your troop? - leave a comment about how your troop puts the ex-SM 'out to pasture'. Is it a clean break, becomes an ASM, joins the committee, or something else?

We've decided that it would be best for the scouts to have me away from meetings and campouts for at least six months. This is to engrain in them that I'm not the scoutmaster now. My transition falls in nicely with a new SPL election this coming month so the entire troop leadership will start anew over this next month.

My plans for the next nine months are:

• Merit badge counselor for anyone in the council, including the troop.
• District training volunteer for SM Specific, IOLS, and Youth Protection.
• High Adventure planning resource to all troops in the community that need advice on their treks.
• Complete two website projects I've neglected for the past few years.
• Present Red Cross CPR/AED and WRFA training, mostly to scout units.
• Support my last son through his final year of high school and get him out of the house. :-)

I figure that should keep me pretty busy and active enough in the Scouting community. But, it doesn't really get me out into the wilds as much as I'm used to and as much as I'd like. I've got a plan for that part of my life that I think will keep me busy for the next six years. Stop by tomorrow if you're curious. Here's a clue - I hiked 11 miles this morning.

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Every day is a transition. Scouting volunteers are rewarded with seeing an ongoing transition in the scouts over months and years as they learn skills, push their leadership skills, and outgrow pants. Sometimes these transitions are gradual and sometimes instantaneous.

Last night the troop had a 'retirement' picnic for me. A new Scoutmaster is guiding the troop now. He's an Eagle Scout and a terrific guy with a 2nd Class scout son in the troop, so he'll do an awesome job. I started looking for someone 10 months ago and we've had a 6-month transition time so he's ready to go.

We spent a week at summer camp together where a lot of traditions, ideas, and "things I never got to" were shared. I've given him a DVD packed with planning and program documents from past high adventures, weekend campouts, fundraising, joining, advancement, and training. He's got everything I could think of to pass on and a fresh view so the troop will continue to thrive under his direction.

My involvement in the troop will be only as a merit badge counselor now. I figure it's best to have me away from troop meetings and campouts so there's no temptation to look to me for advice and no confusion about who's the scoutmaster.

The troop presented me with a custom walking stick from MsSticks.com and it's beautiful. If you're looking for a unique gift for a scout or scouter, check her site out.

I shared a new Life Paths scoutmaster minute. A few people were curious about what I'd do now that I have all this free time. Well, if you're interested in that, check back tomorrow and I'll let you know my plans. :-)

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We finished the 20 mile hike at 3:45 after starting at 8:40 this morning. Two scouts set the pace and I just had to keep up. It was a great hike, exploring a few new places around the community, and the weather was terrific. And, actually, my feet and legs feel just fine - tired but fine.

Someone asked if we do anything special for a 20-mile hike. Not really. Everyone has water bottles. The scout laying out the hike shows me where water locations are and reassures me that we are on trails or sidewalks the whole way. I ask to borrow some sunscreen to make sure we have some, and then we're off. The scouts use GMap-Pedometer to lay out their hikes - it does a great job and they can share the map with everyone.

On this hike, we stopped at Subway at 8 miles. The scouts got footlongs, but I just did a 6-inch BMT with everything but tomatoes. Did you know the "BMT" is named for the Boston Mass Transit? The scouts did a lot of guessing before giving up on that one. It was a scruptious meal and enough to fuel the engine another 12 miles.

We had two more water stops after that since it turned out to be sunny and 83 all day - a great day for hiking. I also asked how feet and legs felt a couple times but these guys are in great shape with baseball, tennis, and basketball all the time.

Scout On
Scouts can lead

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I love it when a scout figures out that he needs to take responsibility for completing merit badges and rank requirements. Sometimes, scouts can have a path of badges required to advance through Star, Life, and Eagle laid out for them by the troop, offering badges in a cycle. This requires very little of the scout - sign up, show up and participate, get the badge.

When a scout wants a merit badge, it is so much more fun. He sets up meetings with the counselor, plans his requirement completions, and pushes to get things done. He is stepping out to engage adults rather than being pulled along with a group.

I've got a First Class scout anxious to reach Star before the September court of honor. He has just two merit badges to finish. Since he started Hiking in the spring to prepare for his Philmont trek, he's decided to complete that one.

He's arranged two hikes and we're doing his 20-miler today. On the last hike, we finished up the first aid and 'discussion' requirements. Today, it's just hiking around with a couple buddies - and lunch at Subway!

See you in 7 hours.

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Troop 198 scouts put out a small brush fire in Oregon. Great to see them have the SPL do most of the interview!

It would be interesting to hear who started the fire. A faulty camping stove doesn't just start a fire - it must have been lit by someone. Maybe more details will come out about this one.

Our troop rafted the Deschutes a couple years ago and it was a ton of fun. Nothing better than cool water on a hot sunny day- except rushing water!




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Let Scouts Lead

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The regional path was very busy today. I passed about 12 joggers, 9 bikers, and 4 or 5 walkers as I put in my 8 miles and I waved to each one of them. After all, the path is only about 8 feet wide and it's just polite to say "Howdy".
About 75% of those people had wires hanging out of their ears, listening to some music or reading. Is that good, bad, or irrelevant?

I understand that music makes the exercise routine less boring and helps the miles fly by faster. It adds a bit of entertainment to an activity that many don't enjoy. But, the dangers of being plugged in and tuned out are real.

Last year, pedestrian deaths rose for the first time in four years. Electronic devices are the blame. Runners, walkers, and bikers jamming to their tunes instead of paying attention to traffic get hit.

Even on nonmotorized trails, being tuned out increases the risk of harm. Not hearing the "On your Left" warning of a biker overtaking you can cause a collision.

Sound perception researchers say that music affects your thought process. As you attune to the tempo, you may be able to run more easily, but you aren't noticing branches, rocks, curbs, and other obstacles as you should. Your brain tunes out the world as you daydream along which could cause a rude awakening.

My biggest concern with personalized music devices is that the majority of the people using them don't make the effort to say "Hi" back to me. I'm not a bad guy. I smile at them. I raise my hand in greeting. But some just plod along, in step with Justin Beiber or AC/DC, I don't know.

This morning, they didn't hear the red-wing blackbird, the cardinal, the movings of some small critter in the brush, or the splash in the lake. They didn't notice the two young deer chasing each other in the field, the squirrel skittering up the oak, or the far-off turkey. I did, and I loved every sound.

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Another week of summer camp is in the history books. Eleven scouts and three adults had a terrific time in the great north woods. Few mosquitos, lots of sun, low humidity, great program, and a super staff made for many memories.

Weather makes a big difference in the 'fun factor'. While we had record heat and humidity as well as severe storms the first week, this time it was beautiful nearly every day. While weather plays a part, the group size has an even larger impact. As you can see in the photo, our first week group was 4x as large as the second week.

This week was the first time at camp for most of the scouts. They had missed previous years because of baseball or other conflicts. This group of eleven worked well together because each scout was needed and there was work for everyone. They couldn't just sit and not be noticed. They all completed their merit badge projects and kept a clean campsite.

Three scouts got to fill the role of SPL at some point during the week as some program elements took scouts away from camp. The SPL was gone an afternoon to shoot black powder rifles so the ASPL stepped up. Then, the SPL and ASPL went on an offsite overnight adventure so a Tenderfoot ran camp until breakfast the next day.

The only time that our small size was a hinderance was trying to play water polo, but a couple staff members and two adults helped fill the teams. Other than that, having fewer scouts meant more shooting, more climbing, and more sailing for each scout.

Even though we were the smallest troop at camp, the SPL volunteered his guys to clean the dining hall 4 times while most other troops did it only 1 time. He saw the need and provided the service - that was great to see.

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Leaving in a few minutes for the second week at Many Point Scout Camp. The troop is large enough that we have a dozen guys in soccer and baseball that could not go with the troop a couple weeks ago - enough for a second week!

This should be fun with a great scout trying his hand at the SPL position for a week, a new Scoutmaster, and a small group. I'm hoping it's more like a PT boat than a battleship when the scouts need to gather, transition, and make decisions. We'll see.

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Scouts are interesting creatures. I think of three kinds of scouts.

First off are the Over Achievers. Probably destined for middle management in corporate America, they organize everything, plan to the minute detail, take their roles seriously, and love directing others. They make great SPLs, PLs, and Scribes. They arrive early to meetings, advance quickly, get lots of awards, and basically have an excellent career in Scouting. What they lack in imagination, they make up for in re-using tried and true successful programs so the troop runs well with these guys running the show. Their attitude is that rules are to be followed and the joy is in efficiency and perfection.

The majority of scouts ride the train, tote the bale, pull their share of the load, and generally participate to a required level. They don't make waves. They do the minimum in their positions of responsiblity. They camp with their patrol, do their share of the dishes, learn basic skills, and have a fairly good time. These scouts will probably have decent jobs, families, and fulfilling lives. They are the rank and file upon which others rise. Their attitude is that someone else can figure it out and then they will enjoy the opportunities.

Lastly, there are the screwballs, the Bad News Bears of scouting. Scouts that make adult volunteers want to pull out their hair, switch to Girl Scouts, or just move far away. They are the jokesters, the misfits, the rabble-rousers, the hooligans, and they're the ones you never forget. They highly influence all the younger scouts with their antics and their mischief. These are the guys that make or break a troop. Where will they go in life? Who knows! They may just as well wind up as a president or as a life sentence. These are the ones that can best benefit from Scouting and they make outings into adventures.

A Scoutmaster that connects with a screwball has a chance for great success. He is often starved for attention and has found a way to get it - right or wrong. Channeling his enthusiasm and imagination down a productive trail is a challenge, but can have rewards for the scout, his patrol, and his troop. Recognizing him whenever he helps, supports, or models behavior well and maintaining calm detachment from his jabs, tricks, and inappropriate behavior can gradually shape his attitude.

The screwball's attitude is whatever it takes to get a rise, make an impact, or stir the pot. It's often easier to do that by offending people, but impressing people can have a bigger impact with just a little more effort. Something as simple as challenging this scout might be all it takes.
Dare him to teach three scouts the bowline in the silliest way possible.
Bet him you can do a better practical joke that involves an advancement requirement than he can do. (and talk about 'safe' practical jokes)
See if he can get the most applause from a song, story, or skit that has a moral at the next campfire.

There are many ways to adjust a scout's attitude without breaking his spirit, and maybe without him even knowing. If you're thinking of one or two specific scouts in your troop that might fall into the 'screwball' group, don't forget about all the others. Your troop might benefit even more by coaxing some of your 'by-the-book' guys to lighten up and coaxing some of your 'rank-and-file' guys to try something out of their comfort zone.

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Our Alps Mountaineering tents have nice vestibules and do a great job of keeping out rain, but only when properly set up and when gear is stowed. As you can see, that's not the case every time. How does a scout leave his uniform shirt laying in the mud out in the rain?

Last week at camp, I often saw scouts ill-prepared for the day. Whether it was 'forgetting' their water bottle, rain coat, merit badge material, towel, or sunscreen, some scouts would constantly be in need. Reminders from the SPL before breakfast, reminders from the Scoutmaster after lunch, and reminders from Patrol Leaders in the evening fell on a more than a couple pairs of deaf ears.

We are asked to train scouts and then let them practice their skills. When a scout is told, shown, and asked to practice a behavior and then does not do it, what should an adult leader do? The training has been done, punishment is not an option, so letting him get dehydrated, soaked, or burned and then taken to the health lodge seems like the next step. Seems like a tough way to learn.

I believe some boys are so coddled that they don't grasp the concept of self-sufficiency and responsibility. The 'training' some have received at home for the past 11 or 12 years is that someone will take care of them, pick up after them, fix it for them, or in some other way make everything ok for them. At some point, each boy will finally understand that his actions and the resulting consequences are his alone, but some have been guided by the hand for so long, it takes extra practice.

Providing them with more opportunities to make decisions is key. We had a great lesson the morning we left camp. A severe weather risk caused the camp staff to evacuate all troops to the dining hall at 4:30am. Almost 20% of the scouts could not find their raincoat. Afterwards, we discussed how having a few important items readily at hand during the night is important. Hopefully, it will be remembered next time. Another opportunity was each evening's campfire. The guys gather, start the fire, have a fun time, and then remember that they don't have a flashlight. I'd guess almost half the guys were in that boat, even towards the end of the week.

It sure sounds like I'm complaining, doesn't it? I guess I am, about the coddling anyway. But, I'm also pointing out that 11-16 year olds don't connect all the dots like adults. Planning ahead, being prepared, and considering consequences takes some mental development that some of these guys just don't have yet. Keep instructing them, keep caring about them, keep encouraging them, and sooner or later you'll notice a change. You might even see a clean, dry shirt or two at the end of the week.

Scout On

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