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Post by beakerboysracing on Jan 28, 2009 14:12:47 GMT -6
Well derby season is in full swing, and there are hundreds of thousands of boys across our country sanding and polishing and shaping their cars for their respected races. I have personally watch 57 boys in our pack work really hard on their cars with the hope that on race day, just maybe, they built the fastest car. Some will win, some will lose. Win or lose, all my boys will walk out of the gymnasium that day knowing that they lived up to the Cub Scout Motto "Do your Best".
Let me quote the man that started it all. Donald Murphy said “I wanted to devise a wholesome, constructive activity that would foster a closer father-son relationship and promote craftsmanship and good sportsmanship through competition” when describing why he invented the pine wood derby.
That being said, I was looking around today at Ebay to see what was being offered "For Sale" pine wood derby related. It sadens me to see so many ready to race cars being offered for sale. How is that teaching our childen to "Do Your Best" when mommy and daddy can just buy you a trophy? How is buying a ready to race car promoting a wholesome, constructive active that fosters close father son relationships when the father and son never spend a minute building a car? How is buying a ready to race car teaching our children craftsmanship when they never pick up the first tool or piece of sandpaper to build a car? What does buying a race ready car say about you the parent? I'll tell you what it says, you don't have time for your kid, nor are you interested in teaching them values that the Scouts have for 100 years been trying to instill in young boys to help them grow up to be good men.
Sorry if I have stepped on anyones toes, I truely believe there is a place for Ebay cars, collectors items. I have no problem with the many venders selling their products to help scout get faster. I do have a problem with people selling cars ready to race as I feel this may cheat the boys that "Did Their Best" because they may be racing against a ready to race car. And worst than that, cheat the boy that is racing the ready to race car because he didn't live up to the Cub Scout Motto.
Scott
Beakerboys
PS. If any Ebay cars show up for inspection at our pack race, they will be DQ'ed.
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Post by Mr. Slick on Jan 29, 2009 8:47:12 GMT -6
Just change the last few words from "because he didn't live up to the Cub Scout Motto."
to "because he wasn't allowed to live up to the Cub Scout Motto."
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Post by ScoutMom on Feb 9, 2009 12:19:02 GMT -6
Ya'll know my paranoia about coming up against one of those super fast eBay cars. LOL! But you know what I think would cut down on that? More education for the parents! In our pack, the folks are friendly, but no one offers to help the newbies. They get frustrated. Your son goes to his first PWD and gets creamed, because you-- the parent-- didn't know ANYTHING about building these cars. The parent starts doing research on the internet for the next year, because it broke their heart to see their kid so disappointed. The information is quite overwhelming! So, if there is no one to lend a hand then BUYING a car seems like the only way out. Not everyone is lucky enough to find you guys!
My hubby works out of town so much sometimes I feel like a single mom. However, I have a background in wood working (learned to build by own horse jumps and developed a love of tools and wood). Unfortunately, not many women share my proclivities. So, I can totally understand how desperate the mom feels, and how buying an eBay car seems like the best option. Would would prevent this would be for the experienced people in the packs to take these newbies under their wings and lend a hand. I know that a LOT of packs have workshops for the boys, and that is terrific. But, a lot do NOT. I don't have an answer to this problem, but I don't think that these people are just buying the cars to win trophies. I think that a lot of them are genuinely up against a wall and see buying the car as a way out of a sticky situation.
Ok, that's my two cents. I know that I am trying to help some of the newbies in our pack, and I am the only one offering. Next year, I am going to try to organize a work shop, but we don't really have the facilities for a large group (tools in corner of our barn and on our porch). I don't know what the solution is.
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Post by jstraceit on Feb 9, 2009 18:31:52 GMT -6
I would like to thank you and everyone else out there who has helped the kids with there cars. I know it's hard and things have changed through the years. I don't remember doing all this stuff when I was in scouts. A few days ago myself and a few other scout parents put on a clinic for our pack. The first one in at least 5 years. To be able to help the boys out is important and enjoyable. To see the smile on there face, that is important to everyone. The single mom who said without our help her sons car would have been a block of wood with wheels. It is important to remember that this is a experience to be shared between kids and parents. Not an experience to be shared at the checkout line.
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Post by ScoutMom on Feb 10, 2009 14:34:33 GMT -6
I think that the parents DO want to share the experience with the kids-- it is just that some do not know how to go about it. I remember last summer when we had the Raingutter Regatta. We were given a boat kit and told "good luck". Of course, by THIS time I knew about researching this stuff on the internet and I found Wesley Raingutter Regatta site. (Wesley is a sweetie by the way, and gave me personal advice). So, Ethan's boat turned out great. But.... there was no support from the leaders or other parents who had done it before. I think that is what happens a lot of times with parents and the PWD.
I also want to thank everyone who lends a hand to all the clueless parents and helps the boys with their Derby cars. It really does make the experience better for EVERYONE!
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Post by justadad on Feb 10, 2009 15:11:33 GMT -6
I think do your best applies to everyone involved. We had some people get very mad this year after showing up late and not seeing their kids car race. The kid trophied, but the missed seeing his car run. Then they complained about the event and how it was run. I explained it was run by volunteers and they could be on the "pit crew" and have more input in how the race was run. That is how and why I got involved. I reminded them that we all did our best to put on a good race.
We are very strict about the cars. We put on clinics to help them build and improve their cars. This is critical as many kids just don't have the support from their parents and for varying reasons All of which are sound. I just don't want a kid to not even try or care so we work hard to get everyone involved.
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Post by HyperDrive on Feb 10, 2009 15:15:49 GMT -6
I agree that in general buying a race ready car off the internet for a scout race is something to frown upon. However, we don't always know an individuals situation when it comes to this and many other things in life. It just might be the persons only choice they have to be able to race. All you can really do is speak to the parents ahead of time and discouraged such practice. Hyperdrive
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Post by Bubba on Feb 10, 2009 17:05:33 GMT -6
...we don't always know an individuals situation when it comes to this and many other things in life. It just might be the persons only choice they have to be able to race. Maybe I've spent too much time hanging around you guys, but I do find it hard to believe that any boy with an adult partner willing to open their mouth and ask for help can't find someone (fellow Pack member, neighbor, relative, friend from high school, Home Depot guy, etc.) that is willing to help them build their own car. Maybe it won't necessarily be a speed demon or a work of art, but at least it would be theirs and reflect them Doing Their Best. That being said, Thanks to you guys who have shared so much with us and with the boys in your area (you know who you are ). Bubba
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Post by Shade Racing on Feb 10, 2009 18:57:14 GMT -6
I'm helping a co-worker with his sons frist pinewood derby car now & have a workshop at our old pack the 21st I love this stuff
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Post by ScoutMom on Feb 10, 2009 20:20:40 GMT -6
I love the Pinewood Derby, too! Ethan only has one more year to do it. But, I'm going to attend the PWD every year and enter my own car in the open division. Until I am about 70! LOL!
Next year, if I can figure out how to do it, I want to put on a clinic for our pack. Even if I only teach people about how to properly weight the cars and prep the wheels and axles. I don't know all of the tips, but I know enough to help a car be competitive.
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Post by jayjayrocketman on Feb 14, 2009 19:40:43 GMT -6
our first year we really got sandbagged. I built 4 cars and my wife's even beat mine. I did not know anything about weight, shapes alignment or anything. I was a parent that heard it from both boys leaving the church saying I wish my car was better than it was and the were depressed. but as i told them cant go anywhere but up. think about next year when everyone gets knocked down a couple spaces because your car did better than theirs. well last year we placed 8th and tied for first but took second due to 1 lap overall was faster on the other boys. I have taught my boys that they need to not just help build their cars but who ever else needs help, to help them too because of how they felt their first year. there are 55-60 kids in our pack and 3 of us dads have cut 75% of all the cars and have given as much advice as we could. makes for a very fun day. "do your best" not just for yourself, but for everyone, is how it should read.. our pwd race is on MARCH 7 good luck to all.
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