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Posted

Probably mentioned it before, but I'm an Eagle Scout.  I had kind of a love-hate relationship with Scouting at the time (was nerdy, interfered with my stupid me time, but I also dig outdoor stuff), but on reflection, it's one of the best and more formative experiences of my life.

Glad it's still relevant for some of you.

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Posted (edited)
13 hours ago, Chad Fuck said:

Having spoken with my main connection at Scouting HQ yesterday, I get the sense that the super conservative older generation - the ones who stood in the way of co-ed Scouting - are slowly going away.  I think that's a good thing for the organization as a whole. 

A friend who is a higher-up at one of the Texas councils pointed to this being a sign that those types are on their way out:

Combined Troop Pilot | Scouting America

It's a third option (boys troop, girls troop, combined troop). The idea of a combined boys and girls troop is something that those types would have opposed. It doesn't touch the current single-sex troops.

On a side note, I do think a lot more LDSers stayed within scouting than people realize, but we are picking up a lot of non-Christian scouts in a lot of packs/troops as well.  I can't tell you if scouting as a whole is growing, but the pack and troops I'm involved with are.

If I were starting a new troop, it's an option I would consider, especially if said new troop was partnered up with a pack (new or existing) that had both boys and girls).

Edited by atomheartbevo
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Posted

I've bitched in this very thread, and they have toned it down a bit, but they really need to move the religious stuff to optional in terms of Cub Scout advancements.  In our pack and troops (and a previous pack I was involved with), we have basically made it one of those things the kids do at home. We don't keep it out of the official language we use at our meetings obviously.

Unfortunately, it would probably get shot down for now at the national level, but I have a nephew and niece that would be in scouts right now if it was there (and we tell their parents that our pack doesn't put it in your face, but the language and it being a requirement still turns them off), and I've known others who were turned off by it. I've seen several packs and troops that were majority non-Christian/Jewish, so hopefully leadership will address it at some point.

There are a lot of parents that are looking for alternatives to sports and getting the kids out of the house and away from screens.

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Posted
A friend who is a higher-up at one of the Texas councils pointed to this being a sign that those types are on their way out:
Combined Troop Pilot | Scouting America
It's a third option (boys troop, girls troop, combined troop). The idea of a combined boys and girls troop is something that those types would have opposed. It doesn't touch the current single-sex troops.
On a side note, I do think a lot more LDSers stayed within scouting than people realize, but we are picking up a lot of non-Christian scouts in a lot of packs/troops as well.  I can't tell you if scouting as a whole is growing, but the pack and troops I'm involved with are.
If I were starting a new troop, it's an option I would consider, especially if said new troop was partnered up with a pack (new or existing) that had both boys and girls).

This is exactly what I was speaking about. Out troops (boy/girl) intend to go coed as soon as the option is available- likely next month when our unit renewal happens. We are probably going to keep a separate girls patrol because they like having their own agenda on events, etc. But it’s way more administratively compact to have one unit.
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Posted
I've bitched in this very thread, and they have toned it down a bit, but they really need to move the religious stuff to optional in terms of Cub Scout advancements.  In our pack and troops (and a previous pack I was involved with), we have basically made it one of those things the kids do at home. We don't keep it out of the official language we use at our meetings obviously.
Unfortunately, it would probably get shot down for now at the national level, but I have a nephew and niece that would be in scouts right now if it was there (and we tell their parents that our pack doesn't put it in your face, but the language and it being a requirement still turns them off), and I've known others who were turned off by it. I've seen several packs and troops that were majority non-Christian/Jewish, so hopefully leadership will address it at some point.
There are a lot of parents that are looking for alternatives to sports and getting the kids out of the house and away from screens.

Same. A Scout’s Duty to God is between the Scout and God.
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Posted (edited)
On 11/27/2025 at 10:01 AM, randomhorn said:

As an Eagle Scout I’m very happy that y’all are doing the work to get the kids involved and the hate thrown out. Keep it up 

This past year has felt pretty upbeat, and yes, there's recency bias and all that, but we are seeing an uptick in interest and numbers, and I've got friends at other packs and troops that are doing better as well.

I think we are also seeing a lot more interest amongst the younger kids/parents - our kindergarten and 1st/2nd grade dens are larger. I think some of it probably is people who were doing outdoor stuff during COVID and looked around and saw tjat Scouting was what worked best for them. But, as I said, since we added girls and kindergartners, we have a LOT of parents who are showing an interest or signing their kids up because we are one of the few "serious" activities where the whole family can be involved, regardless of boy or girl, and the fact that we cover Kinder - 5th grade is huge for a lot of parents.

In fact, if we took girls out of our pack, we would be close to the size we were before COVID. 

And there's still a lot of people who didn't realize we added girls (and kindergarten), and it's just a matter of them finding out or seeing their friends' kids in it.

There just really is no other activity that covers both boys and girls from kinder - 12th grade (once you move out of Cub Scouts) and that the parents can participate in as well.

Edited by atomheartbevo
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Posted

Unfortunately our Cub unit suffered from a few things.   A Webelos 2 / AoL patrol decided to move en masse to a Troop that while in our area, wasn't the connected unit (P-101 >>> T-101) & that cut 12 full AoL Scouts from tre Troop & their Patrol leader didn't notify us until maybe 1 week before Blue & Gold / Crossover.

Then, we had a District rep who was grwatly interested in spiking new Cub units & that was to the detriment of the 2 existing units & how new Scouts were recruited (assigned a singular elementary per Pack) vs. the prior & effective both units (us & the one other) "both units could attend the 3 schools on Meet - the Teacher / Back to Scool" & draw from that experience. 

With a new 3rd Lack, their CC (who came from our Pack as a Den Scouter) told everyone that "if you attend ____ school, you *HAD* to join their Pack & as a result we lost Cubs fom our Pack 

We also suffered GREATLY during Covid & I am of the assertion that was due to the (then) Committee Chair who never seemed to think the time was right to have a recruitment event (she was coming in as a first year CC & thought Spring was going to work but of course that's"windibg down for a Summer pause to Cubs) & all Dens initially were encouraged by National initially to Zoom in where possible & do handbook activities relevant to rank individually & with parents.

As a result, our pack went from around 5 or 6 Dens + both Webelos for an August / September number of around 70 to 90 Scouts down to a combined 2 Webelos Patrols of maybe 4 (Weebs 1 & ONE AoL)) & one small Den for Bobcat - Tiger - Bear.  & That was mostly comprised of the truly committed parents.

As a result, the graduation upon to the Troop suffered & they are trying to recovered.

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