Circle 10 University of Scouting 2012
Varsity Huddle at Roundtable
Why is Varsity Huddle important for your District?
·
Increase stats for attendance within the
District.
·
Increase trained leaders within the District.
·
Encourage leaders to discuss issues in their own
Teams and seek out answers from other Coaches.
· District can create a
Varsity resource for future Coaches if they have issues or problems. Varsity Huddle Commissioner could also serve
on the Training Committee to train new Coaches because they know the Varsity program.
Finding the right Huddle Commissioner:
·
Because the Varsity Program struggles at times
(Team sometimes decide to act like Troops and focus on advancement towards
Eagle instead of instilling creating their own mark in Scouting through their
Team and actually using the Varsity program), find a Coach that knows the
program and actually works some sort of the Varsity program.
·
Find someone who was a Varsity Coach in the past
and ask them to serve.
·
Ask around who was/is the most experience
Varsity Coach in the area. There is
usually one Coach who flies under the radar but quietly does his job well.
·
Get the Varsity Huddle Commissioner staff! Nothing is worse than burn out. Get them some help to share the
responsibility.
Training for Varsity Huddle Commissioner:
·
It is encouraged that the “normal” Varsity
Training is done like Varsity Leader Specific Training. Having acting knowledge on how a Team should
work is a plus.
·
Send your Varsity Huddle Commissioner to Wood
Badge!! They will learn the “why” so
they can teach the “why”.
·
Have them take The Trainers EDGE.
·
Send them to Roundtable Commissioner Training
available through the Council.
·
Because there isn’t a “Varsity Huddle
Commissioner Training” manual, have them use the current Boy Scout
version. There is plenty of room to use
the Varsity program within this manual.
In fact, if the Huddle Commissioner just uses the modeling contained
within the Boy Scout Commissioner Training Manual they will be able to put
together a great Huddle!
Important factors when Huddle is being planned:
·
Meetings need to start and end punctually. Nothing is worse than having a meeting just
to have a meeting (I usually end early so they know I value their time and
their time away from their family).
·
Huddle needs to be creative.
·
Play a game!
·
Topics need to be relevant.
·
Instructors need to be quality instructors. Avoid repetition and make sure staff is
prepared.
·
Don’t allow cliques.
·
Encourage the adult participants to be young
men. Huddle is supposed to be fun. It isn’t supposed to be a meeting for
meetings sake. Scouting is supposed to
be fun!!
·
Encourage change and thinking outside the
box. Invite Coaches to teach.
·
Have time set aside for Coaches to interact with
each other in some form or fashion. I
encourage Coaches to discuss the issues they are having within their Team for
two reasons.
·
It is good to see that others are having the
same problem you are having.
·
Solutions can be found by sharing ideas in a
group.
·
Give them a handout. Let them leave with having taken something
from the meeting.
How to increase attendance at Varsity Huddle:
·
Email.
·
Use Coaches connection and communication lines
through the LDS Church.
·
Postcards.
·
Call and personally invite them to Huddle.
·
Contacts the Stake Young Men’s President for
each LDS Stake in the District and get them to help you advertise.
·
Persistence.
Don’t give up. Don’t ever give
up. EVER! At times I have wanted to give up when
attendance was sitting at 7% but while wanting to quit I never did because I
want these Coaches to succeed in touching the lives of their boys!
·
Have Coaches that are attending invite their
assistant Coaches come to meetings and vice versa. It is a chance to carpool and get to know
each other as leaders and as people. True
friendship grows from spending time with each other. Coaches usually know each other. Have them invite their fellow Coaches.
·
Meet Coaches at LDS Little Philmont or Stake
training sessions.
Varsity Huddle Theme Ideas:
·
Freezer bag cooking
·
Varsity Advancement
·
Geocaching
·
High Adventure ideas – Have Coaches share what
they have done in the past so Coaches can you their ideas now.
·
SMART goals/EDGE training
·
Varsity Scout Programs Features and Pins
·
Include non-traditional programs (i.e.
cinematography)
·
Adventure Racing
·
HAM radios
·
IOLS, Wood Badge and additional training
available to Coaches
·
Squad Method (Patrol Method)
·
Varsity Team Organization
·
Boy lead program through trained Varsity Team
Leadership
·
Annual Team Planning
·
Varsity’s 5 Field of Emphasis
·
Personal Development
·
Service
·
Advancement
·
High Adventure/Sports
·
Special Programs and Events
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