Sports Merit Badge

[Rita]

Hi, I have question regarding the Sports Merit Badge I am the counselor for this badge and we have a group of Boy Scouts who are signed up to complete this badge. Most of these scouts play sports in High School. Would this be considered a organized sport? I would hate to turn these boys away from completing a merit badge they are all very athletic and most of them play more than one sport.

Thanks fory ou help
Rita

[DPuck]

That is the very definition of orginized sport.

[Rita]

Thanks for the reply, I was told school sports would not count and that they are not an organized sport. and that you could not count football or wrestling. Four of these boys are football players for high school and one wrestling also.

[PaulSWolf]

:Thanks for the reply, I was told school sports would not count and that they are not an organized sport. and that you could not count football or wrestling. Four of these boys are football players for high school and one wrestling also.

The requirement reads:

Take part for one full season as a member of an organized team in ONE of the following sports:

baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, diving,
fencing, field hockey, football, golf, gymnastics,
ice hockey, lacrosse, rugby, skating (ice or roller)
soccer, softball, swimming, team handball,
tennis, track and field, volleyball, water polo, and
wrestling.

(Or any other recognized team sport approved in advance by your counselor, except boxing and karate.)

So obviously Football and/or Wrestling would count.

When in doubt, consult the actual written requirements rather than "I was told". If you're a counselor, I hope you have a coipy of the merit badge pamphlet, and have consulted the pages on this site that discuss the badge.

[DPuck]

Why would someone tell youthat football and wreastling didnt count?

[diamondbackAPL]

yeah, why won't they allow it?

[Mrw]

If you look at all the scout sports related programs, all the way up from cubs, there are no full contact sports included.

Maybe to encourage safer games in the program for liability reasons? Or to ensure that a leader won't allow the sport if he/she doesn't know all the safety rules?

[ASM-142]

The G2SS states "Varsity football teams and interscholastic or club football competition and activities are unauthorized activities. "

[PaulSWolf]

The G2SS states "Varsity football teams and interscholastic or club football competition and activities are unauthorized activities. "

That's correct with regard to UNIT Activities. i.e., a Scout Troop can't field a team and compete in a football league, like "Pop Warner". But individual Scouts can participate on their school team for credit in the merit badge.

[evmori]

It seems like the G2SS & the Sports merit badge are in direct conflict, but they aren't. Like Paul posted, a unit can't field a football team but the individual members are allowed to participate in an organized football program.

[Rita]

Thank everyone you have been a great help, I do have the merit badge book and have read it. So I was surprised at what I was told. But now I have confiirmed everhing thank you so very much.