ORIGINS:
Varsity Scouting began in 1974 as an experimental program
in the Western Region. It was limited to boys aged 14 and
15, and designed to stop attrition by offering a more challenging scouting program much like the older Explorer Scout
program. Boys reaching 16 were
automatically transferred to Venturing Crews. During this
experimental period, the members were not allowed to wear
the BSA field uniform, instead wearing their own uniform
consisting of a beige collared sports shirts with dark
brown shorts or slacks. It was opened officially as a
National program in 1984 for boys 14 to 17.
Varsity Scouting provides options for young men who are
looking for rugged high adventure or challenging sporting
activities and still want to be a part of a Scouting
program that offers the advancement and values of the Boy
Scouts of America. The use of sports team terminology was
to make the program more appealing to older boys would had
never been involved in scouting, and might not be
interested in joining a program with younger boys. While
not explicitly sports oriented, Varsity Scout Teams can
and do participate in sporting events, though they don’t
have to. A Varsity Scout Team is led by a youth Varsity
Scout team captain and an adult leader called a Varsity
Scout Coach. The Coach is supported by an adult
committee, made up of parents and members of the chartered
organization. It is a stand-alone unit, chartered
independently of a Scout troop, but the chartering
procedure is essentially the same. The team may be
divided into squads, and each squad elects a youth squad
leader.
Varsity Scouting has five fields of emphasis. A youth
member, called a program manager, is responsible for each
of the five fields of emphasis and works with an adult
member called a program adviser from the team committee to
coordinate each phase of the program. The five fields of
emphasis are Advancement, High Adventure/Sports,
Personal Development, Service, and
Special Programs and Events.
ORIGINS:
Varsity Scouting began in 1974 as an experimental program
in the Western Region. It was limited to boys aged 14 and
15, and designed to stop attrition by offering a more challenging scouting program much like the older Explorer Scout
program. Boys reaching 16 were
automatically transferred to Venturing Crews. During this
experimental period, the members were not allowed to wear
the BSA field uniform, instead wearing their own uniform
consisting of a beige collared sports shirts with dark
brown shorts or slacks. It was opened officially as a
National program in 1984 for boys 14 to 17.