Other History of Varsity Program

Many thanks to the information from http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Falls/8826/varsity.html

History

Main article: History of the Boy Scouts of America

In 1984, the program was rolled out as an official program of the BSA for boys 14–17. In 1989, with rollout of the Venture program, the Varsity letter was redesigned for the use of the Venture Crew as well, and activity pins were added.

While remaining small, the program has persisted, probably due to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' policy is to charter a Varsity Team for all 14-15 year old boys in the US. In recent years, the number of teams chartered by other organizations has increased. In 2001 revised Varsity Scout manuals were released.

Organization

The Varsity Scout team is sponsored by a community organization such as a business, service organization, school, labor group or religious institution. The chartering organization is responsible for selecting leadership, providing a meeting place and promoting a good program. The chartered organization representative is the liaison between the team, the chartered organization, and the BSA.

The team committee is a group of adults, led by the troop committee chair, who plan the troop program and activities and manage record keeping, finance, leadership recruitment and registration.

The team generally meets weekly providing a pre-planned program. It is led by a youth who is elected as captain who is guided by the team Coach and assistant team Coaches. The Coach must be at least 21 and is directly responsible for training and guiding boy leaders, working with other adults to bring Varsity Scouting to boys and for using the methods of Scouting to achieve the aims of Scouting.

The team is divided into squads of eight to ten Varsity Scouts, led by an elected squad leader. Program managers are assigned as needed to take charge of team activities.

Uniform

Varsity Scouts wear the standard Boy Scout field uniform, but wear blaze shoulder loops and a Varsity uniform strip above the Boy Scouts of America strip. Adults wear the same Varsity Scout uniform and may wear the Scouter dress uniform as required.

Advancement and recognition

Youth advancement

Varsity Scout Advancement

Varsity Letter

Varsity Letter Bar

Denali Award

Activity Pins Basketball Bowling Cycling Discovering Adventure Snow Camping Survival Whitewater Canoeing

Advancement is a key part of the Varsity program. Varsity Scouts can earn any award or recognition that is available to Boy Scouts, including merit badges, ranks advancements, and other awards. There are also several awards that are only available to Varsity Scouts, and sometimes their leaders.

The Varsity Letter may be earned by participating in or accomplishing at least one high adventure or sports program, according to guidelines determined by the Varsity Coach, meeting attendance requirements and showing Scout Spirit.

The Varsity Letter is cloth patch that can be worn either on the front bottom of a merit badge sash or on the right breast of the Varsity Scout or Boy Scout jacket. This award can be earned every three months by an actively participating Varsity Scout. Subsequent awards are represented by gold bars pinned on the letter. Activity pins can also be pinned on the Varsity Letter.

Varsity Scouts can also earn activity pins in several areas of high adventure and sports. Program resources and official pins are available for backpacking, basketball, bowling, canoe camping, caving, cross-country skiing, cycling, discovering America, fishing, freestyle biking, frontiersman, mechanics, Operation On-Target, orienteering, rock climbing and rappelling, roller hockey, shooting sports, snow camping, soccer, survival, swimming, tennis, triathlon, volleyball, waterskiing, and whitewater canoeing. The requirements for earning an activity pin are determined locally by the team captain and are usually awarded at the conclusion of each ultimate adventure or sports season.