Ready... Aim... Fire! Shooting Sports Awards

We briefly addressed another award opportunity for the Cub Scouts at the March Pack meeting -- the newly revised Shooting Sports Awards 

Take aim at fun and excitement in your council with the new Cub Scout Shooting Sports Awards. The awards will be offered in three disciplines: BB guns, archery, and a new one -- oh yes... wait for it...

slingshots!?!?!

You heard me... SLING SHOTS!!!

With rank-specific requirements and insignia, there is incentive for boys to earn the awards year after year at camp. Scouts consistently list shooting sports as one of their most-desired outdoor activities and with these new awards, Cub Scouts will hit the bull’s-eye with fun!

Something to note is that Cub Scout shooting sports programs may ONLY be conducted on a district or council level which means Longhorn Council managed family camping events (like the Fall Festival every October), Cub Scout or Webelos resident camp (held each July) or at DAY CAMP!  What another GREAT reason to go to DAY CAMP!

Cub Scouts earn the shooting sports awards in the following order:

1. Earn the patch for whatever rank your son is (Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelos) for BB gun, archery or sling shot.
2. Earn the pin. Complete the Level 2 requirements for the same discipline (BB gun, archery or sling shot) in which the patch was earned. 

The beauty of this program, too, is that they can earn different patches and pins for each of the disciplines they pursue!  How awesome is that?  Each year they can earn the patch and then the pin (if they choose) for each of the three events.

The reason that these awards are not part of the rank specific adventure loops is not only because of the requirement for there to be trained supervision for each of the three disciplines (bb gun, archery or sling shots) and the fact that they can only take place at authorized events, but also to comply with local laws.  Therefore, the decision was made to make it a “standalone” award, and as such, not part of the adventure program.