Grumpy Old Leaders

[stevejb68]

Let's face it, as an adult leader in Scouting there are times when you can get pretty feed up with things and become rather grumpy. We have all been there. We have all done that. Some more then others.

PTC Media, the net-site of Scouting related podcasts, features such shows as The Leader's Campfire (audio), An Hour A Week (audio), and Melrose Scouting Productions Podcast (video). This past week they have added one more show to their line up - Grumpy Old Leaders (audio).

Grumpy Old Leaders is an audio podcast that has been talked about for a few months. The first show was finally posted on Wednesday, April 9. The podcast will feature adult Scouters, both from Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting, who are cubmasters, scoutmasters, committee members, and unit commissioners. The show will be an outlet for adults to discuss the things they are finding difficult within their Scouting programs, things they find frustrating. It is not a show meant for Scout-age ears.

During the last few months I have found myself become a co-host for The Leader's Campfire, since Bob, the regular co-host, needed to take a leave of absence. I have had a great time doing the podcast with Cubmaster Chris. During the last two months we have been discussing creating the Grumpy Old Leader podcast as a way to cover things that did not fit well into The Leader's Campfire format.

Well, that first Gumpy hour-long episode has now been posted, and to tell you the truth, it has done pretty well. It seems to have hit a spot with a lot of people who were waiting for this type of show. In fact, when we recorded our second show last Friday, Chris and I were shocked, and pleasantly surprised, to discover other leaders who wanted to be a part of the show. By the time we ended the recording session we had five other leaders from around the country joining us, and three more hour-long shows almost ready to go. (Watch for them in the next few weeks.)

It will be interesting to watch as this show develops. Chris and I really did not have a clue what to do with a format for the show, or even if the show should have one. We did not even know if anyone would listen to it. Well, it looks like it might become a popular PTC Media podcast, and we already have several more topics to discus in future episodes. Be sure to check it out and let us know what you think about it. Feedback will be important to this podcast's development.

Check out all the PTC Media podcasts at http://www.ptcmedia.net/
or in iTunes at
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=220050583

Steve B
Scoutmaster, Troop 68
http://melrosetroop68.org/blog.html

[WB Bear]

I did start to listen to the podcast and I immediately have some concerns. There are several things about it I am troubled with but I don’t feel it was at all reflective of the principals of BSA. And to place something like that on the internet that all can listen to, even the youth, is not good. What I found that was absolutely the wrong message to send out and even say was when was the mention of hazing and one stated that they thought is was against BSA policy and the Guide to Safe Scouting the reply was that no one complained. That is absolutely wrong!

Despite that you might have the best intentions in what you’re trying to do, you need to rethink what you are putting out. Does this coincide with the value BSA is about? Are you supporting and following BSA policies on youth protection? Is what you are broadcasting representative of the Scouting program?

If it is a comedy routine you want to do, choose another topic other than Scouting.

[1st Mate]

Honest opinion?

I must say I found the content and tone of podcasts disappointing in many ways.

It begins by saying that this should not be listened to by scouts, but then you post it on a troop website without any barriers to keep scouts from listenning. And then it turns out you were right, the content is awful and should not be listened to by scouts. In fact I would not want an adult to listen to it and think that this is in any way representative of scouting.

It is unfortunate that a parent should have to worry about the content of a Boy Scout Troop Website.

An adult leader admits to having a problem controling their cursing and admits to not setting a good example in front of the scouts. But, If the adult swears he has to put a quarter in a kitty, and if the scout follows his example then he is punished with 15 pushups. So rather then lead through example to develop a scout's character, you instead take a scout who repeats the leaders behavior and make him do push-ups so that the more they curse the stronger they become????

In the second edition on a podcast that unabashedly is about adults complaining, then complains about parents who complain. If that isn't the pot calling the kettle black then what is? Then you wonder why you can't get parents to help. In the venacular of today's youth ...DUH!

You have a person on your cast holding 5 positions in a single unit which is way outside of the program training and unit operations and he is spouting on the problems of scouting, guys...He is the committee chair, he has not been able to recruit 4 peole to help... out of 30+ families...he is the problem not the parents.

It's a little hard to keep track of who is who, but one leader in the podcast complains that parents aren't involved enough, and then says that he has the skills to be a merit badge counselor for his son...but he isn't. yet that person complains about other parents?

Sorry but these should be retitled "Whining Old Leaders".

Thanks I'll pass. How is listening to others complain, without any intention of seeking a solution to their problems, supposed to be interesting to others? Is it your vision to create a national self-pity party? I really think you have missed the mark with this program attempt.

[stevejb68]

You guys brought up some good points.

Unfortunately, the podcast did not turn out to be what we were hoping it could be so it has been taken offline. Further recordings started going a bit too far so we are canceling the podcast before they would be aired.

They creators of PTC Media have decided it really did not fit in well with the other programming.

[1st Mate]

Good choice.
And not to belabor the issue but...if it these podcasts were indeed the true feelings of the scout leaders who participated, and if these same leaders are the ones involved in the other "scouting" related podcasts put out by the same group, then I would warn people away from ALL their other program offerings as well. These are not leaders whose methods and opinions I would want others to think represent scouting.