Varsity Scouting is a program for young men ages 14-18 as an alternative to Boy Scouts. It focuses on high adventure activities, sports, leadership development, and service. Varsity Scouts are organized into teams led by a youth team captain and adult coach. Teams emphasize five program areas: advancement, high adventure/sports, personal development, service, and special events. Varsity Scouts can earn the Varsity Letter and Denali Awards through requirements such as participating in high adventure activities, advancing ranks, and holding leadership roles to plan activities in their emphasis areas. The program aims to be youth-led under the guidance of adults.

1. Scott Kirklin
Silverado District Training Chair
Las Vegas Area Council
sdkirklin@yahoo.com

2. Varsity Scouting Overview
Varsity Scouting and the Teachers’ Quorum
Duty to God
Boy Led Program
Brainstorming

4. Varsity Scouting is a program for young
men who are at least 14 years of age
but not yet 18.
It 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
opportunities and values of the Boy Scouts of
America.

5. Varsity units are called teams.
Teams are led by a youth Varsity Scout team
captain and an adult leader called a Varsity team
coach.
For each of the 5 areas, a youth serves as the
Program Manager.
It is a stand-alone unit, chartered and run
independently of a Scout troop .
The team may be divided into squads.

6. Advancement
High Adventure/Sports
Personal Development
Service
Special Programs and Events

7. Advancement. Varsity Scouts use many of the same advancement programz
as Boy Scouts – enhanced with Varsity-only advancement more suitable to
their age and desires. They can also receive the recognitions offered through
such programs as the Fifty-Miler Award; Mile Swim, BSA; etc..
High Adventure/Sports. This program field of emphasis includes high
adventure and sports and is supported by 27 program features. It is meant to
be run independently of the Troop, whenever feasible.
Personal Development. Varsity Scouting promotes growth through spirituality,
leadership abilities, citizenship, social and cultural attributes, and physical
fitness. This should be ited in with AP duties and the Duty To God program.
Special Programs & Events. Varsity Scouts must take an active part in local,
Council and District events, plus events outside of Scouting (National Trails
Day, Arbor Day, National Day of Service, flag retirement ceremonies, etc..) and
Church.
Service. The emphasis is on service, until it becomes a constant ingredient in
one's daily experience. Projects are conceived, planned, managed, and carried
out by individual Varsity Scouts and/or the Varsity Scout team. They include
Church, Community and Team activities that strengthen the purposes of the
Aaronic Priesthood.

8. Advancement
Varsity Scouts use the same advancement
program as Boy Scouts.
They should also receive the recognitions offered
through such programs as the Fifty-Miler Award;
Mile Swim, BSA; etc.
Varsity Scouts will also earn the Varsity Letter and
the Denali Award.

9. High Adventure/Sports
This program field of emphasis includes
high adventure and sports and is supported
by 27 program features.
Some examples include: Snow camping,
whitewater rafting, backpacking, swimming,
and more.

10. Personal Development
Varsity Scouting promotes growth through
spirituality, leadership abilities, citizenship,
social and cultural attributes, and physical
fitness.

11. Service
The emphasis is on service, with the intent that it
become integral to one’s daily experience
Projects are conceived, planned, managed, and
carried out by individual Varsity Scouts and/or the
Varsity Scout team.
How can we promote
meaningful service?

12. Special Programs and Events
Varsity Scouts take an active part in
special programs and events at
district, council, regional, and
national levels.

13. Requirements
1. Be a registered Varsity Scout team member.
2. While a team member, actively participate in or
accomplish at least one high-adventure program
or sports program to the satisfaction of your
Varsity Scout coach.
3. Have an attendance record at team meetings and
practice sessions of at least 75 percent for three
consecutive months.
4. Satisfy the Varsity Scout coach that you know and
live by the Scout Oath and Law.

14. Requirements
1. Be a registered Varsity Scout team member.
2. Advance one rank toward Eagle. If you are already an Eagle Scout, earn a Palm.
3. Hold leadership positions in a Varsity Scout team for at least six months.
4. a) While serving as team captain or a program manager, act as primary leader
on at least two activities. Program managers should choose activities in their
field of emphasis. Team captains may be primary leaders of activities in any of
the five fields of emphasis.
4. b) While serving as a program manager or team captain, demonstrate shared
leadership skills by participating in supportive roles in activities in each of the
three remaining fields of emphasis.
5. Satisfy the team captain that you know and live by the Varsity Scout Pledge.
6. Complete a progress review.

15. Uniforms are…YOU ARE EXPECTED TO BE UNIFORMED
AS AN EXAMPLE TO YOUR TEAM
The traditional Boy Scout uniform with a "Varsity"
identification strip above the right pocket and with blaze
orange shoulder loops.
Varsity Scouts use the same Scout Oath, but have to live the
principles of the Varsity Scout Oath.
Program Features. Three volumes of program features
support the high-adventure/sports program field of emphasis.
Each program feature contains resource materials that will
prepare a team for an ultimate adventure or sports
season. The high-adventure subjects are backpacking,
canoe camping, caving, cycling, discover America, fishing,
freestyle biking, frontiersman, mechanics, orienteering, rock
climbing and rappelling, snow camping, survival, and
whitewater canoeing. Each feature contains approximately
three months of program.
The sports program features contain basic rules, techniques,
and strategies for basketball, bowling, cross-country skiing,
roller hockey, shooting sports, soccer, softball, swimming,
tennis, triathlon, volleyball, and waterskiing.

17. Team CaptainTeam Captain
(Quorum President)(Quorum President)
Team Co-CaptainTeam Co-Captain
(Quorum 1(Quorum 1stst
Counselor)Counselor)
Program ManagersProgram Managers
Quarter MasterQuarter Master
(Quorum Members)(Quorum Members)
Team CoachTeam Coach
((Usually 1Usually 1stst
Counselor inCounselor in
Ward YM PresWard YM Pres.).)
Team CommitteeTeam Committee
(Bishopric(Bishopric
ParentsParents
Others)Others)

18. The Varsity Team is to be a youth
run program
Team Captains and Program
Managers run the program
Steps for making Varsity Scout
Teams in LDS Units

19. Varsity and Denali Award
requirements can meet the Duty
to God requirements.
Programs are not run
independently as they co-exist
harmoniously.

20. What has to happen to have a
youth-led team?
How can we utilize the quorum
presidency to get a youth-led
team?
What are the struggles and how can they be
overcome?

21. No one learns to preside
without help.
Are we giving them the
opportunity and the support to conduct?
Are we using all of the available methods of
communication to facilitate their success.
Don’t forget the implementation dip – failure
can be a powerful teaching tool.

22. What do they need?
How to plan an agenda
How to run a meeting (timing)
How to run a successful, inclusive program
Priesthood purpose in all activities
The importance of minutes and secretaries
Setting goals
Making assignments
Delegation
Follow-up

23. Identify the purpose of activity
Match the activity with an appropriate Duty to
God requirement
Good idea file - When staying overnight,
have Team bring their
scriptures and have a fireside

24. Online
www.scouting.org/Media/factsheets/02-923.aspx
www.scouting.org/BoyScouts/Resources/ThreeWaysVarsity.aspx
www.varsityscouter.org/
Varsity Scout Leader Fast Start. The Varsity Scout Leader Fast Start on-line training
supports the orientation of new Varsity Scout leaders.
For information on LDS Varsity Scouting
www.gslc-bsa.org/varsity/
www.ldsscouting.org/varsity/varsity.html
Varsity Scout Guidebook
Varsity Scout Leader Fundamentals. This is a two-part training
program for training adult Varsity Scout leaders. (Currently, we have this training available to use two times a
year in the Silverado District, other Districts may vary.)

26. sdkirklin@yahoo.com