{"id":5413,"date":"2021-01-29T07:00:04","date_gmt":"2021-01-29T13:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/totscouting.org\/achievement-unlocked-how-to-organize-a-videogame-tournament-for-your-scouts\/"},"modified":"2021-01-29T07:00:04","modified_gmt":"2021-01-29T13:00:04","slug":"achievement-unlocked-how-to-organize-a-videogame-tournament-for-your-scouts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/totscouting.org\/achievement-unlocked-how-to-organize-a-videogame-tournament-for-your-scouts\/","title":{"rendered":"Achievement unlocked: How to organize a videogame tournament for your Scouts"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n
At first glance, videogames might seem antithetical to the spirit of Scouting. They\u2019re often played alone, inside, in front of a screen.<\/p>\n
But a recent event put on by Troop 12 of Clinton, Miss. (Andrew Jackson Council), suggests that maybe it\u2019s time to take another look at gaming \u2014 especially as the pandemic forces Scouts to find creative ways to spend time together, even when apart.<\/p>\n
At Troop 12\u2019s inaugural videogame tournament last month, Scouts strengthened friendships, showed off their creativity and had a ton of fun.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are a very active camping and outdoors troop, and we certainly wouldn\u2019t replace that,\u201d says Scoutmaster Dan Fuller. \u201cBut it was nice to provide Scouts with an outlet for another side of their interests. In our Minecraft design competition, for example, we had some great examples of Scout engineering and creativity. When done intentionally, gaming can be a great social activity, as I think our event showed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Life Scout Owen McCleese agrees.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a fun and easy activity that can get the whole troop involved,\u201d he says. \u201cIt can help the troop grow together.\u201d<\/p>\n