Today was the Boy Scout Pine Wood Derby car race. Ethan and I had been building a car (okay, mostly me, but that is what Dads are for) over the last few days and thought we had come up with the perfect design to win BIG. The car had to be a certain length and width - check. It had to weigh no more than five ounces - our design had a system for easily adding/removing weight (quarters) if needed. On race day, it came in at exactly five ounces. Here it is in all of its glory!
The day was filled with great highs and lows, and highs again. The Tigers were up first. Ethan's car won every single one of the six heats it was in. And I'm not talking about by inches, but by feet in most cases. It won big!! One of the parents even commented on Ethan's car during the race, because it was doing so well. Why I am bragging so much? Well, you are about to find out.
After all of the other age groups raced their cars, the officials had to compute the two top winners in each age group and then they would race against each other for overall age group winner. Next, the overall age group winner would get to race against the rest of age group winners for overall Pack winner. During the calculations, we noticed that they had placed Ethan's car off to the side with the cars that were not moving on. The one parent that was handling this even notified the official that he thought that this car was supposed to be moving on to the finals, but eventually he just put it back. At that point, I felt that I had to say something. I went up there and politely asked how a car that won all six heats was not moving on. They just looked at me like I was one of "those" parents that couldn't except the fact that my son's car did not win (for the record, I am not). I explained that I could understand if the races were close, but they were not. The parent that had commented earlier came to our defense as well, but it did no good. They refused to listen and Ethan left the building crying, understandably upset. Before I left, I told them that it was no big deal and that I knew it was just about having fun. Here is Ethan's car in one of its losses? Not the greatest picture in the world, but you get the point.
After all of the other age groups raced their cars, the officials had to compute the two top winners in each age group and then they would race against each other for overall age group winner. Next, the overall age group winner would get to race against the rest of age group winners for overall Pack winner. During the calculations, we noticed that they had placed Ethan's car off to the side with the cars that were not moving on. The one parent that was handling this even notified the official that he thought that this car was supposed to be moving on to the finals, but eventually he just put it back. At that point, I felt that I had to say something. I went up there and politely asked how a car that won all six heats was not moving on. They just looked at me like I was one of "those" parents that couldn't except the fact that my son's car did not win (for the record, I am not). I explained that I could understand if the races were close, but they were not. The parent that had commented earlier came to our defense as well, but it did no good. They refused to listen and Ethan left the building crying, understandably upset. Before I left, I told them that it was no big deal and that I knew it was just about having fun. Here is Ethan's car in one of its losses? Not the greatest picture in the world, but you get the point.
When we got home, Jen took Will and Noah to their friend's birthday party and I took Ethan to Chick-fil-A to cheer him up. A funny thing happened later that afternoon. We got a call from our den leader Cindy. She apologized to Ethan on the phone and said that they accidentally messed up the calculations and that he was actually supposed to go to the finals. She said that he would get the first place trophy for the Tigers, but she did mention there was nothing she could do about the overall Pack leader. Those results would have to stand as is. Well, in the end, Ethan got his trophy and all is right in the world of Boy Scouts again....well almost. I know we could have won it all!!
2 comments:
good job ethan...you tell em buddy
That car is smoooookin'!
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