It’s late Sunday afternoon and the basement of the First Lutheran Church in Ronan is packed and buzzing with anticipation. With chairs pointed toward the track, it’s clear what the excitement is all about: it’s time for the Pinewood Derby.

For Cub Scouts, this is an annual tradition that involves preparation, creativity and competition. But if you ask Polson Cub Scout Master John Bault it’s about one word: “sportsmanship.”

And for Ronan Cub Scout Master Amy Miller, the derby emphasizes “healthy competition and innovation.”

In a room full of Scouts helming well-designed and speedy cars, it’s clear that sportsmanship matters as much as winning. Many of the Cub Scouts cheered on one another as their cars raced in heats of four, striving for victory but soaking in the fun.

In the end, Brody Haines took home first place, followed by Seeley Spidel with second and Sam Miller in third. For Brody, the most fun part wasn’t the race but “painting and building the car.”

Sam reported that his favorite aspect was making the burger on top of his car, aptly named “speed burger,” and learning aerodynamics in the process. Sam was just one of many Cub Scouts who frequently remarked, with a smile, how much fun the whole experience was.

Near the close of the competition, Miller discussed the power of Scouts as a mechanism to teach “things that you want your kids to learn.”

If this year’s Pinewood Derby is any example, another generation of Cub Scouts walked away with a sense of sportsmanship and healthy competition.

    Sam Miller holds up his car "Speed Burger" with a big smile. (Kaleb Unger/Leader)
  

    Cars from the Pinewood Derby sit still waiting to be released. (Kaleb Unger/Leader)