Rank - Tenderfoot: Tender Feet
| Category: | Advancement |
|---|---|
| Notes: | For Scouts earning Tenderfoot, at a court of honor or the meeting where they receive it. Specific requirements change over time, so check the current Scouts BSA Handbook. Part of a rank-journey series - see also rank-scout-the-first-step, rank-second-class, rank-first-class, rank-star, and rank-life. |
Have you ever wondered why this rank is called Tenderfoot? It sounds a little funny, doesn't it? Almost like an insult.
The name comes from the old frontier days. A tenderfoot was a newcomer, someone fresh from the city whose feet weren't toughened up yet for long days on the trail. Experienced woodsmen used the word to mean a beginner.
So why would Scouting name a rank after a beginner? Because it's honest. On the way to Tenderfoot, most of you went on your first campout. You pitched a tent, maybe badly. You helped cook a meal, maybe burned it. You learned some first aid and started getting stronger. Your feet are still a little tender. That's fine. Everybody's are, at first.
And here's the best part about being a tenderfoot: it doesn't last. Every campout toughens you up a little more. Every skill you practice gets easier. Pretty soon you'll be the one showing a brand-new Scout how to pitch that tent.
Be proud of being a Tenderfoot. It means you've stopped watching from the side and started walking the trail.