Trail Life Responds to Boy Scouts Name Change

The Boy Scouts of America have officially removed "Boy" from their name. The name change to "Scouting America" was announced as the organization celebrated the fifth anniversary of welcoming girls into Cub Scouting and Scouts BSA programs. “Our number one job is to get kids in this program,” President and CEO Roger Krone shared.

For Trail Life USA CEO Mark Hancock, the name change served as a sobering reminder of a dividing line between principle and progressivism. "Our focus is different," he responded. "Our number one job is not to get kids into the program. Our number one job is to grow godly men. The reality is that males and females are fundamentally different in many ways: physically, emotionally, and in their relationships. Pretending otherwise in the name of progress or permissiveness might be culturally acceptable, but it does both sexes a disservice. Boys and girls deserve unique programs created with their specific needs in mind."

Trail Life USA offers a bracing response to a culture seeking to erase distinctions between boys and girls. As the largest Christ-centered, boy-focused organization in the country, Trail Life celebrates the vision of scouting founder Robert Baden-Powell, who once said, “Scouting is a game for boys under the leadership of boys under the direction of a man.”

Hancock continued, “Trail Life isn’t just a Christian alternative to the Boy Scouts; it’s an answer to the deep crisis affecting boys in America. Theodore Roosevelt correctly noted in his Letter to Boys on Manhood contained in the 1911 Boy Scout Handbook, 'The same qualities that mean success or failure to the nation as a whole mean success or failure in men and boys individually.' At a time when boys' needs are at a historic high, there is a dearth of programs available to meet that need. Our nation needs strong men!"

Hancock continues, "While it may make financial sense for the Boy Scouts to abandon their traditional boy-centered roots and allow girls to join the ranks, how is this beneficial for boys in a time when so many statistics point to boys losing ground? In the wake of this unfortunate decision, Trail Life USA declares again our dedication to providing boys and their families with an intentional program to raise godly boys."

The response to Trail Life has been overwhelming. Less than 10 years since its inception, the organization celebrated the formation of its 1,100th Troop. In September 2023, Trail Life announced they had surpassed over 50,000 members. Today, tens of thousands of boys and their families are being positively impacted by the Trail Life message Hancock attributes the organization's success to a growing awareness of and resistance to cultural views seeking to upend the very concept of masculinity.

“No matter what our culture says, boys and girls are different. This is why Trail Life is so unique — we are providing an uncompromising boy-focused program designed to let boys be boys, accentuating their strengths and allowing them to feel understood and appreciated.

Trail Life USA has developed a battle plan for parents and Troop leaders to restore the wonder and winning elements of boyhood so boys can have a sure and secure future. We guide them with vetted male mentors. We ground them in biblical truths. We appreciate their strengths. And we inspire them with outdoor adventure, character, and leadership challenges.”

Trail Life USA has received praise from some of today’s top Christian voices, including Focus on the Family, Franklin Graham, James Dobson, Mike Huckabee, Alex and Stephen Kendrick, Family Life, Promise Keepers, the American Family Association, and many others.

Trail Life USA is the premier national character development organization for young men, producing godly and responsible husbands, fathers, and citizens. Trail Life’s mission is to guide generations of courageous young men to honor God, lead with integrity, serve others, and experience outdoor adventure. Troops exist in all 50 states and are growing as Trail Life USA expands around the country. Find a Troop today, or Start a Troop in your community.