WHEN Phillip Theron looks back at his scouting journey, he still remembers the moment it truly began.

“I started cubs at the age of eight and earning my Leaping Wolf badge, the highest for cubs, made me realise how much I loved the programme,” he said.

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Even then, the Springbok badge was already on his mind.

“My grandmother’s brother was a Springbok Scout. From the day I joined Cubs, I wanted to reach that level too. It was always a mission of mine.”

Moving into Scouts at age 11 strengthened that goal and progressing through each advancement stage kept him motivated.

“Every step challenged me mentally and physically but all that hard work just made me want it more. And it was great to see the whole troop being part of the journey,” said Phillip.

The path wasn’t smooth, especially when Covid hit. Camps were cancelled, meetings moved online, and progress slowed.

“Covid definitely threw a spanner in the works but I persevered. I wasn’t going to let it stop me.”

Earning the Springbok Award is always a major achievement, but in Phillip’s troop, the honour carried extra weight.

“It’s been 10 years since anyone in our club achieved this.”

Without recent Springbok Scouts around him, he often had to find his own way.

“One of the main challenges was that I didn’t have a mentor or role model who had recently gone through it. But our assistant troop scouter was invaluable in assisting me. I wouldn’t have made it without that support.”

Looking back, Phillip says the most rewarding part wasn’t the badge itself, but the opportunity to guide younger Scouts.

“Mentoring the next group has been amazing. We should have two Springbok candidates next year and a few more following. Helping train future Scouts, seeing them grow, that’s the part I’ve enjoyed the most. I’ve grown as a person too, especially through helping the community and building new skills.”

Community service was a core part of the journey, and Phillip chose projects that would truly make a difference.

“At first, I thought choosing a project would be the most challenging part. It’s difficult to find the right people to help or the right projects to take on. But I realised you don’t have to look far.”

He led the refurbishment of two playgrounds – one at Port Natal School and another at Sinakakhele School – giving children safe places to play.

He also worked on improving the Scout hall by erecting the back fence and clearing out long-cluttered storage.

At Twilanga Retirement Village and Care Centre, Phillip assisted residents with technical issues among other things before handing over the projects to the scouts who continued with it as community service.

As he turns 18, Phillip sees clearly how Scouting has shaped him.

“Scouting will always be a part of my journey. The lessons I’ve learnt, from planning, leadership to problem-solving, all these skills are what I’ll take with me for the rest of my life.”

He has already been part of the Patrol Leader Training Unit and looks forward to helping run the event in future years.

“It’s one of the major events on the Scouting calendar, and I want to give back. I’m looking into joining a Rover Crew. Rovers runs from 18 to 30, and it’s a great way to keep serving and growing. And I want to help train younger Scouts too.

“I hope my brother and sister will follow in my footsteps,” he added.

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