With the rise of technology, getting kids outside to play and exercise has become increasingly challenging. However, one sport that has been growing in popularity and getting kids active is gaga, sometimes referred to as “gaga ball.”

Obviously, organizations like the Boy Scouts of America encourage exercise and getting outdoors, and Scouts like Brandon F., of the Boy Scouts of America Colonial Virginia Council, take that commitment to heart.

Brandon had played gaga a number of times at camps with some of his friends, but he noticed that his town didn’t have a place where children could play the game.

“Nobody in our town had ever heard of [gaga],” he said. “I figured the YMCA could use a gaga pit. I talked to the YMCA director about the project and I lined everything up … .”

Brandon worked to gather some donations to construct the pit, and he designed it and enlisted the help of several volunteers, including his Scout troop.

“The actual construction was done with the help of other Scouts,” he said.

Because the gaga pit was such a unique new addition to the YMCA, Brandon made sure to attach a metal plaque to the pit that explained the rules of the game. Many of the kids in the town had no experience playing it, and even though gaga can sometimes feature different sets of rules, Brandon wanted to make sure to educate the children in town with a universal set of rules for the game.

Since it was installed, it has proven to be very popular.

“The kids love it; it’s a great game,” he said. “The Y has actually used the gaga pit every day it’s been there.”

To learn more about Brandon’s Eagle Scout project, be sure to read the full article in The Tidewater News.

To learn more about the positive impact that Scouting can have on young people like Brandon, be sure to check out this article on the recent Tufts study, and watch this video: