Den Leader
Role Summary
Den leaders are the most direct program leaders in Cub Scouting. They work face-to-face with Scouts and their families week to week, delivering the Cub Scout program in the den. A well-run den — with regular meetings, engaged families, and meaningful activities — is the foundation of a great pack. Den leaders are supported by assistant den leaders, den chiefs (Scouts BSA youth helpers), and the Cubmaster.
Dens are gender-specific (all boys or all girls). When serving female youth, at least one female registered adult leader must be present at all meetings and activities.
Requirements
- Age: 21 years or older (Assistant Den Leader may be 18+)
- Registration: Registered as an adult leader of BSA; current with Youth Protection Training
- Selection: Recommended by the Cubmaster after consultation with den families; approved by pack committee and charter organization
- Required Training:
- Youth Protection Training (YPT) — renew every 2 years
- Den Leader Position-Specific Training (CS19) — online at my.Scouting.org
- Recommended Training: BALOO (for any overnight or camping activities)
- Access: No bank account access; Scoutbook access as Den Leader for your den
Core Responsibilities
- Plan, prepare for, and conduct den meetings (with assistant den leader and den chief)
- Lead the den at monthly pack meetings; serve as den host for den families
- Attend monthly pack leaders’ meetings
- Maintain advancement records in Scoutbook; report advancement to Advancement Chair promptly so awards are ready at the next pack meeting
- Ensure every Scout earns their badge of rank — a Scout’s absence should be the only reason for not advancing
- Informs the Cubmaster if the den needs to perform an advancement activity at a pack meeting or outing
- Develop and maintain good relationships with den families; hold den family meetings as needed
- Ensure a leader is always available for den meetings; call on the assistant den leader when needed
- Take part in the annual pack program planning conference
- Keep the Cubmaster and committee informed on the status and needs of the den
- Secure a meeting place for the den
- Ensure transition of Scouts to the next rank’s den at end of year (or to a troop for AOL Scouts)
- Help train and guide the den chief; give them meaningful responsibilities
For Lions and Tigers: Coordinate shared leadership among adult partners — each family takes a turn as the host team, planning and executing the den meeting for that month.
For Webelos and Arrow of Light: Plan and carry out overnight campouts and other outdoor activities (at least one adult must have BALOO). Plan meaningful joint activities with local Scouts BSA troops.
Reports To / Works With
| Relationship | Role |
|---|---|
| Reports to | Cubmaster |
| Partners with | Assistant Den Leader, Den Chief |
| Supports | Scouts and their families in the den |
| Reports advancement to | Advancement Chair |
| Coordinates transition to | Scouts BSA troop Scoutmaster (for AOL dens) |
Current Den Leaders (2024–25)
| Rank | Grade | Den # | Leader(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lions | Kindergarten | Den 7 | Courtney Baldwin & Kristianna McWilliam |
| Tigers | 1st Grade | Den 1 | Michael McGuire |
| Wolves | 2nd Grade | Den 2 | Kevin Calacone |
| Bears | 3rd Grade | Den 3 | Christopher Heckathorne |
| Webelos | 4th Grade | Den 4 | Ben Friedman |
| Arrow of Light | 5th Grade | Den 5 | Patrick Slade |
Assistant Den Leader
Every den should have an Assistant Den Leader who supports the den leader and can run meetings when the den leader is absent. See assistant-den-leader/ for the full role description.
Key Resources
| Resource | Location |
|---|---|
| Running den meetings | den-meetings.md |
| Advancement tracking | advancement.md |
| Pack meeting participation | pack-meeting-participation.md |
| Rank-specific guides | ranks/ |
| Agent support | agent/README.md |
| Den Leader Guide (BSA) | docs/Training/Positions/Den Leader/Den Leader Guide.md |
| Lion/Tiger Guide | docs/Training/Positions/Den Leader/New Lion or Tiger Den Leader Guide.md |
| Wolf/Bear/Webelos Guide | docs/Training/Positions/Den Leader/New Wolf, Bear or Webelos Den Leader Guide.md |
| Arrow of Light Guide | docs/Training/Positions/Den Leader/New Arrow of Light Den Leader Guide.md |
| Training requirements | ../_shared/training-requirements.md |
| BSA policies | ../_shared/bsa-policies.md |
Your Tasks
Recurring responsibilities from the Pack 232 annual calendar that involve this role. Owner = primary responsibility; Involved = supporting role.
| Task | Type | When | Your Role | |—|—|—|—|
| Scoutbook Advancement Updates | administrative | Every month | Owner |
| Den Meetings | program | Every month | Owner |
| Monthly Advancement Processing | recognition | Every month | Involved |
| New Scout Mid-Year Onboarding | recruitment | Every month | Involved |
| District Roundtable | training | Every month | Involved |
| Scout Rank Transitions in Scoutbook | administrative | Jul | Owner |
| New Family Retention Check-In | recruitment | Jan | Involved |
| Final Advancement Push | recognition | May | Involved |
| End-of-Year Retention Outreach | recruitment | May | Involved |
| Scout Rank Transitions in Scoutbook | administrative | Jun | Owner |
Your Events
Event-related tasks from the Pack 232 events calendar. Click the event name to see the full event page.
| Event | Task | When | Your Role | |—|—|—|—|
| Pack Meeting | Pack Meeting | Every month | Involved |
| Annual Program Planning Conference | Annual Program Planning Conference | Jul | Involved |
| School-Night Recruitment Event | School-Night Recruitment Event | Sep | Involved |
| Holiday Pack Meeting | Holiday Pack Meeting | Dec | Involved |
| Arrow of Light Crossover Ceremony | Arrow of Light Crossover: Troop Coordination | Dec | Involved |
| Arrow of Light Crossover Ceremony | Arrow of Light Crossover Ceremony | Jan | Involved |
| Winter Cabin Camping | Winter Cabin Camping | Feb | Involved |
| Arrow of Light Crossover Ceremony | Arrow of Light Crossover Ceremony | Feb | Involved |
| Winter Cabin Camping | Winter Cabin Camping | Mar | Involved |
| Spring Hike | Spring Hike | Apr | Involved |
| Spring Service Project | Spring Service Project | Apr | Involved |
| End-of-Year Pack Meeting | End-of-Year Pack Meeting | May | Involved |
| Memorial Day Parade | Memorial Day Parade | May | Involved |
Your Training
Required and recommended training courses for this position. Complete these at training.scouting.org.
| Course | Code | Duration | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CS19 Welcome | SCO_450 | 2 min | Required |
| CS19 Aims and Methods of Cub Scouting | SCO_451 | 6 min | Required |
| CS19 Bobcat | SCO_452 | 7 min | Required |
| CS19 Advancement | SCO_453 | 10 min | Required |
| CS19 Cub Scout Uniforms | SCO_454 | 5 min | Required |
| CS19 Conducting a Cub Scout Den Meeting | SCO_455 | 8 min | Required |
| CS19 Resources | SCO_456 | 5 min | Required |
| CS19 Den Management | SCO_457 | 5 min | Required |