Aiming deep and high: Meet Eagle Scout Duane Pfeiffer




Eagle Scout Duane Pfeiffer and his dad, Nathan Smith, install a commemorative plaque together last week, putting the finishing touch on one of two Gaga ball courts to be enjoyed by visitors to the La Vernia City Park.

If you’ve been to the La Vernia City Park recently, you may have noticed two interesting octagonal structures near the walking path behind the football bleachers, and wondered what they are.

Wonder no more. They’re Gaga ball pits, and they’re a gift from a local Eagle Scout.

What’s Gaga ball, and why did he install the pits? Read on!

Meet 14-year-old Duane Pfeiffer. The son of Brie Pfeiffer-Smith and Nathan Smith, and big brother to six-year-old Leilani, is a Boy Scout who has just attained his Eagle Scout rank; he belongs to local Boy Scout Troop 118.

Duane, currently homeschooled through the University of Texas Austin high school online, started in Cub Scouts when he was in the first grade; he became a Boy Scout in the fifth grade when he was 10 years old. He earned his Eagle Scout badge on March 7 — one day short of his fourth year as a Boy Scout — at the age of 14 years, 9 months, and a few days. According to scouting.com, only 8 percent of scouts earn the rank of Eagle Scout.

Eagle Scout project

To earn the Eagle Scout badge, Duane had to perform a Community Service project. His project was leading the installation of two Gaga ball pits or arenas in the La Vernia City Park. Gaga ball is described as a low-impact type of dodge ball where the players kick the ball toward each other, but points can only be scored when the ball hits the opponent below the knees. Four balls to play Gaga ball can be signed out at La Vernia City Hall.

On March 21, La Vernia News witnessed the plaque being attached to the Gaga pit wall. The plaque names the sponsors that helped Duane with his monetary goal. He also raised funds for the lumber and concrete by selling paracord creations he makes; these include bosun lanyards, rings, bracelets, rifle slings, a sling for his dad’s weed whacker, and a hammock for his uncle. He has received orders from all over the United States for his paracord creations.

Duane continues to raise funds for another project he plans to donate to the city park — a foot pool court, which is like a giant pool table on the ground, where players kick the balls into the pockets.

Scouting ahead

Not only is this young man community-service oriented, but he is also very much goal-oriented. Duane has set his sights on earning what he calls “the Trifecta” — Eagle Scout, Summit in Venture Scouts, and Quartermaster in Sea Scouts. Thus far, Duane has earned 67 merit badges; he’s earned 23 just in the last six months! This Scout has 3-1/2 more years to earn more badges.

New Eagle Scout Duane Pfeiffer, 14, shows off the plaque on one of the two Gaga ball pits he recently donated and helped install in the La Vernia City Park; the plaque lists others who contributed to the Duane’s Eagle Scout project. Balls to play the game can be checked out at La Vernia City Hall.

Duane aims to attain the Quartermaster rank in Sea Scouts for his “Trifecta.”

But what’s a Sea Scout?

For more than a century, “Sea Scouting has promoted better citizenship and improved members’ boating skills through instruction and practice in water safety, boating skills, outdoor, social, service experiences, and knowledge of our maritime heritage,” according to seascout.org.

Fewer than 1 percent of Sea Scouts earn the rank of Quartermaster.

Why Sea Scouts, you may ask? Duane wants to be a saturation diver. He likes scuba diving and plans to become certified as a master diver.
“Saturation divers are underwater engineers,” Duane explained. “They are the people to fix oil rigs. They do construction and engineering.”

Duane has earned a welding badge as part of his Boy Scout badge collection. His parents are supportive of his goals, but also want him to have a backup plan. He’s chosen petroleum engineering and plans to attend the Colorado School of Mines when he graduates high school in 2025. After graduating college, Duane plans to move to Norway and attend a school there which specializes in Marine commercial diving and saturation diving training.

Diving deeper, going higher

For such a young man, Duane has some very specific goals and quite a bit of confidence and determination.

His mother, Brie, is retired from the U.S. Army; his dad is still serving in the Army. They are very supportive of his efforts, and perhaps he has learned his work ethic from the two of them.

The word “can’t” does not exist in this young man’s vocabulary. His favorite quote is a song recorded by Paul Brandt: “Don’t tell me the sky’s the limit when there are footprints on the moon.”


Venture Scouts

The Venture Scouts program focuses on four main areas known as the A-L-P-S model, according to www.scouting.org:
•Adventure — Mentoring, leading, and participating in crew-led adventures.
•Leadership — Ongoing leadership development through training, mentoring, and hands-on leadership.
•Personal Growth — Goal setting in support of personal growth.
•Service — Leading and participating in community service.