In ESPN interview, Villanova’s Eagle Scout basketball star talks Scouting

Before Josh Hart wore the navy and white uniform of Villanova, he wore the khaki and green uniform of Scouting.

Finding time to be a student, a Scout and an athlete wasn’t easy. Josh even dropped out of Scouting for a couple of years, but he returned to finish what he started — and to fulfill a promise to his dad, who never got to be a Scout as a kid.

Just look at Josh now. He’s an Eagle Scout and a 2016 NCAA men’s basketball champion. And in a couple of weeks, he’ll lead second-ranked Villanova into another March Madness tournament. Not bad for a guy who turns 22 on Monday.

Those of us in the Scouting family aren’t the only ones thinking about Josh this month. Last weekend, the worldwide leader in sports aired a three-minute story about Josh and his Scouting connections.

As first shared over at Scouting Wire, the ESPN piece is basically a love letter to Scouting.

Scouting has a prominent role throughout the video. Josh recites the 12 points of the Scout Law, shows off his merit badge sash and Eagle medal, talks about his Eagle Scout service project, and reminisces about inflating a pair of pants to use as a flotation device — a requirement for the Swimming merit badge.

The story includes interviews with Josh; his dad, Moses; and his former Scout leader, George Gadbois.

Moses remembers how Josh’s many commitments kept him busy as a teen.

“Between [Scouts] and school and basketball, he worked around the clock,” Moses said.

Josh finished his requirements for Eagle about a week before his 18th birthday. Looking back, Josh has a clear picture of what he took from Scouting.

“It teaches you certain things in every walk of life,” he said. “It teaches you leadership, how to Be Prepared. Don’t feel like things are too much. Just push through it, and that’s when your character comes through.”

The video is embedded above. If that doesn’t work, click here.


About Bryan Wendell 3282 Articles
Bryan Wendell, an Eagle Scout, is the founder of Bryan on Scouting and a contributing writer.