Bothell resident and scoutmaster Sterling Crockett dared his troop of 11 Boy Scouts to earn a total of 75 merit badges this summer — a goal he didn’t think they’d ever achieve — in return for shaving his head. Unfortunately, he made two mistakes. He vastly underestimated his troop’s desire to see him bald, and he didn’t get his wife’s OK in advance.

On Sept. 23, the scouts assembled with friends and family for the “mane” event in Woodinville. True to his word, Crockett allowed each of his scouts to have a turn with the electric shaver. Jordan Howlett, the senior patrol leader who cut the deal with Crockett, took the first pass with the shaver and then handed it to each of the remaining scouts. Chance Fox, a 14-year-old troop member who recently earned his Eagle Scout rank after completing a refurbishing project for the Bothell Hopelink office, also enjoyed the sweet buzz of success.

With his thick dark hair laying on the floor, Crockett commented, “It’s a sacrifice and well worth it, even when you include all of the things I’m going to have to do for my wife.” That list includes cleaning the garage, removing oil stains from the driveway, fixing a door and more.

Crockett is the scoutmaster for Troop 627, sponsored by a local congregation (Woodinville First Ward) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He’s not your typical scoutmaster — a 32-year-old father of two young children, he has a graduate degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and currently works full time for Microsoft Corp. as a software developer. With support from his wife, Julie, he finds time to meet with the boys weekly, plan and go on weekend campouts and encourage the boys to develop self-confidence as they learn and master new skills. All of his dedication garnered him the 2007 Scoutmaster of the Year award from a district of about 80 troops. It also gained him a sleek new look.

So why is scouting so important to Crockett?

“I think the most important thing about scouts is that it’s a safe place to make mistakes, so you don’t make those mistakes when it really matters. There’s nothing quite like a cold night camping to remind you of what you really wish you had brought with you, and it’s the sort of lesson you typically only need to learn once.”

Crockett may have also learned a lesson — never dare an ambitious and hardworking troop of dedicated Boy Scouts unless you’re willing to lose your hair.