For three Scouts from Troop 737 in Evergreen, Colorado, the Multisport merit badge arrived at the right time.
Amelie Anderson, Logan Anderson and Liam Farrell (left to right in the above photo) had already earned the Personal Fitness, Sports and Athletics merit badges. They were in the mood for another athletics-related endeavor, and Scouting America had just announced the Multisport merit badge.
It didn’t take them long to decide what they were going to do next: The trio became among the first Scouts to earn Scouting America’s newest merit badge.
“Overall, it’s an engaging experience that gives you insight into the very fun, competitive side of sports,” says Amelie, a Life Scout. “It might be strenuous, but the experience and benefits of the overall process are immensely rewarding.”
Amelie, Liam and Logan were all in good physical condition before embarking on their Multisport merit badge journey. All three compete in cross-country, and all three had earned merit badges in Swimming and Cycling. (The Swimming merit badge is a prerequisite for Scouts who choose to focus on a multisport competition that includes swimming.)
Still, the Scouts and the adult volunteers who guided them through the process feel that Scouts don’t need to be elite athletes to complete the requirements.
“Compared to Sports and Athletics, this merit badge is a bit easier since the training period is only four weeks,” says Mark Anderson, assistant Scoutmaster for boys Troop 737 and a committee member for the girls linked Troop 737, and father to Amelie and Logan. “The race distances required are very manageable for Scouts of all ages. I would say this is a great beginner-level merit badge for Scouts who are interested in fitness and athletics.”
What is Multisport?
Multisport is an athletic competition that features a combination of two or more sports.
The Multisport merit badge allows Scouts to combine two or more activities from the sports of swimming, biking and running.
The Multisport merit badge and its accompanying pamphlet were made possible by Distinguished Eagle Scout and Silver Buffalo recipient Dave Alexander, an accomplished multisport athlete and longtime supporter of Scouting America.
“I am thrilled to hear that Scouts across the country are embracing the Multisport merit badge,” says Alexander. “Becoming a multisport athlete was one of the most significant decisions I’ve made in my entire life. I think that any Scout who pursues this merit badge will find it as fun and rewarding as I have.”
Much of the content and photography was supplied by USA Triathlon, the national governing body for triathlon — as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon and paratriathlon — in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 3,500 events and races and connects with and supports more than 300,000 unique active members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world.
Click here for the Multisport merit badge requirements.
Achievable for all Scouts
Mark Anderson, who guided the three Colorado Scouts through the process with the help of Liam’s dad, Shannon, says he found the process to be rewarding for both the adults and the youth.
“Any troop should feel confident putting together a multisport program for their Scouts,” he says. “Our scouts love hands-on merit badges, and this is one of the most engaging badges available.”
Requirement 7 is the one that requires the most planning for many participants. It has Scouts complete all the activities — consecutively and on the same day — for the multisport focus area of their choice: triathlon (swim, bike and run), duathlon (run, bike and run), aquathlon (swim and run) or aqua bike (swim and bike).
“I recommend finding a closed course with no vehicle traffic to complete your multisport event,” Mark says. “We used an open-space park with extensive dirt and paved multiuse trails, and there were a couple of driveway crossings that required extra attentiveness on the part of the Scouts and Scouters.”
The great thing about multisport is that there’s something for everyone.
“While I’ve run and biked and swum before, the transition period is what made this merit badge and activity stand out,” says Liam, a Life Scout. “It adds a fun challenge to the other activities.”
Logan, an Eagle Scout, says he enjoyed the biking the most.
“You have to know your limits and pick an event that you are good at or at least interested in, not just what is easiest,” he says. “All the options are achievable for any Scout with determination.”
Photo courtesy of Mark Anderson
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