Req 2 — Pick Your Option
You must choose exactly one of the four options below. Each option is a complete set of skills and knowledge requirements for a specific skating discipline. Read through all four options before deciding — your best choice is the one where you have access to the right equipment, venue, and a qualified adult supervisor who can work with you on that discipline.
Your Options
Req 2a — Ice Skating Overview: Complete 14 subrequirements covering ice safety, skate equipment, and progressive skating skills from basic stops through crossovers and a hockey stop. Best for Scouts with access to an ice rink or frozen pond.
Req 2b — Roller Skating Overview: Complete 13 subrequirements covering quad skate safety, skate care, forward and backward skills, slalom, spins, and sport skills like dribbling a basketball on skates. Best for Scouts with access to a roller rink.
Req 2c — In-Line Skating Overview: Complete 16 subrequirements covering in-line skate safety and gear, care and maintenance, forward and backward skills, stops, crossovers, swizzles, the mohawk turn, downhill slaloms, and street skills. Best for Scouts who can skate outdoors on smooth pavement.
Req 2d — Skateboarding Overview: Complete 14 subrequirements covering skateboarding history, benefits, safety, equipment anatomy and assembly, stance, basic riding skills, an ollie, a drop-in, and three trick types from five categories. Best for Scouts with access to a skate park or smooth paved area.
Choosing Your Option
Consider these questions before committing:
Do you have the right venue? Ice skating requires an ice rink or safe frozen water. Roller skating is best done at an indoor rink. In-line skating needs smooth pavement, a trail, or a path. Skateboarding requires a skate park or large flat paved area.
Do you have access to equipment? Rinks typically rent ice skates and roller skates. In-line skates and skateboards often need to be purchased or borrowed from someone with the correct size.
Do you have a qualified supervisor? Your merit badge counselor or another experienced adult must supervise all Option 2 activities. Choose the option where your counselor has real experience — someone who can evaluate your skating firsthand and give you useful feedback.
Where are your existing skills? You can earn this badge even as a beginner, but starting with a discipline you have already tried will let you focus on the specific skill milestones rather than learning from scratch.