Brody Gunn didn’t know what to expect when he started working on the Multisport merit badge, which launched last year.
Multisport is an athletic competition featuring a combination of two or more sports. The Multisport merit badge challenges Scouts to choose from the sports of swimming, biking and running.
Brody’s path to earning the merit badge culminated in racing in a triathlon organized by the Long Beach Area Council.
“Going into the triathlon, I felt both excited and nervous. I was so nervous that it felt like my stomach was in my chest,” says the 13-year-old Life Scout from Troop 384 of Temecula, Calif. “However, once the race began, the stress quickly went away.”
Preparing for the big event helped the prerace jitters disappear.
Here are a few tips from Scouts who have run the race:
Train, train, train
In whichever sports the Scout registers for, it’s recommended they train for four weeks prior to the event and practice each activity. For instance, if your Scout will be racing in a triathlon, they should train by running, swimming and cycling.
“I tried to follow a weekly schedule that balanced each activity so I could improve my endurance. Most weeks, I trained several days,” says Dominic Saab, 17, a Star Scout from Troop 441 of Downey, Calif. “It was a challenge to combine my studies, sports and training.”
The merit badge pamphlet includes a sample training schedule.
“I was confident in my training but still unsure how everything would come together,” Dominic says. “There were moments that I was exhausted, especially toward the end, but I kept reminding myself why I trained and pushed through to the end.”
Make a plan
Part of training includes figuring out how you will attack the course. Of course, your Scout will want to finish with a top time, but they should remember to be safe on the course and in transition areas between events.
“I was only thinking about getting to the next part,” says Eagle Scout Jenna Mielke, 17, with Troop 371 of Bellflower, Calif. “I really liked biking. Biking was my sweet spot.”
The merit badge pamphlet recommends racers to pace themselves, saving energy to finish. And while Scouts might get bit by the competitive bug, it’s good for them to show good sportsmanship.
“We were all focused on making it to the end,” Jenna says. “It was really fun. We were all rooting for each other.”
It’s not about how you start …
The merit badge requirements don’t call on your Scout to win the race. It calls on them to do their best.
“This badge isn’t about being the best athlete. It’s about participation, effort and improvement,” Brody says.
The badge helps youth work on their fitness and the discipline required to accomplish a big feat.
“If you can show up, try hard and reflect on what you learned, you can succeed,” Brody says.
If your Scout is interested in working on this merit badge, your troop can organize a multisport event, or your Scout can find a community or council-run event. Remember: Anyone planning to participate in a multisport event should get a thorough physical examination from their health-care provider.
How well do you know Multisport?
This merit badge and its accompanying pamphlet were made possible by Distinguished Eagle Scout and Silver Buffalo Award recipient Dave Alexander, an accomplished multisport athlete and longtime supporter of Scouting America.
USA Triathlon, the national governing body for triathlon, duathlon and other multisport events in the United States, also provided content for the pamphlet. You can download the pamphlet for free.
After you and your Scout have studied the pamphlet, you both can test your knowledge with Scout Life’s Multisport merit badge quiz. Your Scout can also read more about the badge and see how other Scouts have accomplished their races in October’s issue of Scout Life magazine. You can subscribe to the official youth magazine of Scouting America here.
Photos courtesy of the Long Beach Area Council.
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