Skating Merit Badge

Start the badge the right way Milestone

Meet your unit leader, get a counselor and a signed blue card before working with them. That process is the same for every badge and is set out on its own page.

Work to the requirements in force when you start Document

These requirements are republished yearly. A Scout who has already begun may finish under the ones they started with.

Merit badge requirements are republished annually. A Scout beginning work uses the requirements as they stand then; a Scout already working may finish under the ones they started with. Guide to Advancement 7.0.4.3 governs which applies. This page records the date its copy was read. Check it against the official page before relying on it.

1. Hazards and first aid, the only work every option shares Requirement

Two parts, both explanations, neither of them on skates. This is the whole of what a Scout doing the ice rink and a Scout doing the skatepark have in common, and it is the part that can be prepared at home before anybody decides which option to take.

1(a). The hazards, and four things to do about each Often forgotten Task

Four verbs applied to every hazard, not one: anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and RESPOND TO. That is four answers per hazard rather than a list of dangers, and the fourth is the one usually left out because the first three sound like the whole job.

1(b). Ten injuries and illnesses, and first aid for each Often forgotten Task

Hypothermia, frostbite, lacerations, abrasions, fractures, sprains and strains, concussions, blisters, heat-related reactions, and shock. TEN ANSWERS IN ONE LINE OF TEXT, so treat it as a table. Two are cold injuries and one is a heat injury, which is what tells you this list covers all four options at once.

2. One of four options, and it decides the rest of the badge Often forgotten Requirement

ICE SKATING, ROLLER SKATING, IN-LINE SKATING OR SKATEBOARDING. Not two of them, not a bit of each. The stem also carries a condition that is easy to miss and applies to every step underneath: all of this is done working under the supervision of an experienced adult.

ONE SENTENCE ABOVE THE OPTIONS GOVERNS EVERY STEP BELOW THEM, AND IT IS STATED ONCE. "Working under the supervision of an experienced adult, do ONE of the following options." That condition is not attached to the first item on the list, and it is not repeated anywhere inside any option. It applies to all fifty seven steps underneath it, on whichever option is chosen, including the ones that are explanations rather than skating. THE PRACTICAL EFFECT IS THAT NO PART OF REQUIREMENT 2 IS HOMEWORK. Requirement 1 can be prepared alone at the kitchen table; nothing in requirement 2 can. Somebody experienced has to be present, and finding that person is part of choosing the option.

WHAT DECIDES THIS ANSWER IS WHERE YOU CAN GET TO, NOT WHICH SPORT YOU LIKE, AND THE PAGE NEVER SAYS SO. Ice Skating needs an ice rink, with opening hours, admission and usually hired skates. Roller Skating needs a roller rink, on the same terms. Skateboarding needs a built skatepark, because one of its steps asks you to drop in from coping and there is no version of that in a driveway. IN-LINE SKATING IS THE ONLY OPTION THAT NEEDS NO FACILITY AT ALL: flat pavement, a gentle slope and a curb, all of which exist within a short walk of most homes. AND IT IS ALSO THE LONGEST, at sixteen steps against thirteen for the shortest. So the shortest list is not the least work once the travelling and the admission are counted, and the free option is the biggest one. That trade is invisible on the published page.

2(A). Option A, Ice Skating Optional May not apply Requirement

Fourteen steps: five explanations and nine on the ice. Needs a rink, which means opening hours, admission and usually hired skates. One of the five explanations is not about skating at all, and one is about a race you are not asked to enter.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

THIS IS THE ONLY OPTION WITH A SEASON IN IT, AND THE ONLY ONE THAT ASKS YOU TO RESCUE SOMEBODY. 2(A)(2) wants the preparations for skating outdoors on NATURAL ice and how to make an ICE RESCUE, and neither half of that can be picked up at an indoor rink, because neither situation exists there. Read it as a piece of knowledge to be studied rather than a skill to be practised, and expect a counselor to ask about thickness, about what you do not do, and about reaching rather than going. THE OTHER THIRTEEN STEPS ARE RINK WORK and a rink is a business: opening hours, public session times, admission and hired skates. Nine of the fourteen steps are on the ice, which is several visits rather than one, so find out when the public sessions are before this option is chosen.

2(B). Option B, Roller Skating Optional May not apply Requirement

Thirteen steps, the shortest of the four options: three explanations and ten on the floor. Needs a roller rink, so it needs session times, admission and usually hired skates. Two of its steps carry an alternative inside their own wording.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(C). Option C, In-Line Skating Optional May not apply Requirement

SIXTEEN STEPS, THE LONGEST OF THE FOUR OPTIONS, AND THE ONLY ONE THAT NEEDS NO FACILITY. Four explanations and twelve on pavement. What it needs instead of a rink is geography: flat pavement, a gentle slope and a curb, plus your own skates and a full set of pads.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(D). Option D, Skateboarding Optional May not apply Often forgotten Requirement

Fourteen steps and then a choice of three trick families out of five, which makes this THE ONLY OPTION WITH A DECISION INSIDE IT. It is also the only option that asks you to assemble the equipment, and the only one with a step that needs coping, meaning a built skatepark.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

THIS OPTION ASKS YOU TO BUILD THE EQUIPMENT AND THEN TO USE A FACILITY, AND BOTH NEED ARRANGING BEFORE IT IS CHOSEN. 2(D)(7) is "build a board by assembling all pieces (deck, wheels, trucks, hardware, and grip tape) in the proper order", and it is THE ONLY STEP ON THE WHOLE BADGE THAT ASKS FOR ANYTHING TO BE BUILT. A complete board bought ready to ride has already had this done to it by somebody in a factory, so this requirement decides what gets purchased: parts, or a board that will be taken apart. 2(D)(13) IS THE OTHER ARRANGEMENT: dropping in from coping needs the steel lip along the top of a ramp or a bowl, which means a built skatepark and not a driveway, a car park or a kerb. IT IS ALSO THE ONLY OPTION WITH A CHOICE INSIDE IT, three trick families out of five, and two of those five need a rail, a ledge, a ramp or a bowl as well.

Counselor signs it off Milestone

The completion date is the date you met the requirements, not the date of the signature.

Usually comes after 2. One of four options, and it decides the rest of the badge.

2(A)(1). Safety and courtesy on the ice Optional May not apply Task

The general guidelines, which are two different things sharing one line. Safety is about not being hurt; courtesy is about direction of travel, where to stand, and where not to stop, on a surface shared with people going much faster and much slower than you.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(A)(2). Natural ice, and how to make an ice rescue Optional May not apply Often forgotten Task

THE ONLY STEP IN ANY OF THE FOUR OPTIONS ABOUT RESCUING SOMEBODY ELSE. Two halves: the preparations for skating outdoors on natural ice, and how to make an ice rescue. Neither half can be learned at an indoor rink, because neither situation exists there.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(A)(3). The parts of an ice skate, by type Optional May not apply Task

Parts AND functions, across the different types, which means figure, hockey and speed skates are three answers rather than one. Do this one properly and step 8 explains itself, because the toe pick it tells you to avoid is the part that distinguishes a figure skate.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(A)(4). Carrying skates at the rink and in transit Optional May not apply Task

Two situations in one line: the proper way to carry them at the rink, where the blades are exposed and people are close, and the proper way for travel, which is a different answer involving guards and a bag.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(A)(5). Storing skates for a season Optional May not apply Task

Long-period storage, which is the seasonal question: what happens to blades and boots left in a bag from March to November. Moisture is the whole answer and it is not obvious.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(A)(6). Forty feet forward, then a snowplow stop Optional May not apply Task

Skate forward at least 40 feet and come to a complete stop, using either a two-foot or a one-foot snowplow stop. THE FIRST SKATING STEP AND THE ONE EVERYTHING ELSE ASSUMES, because a skater who cannot stop on purpose cannot safely attempt anything after it.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(A)(7). Glide on two feet, then on each one Optional May not apply Task

After skating forward: glide on two feet, then on one foot, first right and then left. Three glides rather than one, and the two single-foot glides are separate answers because most people have a strong side and a weak one.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(A)(8). Stroking from a T position Optional May not apply Often forgotten Task

Start from a T position and stroke forward around the test area, AVOIDING THE USE OF TOE PICKS if you are wearing figure skates. The exclusion is the point of the step: pushing off the toe pick is the habit this is meant to break.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(A)(9). Glide backward, twice your own height Optional May not apply Task

Backward on two feet, for at least two times the skater's height, which is the one measurement on this badge that changes from Scout to Scout. Backward gliding is where confidence usually stops, and it comes before backward skating for a reason.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(A)(10). Skate backward twenty feet Optional May not apply Task

Backward on two skates for at least 20 feet, which is skating rather than gliding: the feet have to do something. This and step 9 are the pair, and doing them in the printed order is the easier way round.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(A)(11). A 180 around a cone, both ways Optional May not apply Task

After gaining forward speed, glide forward on two feet and make a turn of 180 degrees around a cone, first to the right and then to the left. TWO ANSWERS, and the second direction is the hard one for everybody.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(A)(12). Forward crossovers, in a figure eight Optional May not apply Task

Not crossovers on their own but crossovers in a figure-eight pattern, which forces them in both directions and links them together. This is the most technical thing this option asks for.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(A)(13). The safety of racing, explained not done Optional May not apply Task

The safety considerations for participating in an ice-skating race, explained to your counselor. NOTHING IN THIS OPTION ASKS YOU TO RACE. It is a discussion, and it can be prepared at home like requirement 1.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(A)(14). A hockey stop Optional May not apply Task

The last step of the option and the hardest skill in it, which is a fair place to put it. It is a different stop from the snowplow in step 6, using the edges rather than the angle of the feet, and it is the one that needs the most ice time.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(B)(1). Safety and etiquette on the rink Optional May not apply Task

The general safety rules and the etiquette guidelines, which are two lists. Etiquette at a roller rink is largely about direction, speed and where you may stop, on a floor shared by beginners and by people who have skated for years.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(B)(2). The parts of a roller skate Optional May not apply Task

The parts and their functions. A quad skate has trucks, a cushion, a toe stop and eight wheels with bearings, and the functions half of the question is the half that is usually answered thinly.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(B)(3). Five steps of skate care Optional May not apply Task

FIVE, counted, and the requirement says essential. Not general advice about looking after them: five specific things, which is a list to prepare rather than a conversation to have.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(B)(4). A hundred feet each way, and stopping Optional May not apply Often forgotten Task

Smooth, LINKED strokes on two feet, at least 100 feet, in BOTH directions around the rink, and then proper technique for stopping. Three requirements in one line: the quality of the strokes, both directions, and the stop.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(B)(5). Glide fifteen feet on each skate Optional May not apply Task

Skate forward and glide at least 15 feet on one skate, then on the other. Two answers, and the weaker leg is the one that decides whether this step is finished.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(B)(6). A forward crossover Optional May not apply Task

One crossover, forward. Shorter than the ice version of the same skill, which asks for crossovers in a figure eight, so this is the simpler of the two.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(B)(7). Backward, on two skates then on one Optional May not apply Task

At least 40 feet on two skates, then at least 15 feet on one. The second half is much harder than the first and is a separate answer.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(B)(8). A forward slalom, two feet then one Optional May not apply Task

At least 40 feet on two skates, then at least 20 feet on one. A slalom pattern means weaving, and doing it on one skate is the point of the step.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(B)(9). A backward slalom Optional May not apply Task

At least 15 feet, backward, on two skates. Shorter than the forward version for good reason: skating backward in a pattern is a different skill from skating backward in a line.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(B)(10). Once round the rink, bending twice Optional May not apply Often forgotten Task

A shuttle skate once around the rink, bending twice along the way, WITHOUT STOPPING. The bends are squats taken at speed, and the no-stopping clause is what makes it one continuous exercise rather than three.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(B)(11). Two spins, or a hop, skip and jump Optional May not apply Task

ONE STEP WITH AN ALTERNATIVE INSIDE IT, not a fork: a series of two consecutive spins on skates, OR a hop, skip and jump on skates for at least 10 feet. Both are on the same line and only one is done.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(B)(12). A stepover Optional May not apply Task

One skate lifted and placed over the other while moving. Named in a single line with nothing else attached, and it is the most technical thing this option asks for.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(B)(13). Forty feet with a ball, and back Optional May not apply Often forgotten Task

ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE INSIDE ONE STEP: dribble a basketball at least 40 feet and back to your starting position, OR push a hockey ball with a stick the same distance and back. Whichever is chosen, it needs a ball or a ball and a stick, which the rink may not lend you.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

THIS STEP NEEDS EQUIPMENT THE RINK MAY NOT HAVE. A basketball dribbled at least 40 feet and back, or a hockey ball pushed with a stick the same distance and back. A roller rink is not obliged to keep either, some do not allow balls on the floor during a public session at all, and a stick is less likely again. ASK BEFORE THE VISIT RATHER THAN ON THE NIGHT, and if the answer is no, bring the basketball yourself and check that bringing it is allowed. This is the only step in this option that depends on an object rather than on a skill.

2(C)(1). Safety and courtesy on wheels Optional May not apply Task

The general safety rules and the courtesy guidelines. Unlike the two rink options, this one is skated in public, so the courtesy half is about pedestrians, dogs, driveways and shared paths rather than about a floor full of other skaters.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(C)(2). The parts of an in-line skate Optional May not apply Task

Parts and functions. The heel brake is one of them and step 7 asks you to use it, so this is the step that explains what you are about to stand on.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(C)(3). Required gear, and recommended gear Optional May not apply Often forgotten Task

TWO LISTS, NOT ONE. The requirement names the required safety equipment and the recommended safety equipment separately, and answering with a single list of pads has answered half of it. Worth reading before anything is bought.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(C)(4). Four steps of skate care Optional May not apply Task

FOUR, counted, and essential. The roller option asks for five and this one asks for four, which is a reminder that the number in the requirement is part of the requirement.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(C)(5). A hundred feet of linked strokes Optional May not apply Task

Smooth, LINKED strokes on two feet for at least 100 feet. Linked is the word doing the work: continuous pushes that flow into each other rather than a push, a coast, and another push.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(C)(6). Glide fifteen feet on each skate Optional May not apply Task

Forward, then glide at least 15 feet on one skate, then on the other. Two answers, and as everywhere else on this badge the weaker side is the one that counts.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(C)(7). Stop on command, on the heel brake Optional May not apply Often forgotten Task

ON COMMAND, on FLAT PAVEMENT, using the HEEL BRAKE. Three conditions in one short line. On command means somebody else picks the moment, which is the whole point, and flat pavement rules out grass, gravel and a noticeable camber.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(C)(8). A forward crossover Optional May not apply Task

One crossover, forward. The same skill the roller option asks for, and the step where turning stops being a matter of leaning and starts being a matter of footwork.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(C)(9). Forty feet of forward swizzles Optional May not apply Task

A series of forward, LINKED swizzles for at least 40 feet. A swizzle keeps both skates on the ground throughout, so it is a different way of moving from the stroking in step 5 rather than a harder version of it.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(C)(10). Forty feet of backward swizzles Optional May not apply Task

At least 40 feet backward, in a series of linked backward swizzles. This is how this option asks you to skate backward, and it is the same distance as the forward version.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(C)(11). A lunge turn, at speed, around an object Optional May not apply Often forgotten Task

FROM A STRONG PACE, which is the condition that makes it hard, around an object predetermined BY YOUR COUNSELOR, which is the condition that means you cannot pick an easy one.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(C)(12). A mohawk Optional May not apply Task

A turn from forward to backward with a change of foot. Named in one line, and it is the most technical single skill in this option.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(C)(13). Four one-footed slaloms, downhill Optional May not apply Often forgotten Task

At least FOUR of them, ONE-FOOTED, on pavement with a GENTLE SLOPE. The slope is the part to arrange first: gentle enough not to run away with you and smooth enough to weave on, which is a more specific piece of ground than it sounds.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(C)(14). Passing from behind Optional May not apply Task

Describe how to pass a pedestrian or another skater from behind. A description, not a demonstration, and it is here because this option is the one skated where other people are walking.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(C)(15). Three ways round something you did not see Optional May not apply Task

At least THREE ways to avoid an unforeseen obstacle. Three separate answers, and unforeseen is the operative word: these are the responses available when there is no time to plan one.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(C)(16). On and off a curb, two ways described and one done Optional May not apply Often forgotten Task

DESCRIBED TWICE AND DONE ONCE: two ways to get on and off a curb, and a demonstration of at least one of them. A curb is the only piece of built environment this whole option needs.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(D)(1). The history of skateboarding Optional May not apply Task

History AND evolution, which is a story rather than a date: where it came from, what it borrowed from, and how the board and what people do on it changed together.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(D)(2). What skateboarding is good for Optional May not apply Often forgotten Task

The benefits, and the requirement names five of them: physical fitness, balance, coordination, perseverance and creativity. Five answers rather than a general opinion, and perseverance and creativity are the two people skip.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(D)(3). Right of way, signals and warnings Optional May not apply Often forgotten Task

The safety rules and courtesy guidelines, INCLUDING right-of-way and communication signals and warnings. A skatepark is a shared space with paths that cross, and the signals half is about telling somebody you are coming.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(D)(4). The gear, and wearing it correctly Optional May not apply Often forgotten Task

Helmet, knee pads, elbow pads and wrist guards named, and then SHOW HOW TO WEAR THEM CORRECTLY. That second half is a demonstration rather than an explanation, so the gear has to be present when this step is done.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(D)(5). Street and vert, and what is in a skatepark Optional May not apply Often forgotten Task

The two main styles, street and vert, and then the common skatepark features: ramps, a manual pad, rails, a spine and the rest. This is the vocabulary the later steps and the trick families are written in.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(D)(6). The anatomy of a board Optional May not apply Task

Deck, trucks, wheels, hardware and the rest, explained. This is the reading for the next step, where the same parts have to be put together in the right order.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(D)(7). Build the board yourself Optional May not apply Often forgotten Task

THE ONLY STEP ON THE WHOLE BADGE THAT ASKS YOU TO BUILD SOMETHING. Assemble all the pieces, deck, wheels, trucks, hardware and grip tape, IN THE PROPER ORDER. A complete board bought ready to ride has had this done to it already, so this step decides what gets bought.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(D)(8). Keeping a board running Optional May not apply Task

Maintenance: cleaning, adjusting bolts and replacing parts. Adjusting the bolts is the one that changes how the board rides, because truck tightness is what decides how sharply it turns.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(D)(9). Regular or goofy, and which you are Optional May not apply Task

Explain the difference between the two stances, and then DEMONSTRATE YOUR PREFERRED ONE. Half explanation and half demonstration, and it settles which way round every step after it is done.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(D)(10). Push, cruise and carve Optional May not apply Task

Three things on flat ground: pushing, cruising and carving. Carving is turning by leaning through a curve rather than by stepping, and it is the one that needs the trucks set up in a way that suits you.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(D)(11). Two ways to stop Optional May not apply Task

AT LEAST TWO braking and stopping techniques, which is two separate answers. Foot braking is one that everybody has; the second is the one that has to be learned on purpose.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(D)(12). An ollie, and a variation on it Optional May not apply Often forgotten Task

A basic ollie AND at least one variation. THE FOUNDATION OF TWO OF THE FIVE TRICK FAMILIES in the next step, so time spent here is time not spent later, and the variation is what makes that transferable.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(D)(13). Drop in from the coping Optional May not apply Often forgotten Task

THE STEP THAT NEEDS A REAL SKATEPARK. Coping is the lip along the top of a ramp or a bowl, and dropping in from it has no version on flat ground, in a driveway or in a car park. Arrange the park before this option is chosen, not after.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(D)(14). Three tricks, from five families Optional May not apply Often forgotten Task

A CHOICE INSIDE AN OPTION, and the only one on this badge: three skateboarding tricks, drawn from five listed types. Three of five, and the families are not equally easy to reach, because two of them need a feature to do them on.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(D)(14)(a). Flat ground tricks Optional May not apply Task

Done anywhere flat, which makes this the family that needs nothing arranged. It is also where the ollie from the previous step leads most directly.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(D)(14)(b). Flip and shove-it tricks Optional May not apply Task

Built on the ollie you have already had to learn in 2(D)(12), which makes this the family that costs the least additional practice for a reader who has just finished that step.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(D)(14)(c). Grind and slide tricks Optional May not apply Task

Needs something to grind or slide along: a rail, a ledge or coping. That is the same built skatepark that step 13 needs, so choosing this family adds nothing to the venue you already had to find.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(D)(14)(d). Air and grab tricks Optional May not apply Task

Needs a ramp or a bowl to leave the ground from. The family most likely to test whether the pads from step 4 actually fit, because it is the one where you land from a height.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.

2(D)(14)(e). Footplant tricks Optional May not apply Task

A foot comes off the board and pushes off the ground or an obstacle. Less dependent on a particular feature than grinds or airs, which makes it the second most reachable family after flat ground.

You have not answered "Requirement 2: ice skating, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding?" yet.