Speed stacking catches on at local schools

If the sport of "Speed Stacking" is one that has slipped under your radar, well, you are not alone.

This relatively new game has, for the most part, been confined to school halls and bedrooms since it originated in the early 1980s.

In a nut shell, Speed Stacking, or Sport Stacking, involves teams and individuals stacking and unstacking 12 specially designed plastic cups in pre-determined sequence.

Though some may call it a hobby, the sport has its own world championships, held ever year in Denver, Colorado and hosted by the World Sport Stacking Association (WSSA).

And these guys aren't kidding.

To have a look at just what you can do with 12 plastic cups and a stop-watch, check out this video of a recent world stacking record.

Not to be left out of the craze, Elizabeth Blackwell Elementary School in Sammamish and Alcott Elementary in Redmond have started their own Speed Stack Clubs.

On Tuesday, Feb. 24 the two schools came together for a meet.

Alcott Physical Education teacher Matt Laughlin said that the students had really taken to the sport.

"Speed stacking is a fun alternative sport that builds hand-eye coordination and ambidexterity," he said.

"Our teams are composed of fifth and sixth graders, and they are really good."

Blackwell sixth Grader Jeffrey Atwood said that he had been stacking for about a year, and enjoys the competition of it and being around his friends.

Speed stacking has become popular with a lot of innovative teachers looking for ways to exercise performance on both sides of the body.

According to the WSSA, by increasing bilateral proficiency, a student develops a greater percentage of the right side of the brain, which houses awareness, focus, creativity and rhythm.

Stacking helps train the brain for sports and other activities where the use of both hands is important, such as playing a musical instrument or using the computer.

Sequencing and patterning are also elements of sport stacking, which can help with reading and math skills.

For more information on speed stacking, go to www.speedstacks.com

Contact Sammamish Reporter Editor Jake Lynch at editor@sammamish-reporter.com.

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