Almost 60 students from Woodmen Hills Elementary, Springs Ranch Elementary and Falcon Middle School participated in a speed cup-stacking competition March 12 at Woodmen Hills Elementary School.Speed stackers build towers of plastic cups in a variety of patterns as quickly as possible. “There is a lot of research that shows speed stacking helps students who have trouble reading and tracking with their eyes,” said Karen Crockett, Woodmen Hills speed cup-stacking coach and organizer of the competition.By requiring participants to quickly alternate hands, Crockett said students also build hand-eye coordination, which helps them perform better in sports.After a friend introduced her to the sport seven years ago, Crockett brought speed stacking to Falcon School District 49. She coaches the Woodmen Hills Elementary team, which has seven members going to the world competition in April.Crockett said she takes a no-pressure approach to coaching her speed stacking team. “This is to have fun; it’s not life or death,” she said.She said she organized the March 12 competition to give students an opportunity to compete in a friendly environment.”We had a lot of first-time kids participate,” she said. “That was really special.”The competition at Woodmen Hills Elementary timed students individually, in pairs and in relays. Awards were given to the top-three performers in various age groups and events.Crockett said next year she hopes to organize an officially sanctioned competition. “If a world record is set, it would count,” she said.
