By: Kristyn Hunt Cathey, APR – Director of Communications

Travis Elementary students participated in the World Sport Stacking Association’s (WSSA) World Record for “Most People Sport Stacking at Multiple Locations.” The event took place November 15-17th. The campus had 193 stackers on one day and around 125 the next. Thirteen countries, including the USA, participated in this international attempt.

Students at Travis Elementary participated in cup stacking competition November 15-17th.

Angela Dunson, Physical Education teacher at Travis Elementary School, brought sport stacking to Goose Creek CISD two years ago. Dunson learned about sport stacking during a Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (TAHPERD) conference and used it with her students at her school in Houston. “The students loved it and it was remarkable to see how fast they picked up techniques,” Dunson said. Because of the success of the program, she was eager to bring it to the students at her new school in Goose Creek CISD. “I was a little dismayed that they (Travis) had no cups, so I decided to write a grant to the Education Foundation in 2020, with the hopes of purchasing speed stack cups for my new school,” said Dunson.

The grant Dunson wrote was entitled, “Cup Stacking for Improvements in Reading.” Cup stacking (speed stacking, sport stacking) incorporates crossing the vertical midline of the body using left-to-right movements. When the midline is crossed, it connects the right and left brain. Speed stacking requires students to stack up and down nine to 12 cups in certain sequences as fast as they can. The sequences are 3-3-3, 6-6, 3-6-3, 1-10-1. This connection is important for reading fluency, comprehension, writing creatively, spelling and remembering, listening and thinking at the same time, and increasing athletic performance. Cup stacking also promotes Goose Creek’s goal of developing the whole child. Cup stacking helps to motivate kids to be active and fit, helps to bolster their self-esteem, promotes academic learning, and promotes social interaction.

Sport stacking is world-wide with international competitions going on yearly. Sport stacking is also an AAU Junior Olympic sport.

Photo by Carrie Pryor-Newman

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