Stacking Up a World Record

Today is Guinness World Records Day. And hopefully, I had a small part in breaking one.

There is something called sport stacking. It's where you take a bunch of brightly colored plastic cups and stack them quickly into specifically ordered pyramids and towers. When done competitively, it's timed. It's even an event in the Junior Olympics.

Today, the World Sport Stacking Association sponsored their 7th annual Stack Up. They asked people around the country to play this sport for 30 min today so that they can beat the World Record for Most People Sport Stacking in Multiple Locations on One Day. (Yes, I didn't realize there was a record for that either)

They hope to have 450,000 people participate, mostly children from schools. It turns out, this sport is great for kids. Stacking enthusiasts claim the sport engages both the left and right sides of the brain, is great for hand eye coordination, and improves attention and focus.   

The Stack Up came to my attention through my newfound job, working as a correspondent for the local paper, the Daily Herald. I went out on the assignment and met a PE teacher who was just about the coolest lady ever. I wished I had someone like her as a gym teacher when I was a kid. As part of her curriculum, Angela Anderson, has the kids practice sport stacking. She said it's great because any kid can do it. With a little practice and a timer, it is a great way to help kids find success and show them that they are improving. She believes it gets gets involved and engaged in a fun way, teaching them focus and discipline.

I went to Coach Anderson's school for her Stack Up, and I was blown away by how much fun these kids were having.

I interviewed a few of the kids, and they were all so excited to be involved. Many of them practice at home and will keep playing after today.

These kids are building a sense of accomplishment already without even knowing it. They are finishing things and working through play. 

I've talked a lot in my book and on this blog about building up accomplishments or "finisher medals" and how that helped me overcome my poor self image, esteem and depression. When the results of the Stack Up are verified, kids around the world will know they had a hand in breaking a World Record -- me too.

 That's a pretty awesome finisher medal if you ask me.