Howling Stackers compete at state championship
Timber Trail Elementary club Howling Stackers, along with parents and coach Marina Bonello Goers (known as Dr. B), at the World Sport Stacking Association’s Colorado Open Championship held at Douglas County High School.
Douglas County High School buzzed with cups whizzing up and down at lightning speed during the World Sport Stacking Association’s Colorado Open Championship where 81 stackers competed for times, personal records and a chance to qualify for the Junior Olympics 2025.
Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) was represented by 20 students from its club, the Howling Stackers, who set records in both team and individual events and placed in the top three positions in the various age division events. The Howling Stackers may not have qualified for the Junior Olympics but the 8U (8-years-old and under) Wolf team #2 took the first-place gold in the timed relay 3-6-3 with a finishing time of 28.582 seconds. The 8U Wolf team #1 clinched second-place silver in the same relay with a time of 34.92 seconds. In the individual female 8U division, Harper Lister took the gold in the 3-3-3 stack with 4.035 seconds. The 3-6-3 stack is where the player stacks three cups, then six, then three and then down-stacks in the reverse order; the 3-3-3 does the same with nine cups.
Eleven parents jumped in on the competition to team with their child during the child/parent doubles event. First-year parent participant and Hidden Pointe resident Robin Sweet found competing with her third-grade son, Chase, a “cool experience.”
“Practicing with Chase was both fun and trying at times,” said Robin. In so many ways our roles were reversed; he was my teacher; I had to remind him to go easy on me.”
“Competing added pressure but it also makes you work faster,” added Chase.
Daniela and Ashley Carter of the Canyons neighborhood are new to TTE and their third-grade son Isaac is a first-year Howling Stacker. According to coach Marina Bonello Goers (known as Dr. B.), “Isaac has taken to it like a fish to the water.”
Ashley elaborated, “It was a great bonding experience for Isaac and me to learn a new sport together. We both really enjoyed it and are looking forward to the next event.”
Sport stacking or speed stacking is an individual and team sport that involves stacking 9-12 specially designed cups in predetermined sequences as quickly as possible. The sport helps develop hand eye coordination, which is beneficial in other sports, as well as builds logical reasoning and can improve reaction time.
For more information, visit the World Sport Stacking Association, thewssa.com.
Arm-in-arm with the use of their opposite hands, child/parent team Robin and Chase Sweet race against the clock to complete their stacking sequence.
By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of Marina Bonello Goers
