Have you ever heard of speed stacking (definition)? I had not until this morning. I was at the Salt Lake City Farmer’s Market when I passed a booth with two boys in it. They were “stacking” cups. Actually, they were stacking cups at a dizzying speed. So fast, in fact, that if I wasn’t there to watch it with my own two eyes, I would not believe it was real.
Thanks to technology (& the approval of one of their moms), I was able to capture a bit of their speed stacking skills. That’s Ethan on the right and Doug on the left.
Can’t see the video? Try viewing directly on YouTube.
Holy cats, right?
A Bit More About Doug & Ethan
I chatted it up with Doug Brian and Ethan Sumsion a bit, 12 and 13 years old, respectively. As it turns out, they were at the Farmer’s Market this morning to raise money for their April 2012 trip to Germany for the World Sport Stacking Championships. I dropped $5 into the bucket (normally I would donate $1, but this good deeds challenge has me rethinking that).
I found a few videos from local television stations here in Utah that both Doug and Ethan were on. This video from Studio 5 featured Doug from last year (April 2010). This video from ABC4 featured Ethan from March of this year. I don’t know about you, but I’m mesmerized by their speed & agility. Looking on the World Sport Stacking Association (WSSA) website, you can see that Ethan is ranked #1 in the state and top 100 in the nation and world. His friend Doug is not far behind at #2 and 3 in the state.
Incredible, right?
I asked both Doug and Ethan how often they practice. Their answer? 2-3 hours per day. If you’ve ever read Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers, you’ll recall that he talks a lot about the “10,000-Hour Rule” – the notion that the key to success is practicing for around 10,000 hours. It would seem that these boys are well on their way to 10,000.
Why This Has Me Pumped
I’ll admit it. At some level, I’m just straight up entertained. However, more than that I love seeing young children doing something that activates their brain. Too often, we see the opposite. Parents plop their children in front of the TV and their brain rots. (I know, not all television is bad. You get the point).
Additionally, Doug and Ethan have the opportunity to travel all over the country and the world to compete. This forces them to meet other people that may not be like them. It allows to see other states & countries. They compete with other children their age in something that stimulates brain activity (unlike child beauty pageants).
Finally, I really just love the life skills that they are both learning at an early age. Hard work. Practice. Dedication. Persistence. I’m not sure that there is a future career in speed stacking, but I can promise you that Doug and Ethan will carry these skills with them for the rest of their lives.
Best of luck to Doug and Ethan in Germany!
DJ Waldow
@djwaldow
