Coordination, speed and perseverance: meet Taiwan’s sports staking athletes

Coordination, speed and perseverance: meet Taiwan’s sports staking athletes

2022-12-14

Sports stacking, also known as cup stacking is a team and individual sport that involves players stacking 9 or 12 cups as quickly as possible. The World Sport Stacking Association Taiwan was launched in 2010 to help promote the sport in Taiwan. Since then, Taiwan has trained several world record holders. FTV reporter Stephany Yang spoke to three of Taiwan’s elite stackers to find out what it takes to be a champion.

This is Yan Cheng-you, the world record holder for the men’s 13-14-year-old 3-3-3 event. He started sports stacking in kindergarten. He practices everyday for at least two to three hours. Though tiring, he says he loves the challenge.

Yen Cheng-yu
Sport stacking champion
When I was in kindergarten, I saw videos of stacking on the internet. I saw that everyone was fast, so I wanted to be like them. Since then, I have practiced every day. I practice for two to three hours a day nonstop. It is tedious to have to correct mistakes all the time, but it is helpful when competing.

This is Chen Bo-yu, the world record holder for the women’s 15-16-year-old cycle event. She picked up sports stacking in third grade after hearing about it at a club at school. She practices at least an hour a day.

Chen Bo-yu
Sport stacking athlete
I started sports stacking in third grade after learning about it at a club. I started practicing and got a sense of accomplishment during the practice process. That is what makes me continue playing the sport. When I’m not so busy with schoolwork, I practice for at least one hour a day. During practice and competitions, you can constantly improve yourself, your speed, or your psychological growth.

The World Sport Stacking Association Taiwan was launched in 2010 to help promote the sport in Taiwan. Since then, they have successfully incorporated sport stacking at local schools and held numerous tournaments around Taiwan.

Amy Chu
World Sport Stacking Association Taiwan chair
To be able to hold regular physical competitions here is very good for the players. Because we have been promoting the sport for many years, we have some sport stacking courses in schools, and we also regularly hold training camps every month. We also participate in international competition every year and hold competitions in Taiwan on a regular basis. On average, we organize more than 20 games a year in Taiwan.

According to the WSSA, the international governing body for sport stacking, the sport is now in over 47,000 school and club programs in 54 countries worldwide.

Larry Goers
WSSA CEO
The World Sports Stacking Association, the WSSA, our goal is simple. We want to get kids doing sports, and especially kids who don’t necessarily do conventional sports. The fastest stackers in the world are kids who don’t do other sports necessarily, but this is their thing. It resonates with them and they are just awesome and fantastic. We are a super inclusive sport. Boys and girls compete equally and kids from all over the world, doesn’t matter what country you are from we are doing it everywhere.

Taiwan hopes to continue to promote the sport and train more outstanding athletes to shine on the international stage.