If you hear the sounds of plastic cups slapping table tops as children stack them into pyramids – first constructing them, them collapsing them, one cup inside the other, as fast as humanly possible – then you are witnessing a game which is taking Malta by the proverbial storm: stacking.

Currently, a group of Maltese children are preparing to take part in the World Sport Stacking Championships being held in Germany between today and Sunday.

Stackers in the age six and under category include Daniel Mercieca, Ismael Borg, Gabriel Borg, and Jason Burke. Stackers aged seven and eight include Jordan Muscat, Gianluca Bonavia and Aiden Grech while the 9 to 10 category include Aaron Cassar, Thomas Mercieca, Timmy Mercieca, Morgan Jo Galea and Luca Mercieca Hounsell.

There is only one stacker aged 12: Sean Burke. All Maltese stackers are taking part in the individual events for their respective age groups and also in the doubles and relay events. Additionally, five parents will compete with their son in the Parent and Child Doubles event.

“Sport stacking is a hand-eye coordination and fitness activity involving the use of 12 specially designed plastic cups that need to be assembled in specific pyramid patterns in the fastest possible time using special timing equipment,” Marina Bonello, head coach of Sport Stacking Malta, says.

“Stackers race against the clock stacking and down-stacking the cups in the patterns called 3-3-3, 3-6-3 and the cycle. Stacking can be done as individuals, with partners or in a relay team of four individuals.”

The sport originated in the early 1980s in southern California and was invented by Wayne Godinet. The sport really took off when it aired on national television in the 1990s, on a segment of the Tonight Show. That was where it first captured the attention of Bob Fox, who was an elementary teacher in Colorado.

Fox added to the original idea and developed the sport further with new cup stacking formations and forms of competition. He went on to form the annual World Sport Stacking Championships and founded Speed Stacks, special training cups, which are made of metal and are heavier than ordinary plastic cups. This makes the regular cups feel lighter during competition.

Tournaments are governed by the World Sport Stacking Association (WSSA). In 2004, WSSA changed the name of the game from Cup Stacking to Sport Stacking in an attempt to gain credibility and identification as a legitimate competitive sport.

Sport stacking is a hand-eye coordination and fitness activity involving the use of 12 specially designed plastic cups

Most Sport Stacking competitions are designed for children aged 12 and under, however, all ages are encouraged to participate.

“Sport Stacking in Malta started off at St Aloysius College Primary School in January 2014 as a break activity on rainy days when the children could not go out to play in the yard,” Dr Bonello says.

“Stacking fever captured the interest and imagination of so many children that April 2015 saw the setting up of the very first school Stack Fest tournament. The St Aloysius College School community also took part in Stack Up! Day in November 2014 and 2015.

“This annual event organised by the WSSA aims to set a new Guinness World Record for ‘Most People Sport Stacking at Multiple Locations in One Day’. Thanks to the 618,394 stackers from the 31 countries who took part, on November 12, 2015 – for the 10th year in a row – the WSSA Stack Up! set a new record,” says Dr Bonello.

The main benefits of sport stacking are that it helps develop gross and fine motor skills, fitness, ambidexterity, hand-eye coordination, focus, problem solving skills, team building skills and improved self-esteem.

More recently, stacking has evolved beyond the traditional tournament dimension to include two additional sequences in which one can play using the cups.

There’s also a creative dimension to the sport, since it brings children together to problem solve how to build towers and more with their cups.

The fitness dimension utilises the stacking cups as a means to extend children’s fitness development through the playing of aerobic games and muscular fitness activities, such as performing push-ups while staking cups.

The use of the plastic cups has brought on a great motivational component into traditional fitness exercises.

One of the great things about this sport is that you can play it anywhere as long as you have a flat surface. Cups come in various sizes, minis, standard and jumbo and can be used to stack in varying configurations.

So take the plunge and start stacking.

For those interested, further information can be obtained by sending an e-mail to: sportstackingmalta@gmail.com or view the association’s facebook page at: www.facebook.com/groups/sportstackingmalta

Parents whose children practise sport stacking, gave these comments about the benefits of this sport

Audrey Galea

“Sport stacking is a super fun activity for children and adults alike. It is easy enough to learn the sequences but progressive enough to reap the benefits of improving your performance over time just like other sports.

“I think it is a valuable sport as it helps improve hand-eye coordination, sharpens a child’s reflexes and their focus, not only during practice, but also while doing other things.

“There is a competitive element in it too which, when channelled correctly, can be a healthy component and a constant driving force towards self improvement.

“I have seen great benefits: from a newfound enthusiasm for this and also other sports in general to my son’s overall improvement in his academic records, possibly due to sharper focusing skills. I definitely recommend this sport. It gives us some priceless moments during parent-child activities: One of the best bonding experiences with my child at this tricky age.”

Romina Muscat

“Sport stacking brings our family together, where we can compete against each other during our free time. My son loves it because its a race against the clock, so he is always eager to try and beat his best time.

“It is so beneficial because it involves eye and hand coordination which keeps him focused on what he is doing. Apart from keeping him away from his pc and tablet, it helps him to keep focused during other sports and during his work at school.

“I would surely recommend this sport to other parents because it helps children interact with each other, builds up their self confidence and for some time keeps them away from gadgets.”

James Bonavia

“Stacking is definitely a great way to improve concentration time and coordination. The sport is a fun, relatively easy and a non-expensive way to occupy a child’s free time that is usually spent on tablets and TVs.

“The joy and ambition of achieving new records is irreplaceable. Stacking can be done indoors and outdoors, by people of all abilities and ages. It does not require any big investment or commitment.

“It can be practised on wintery, rainy days and can occupy the children easily when they seem frustrated indoors.

“Stacking demands dedication and commitment as all sport does, and therefore requires self-discipline.”