You just can’t top this
Two BYU-I students excel at a not-so-average pastime: cup-stacking
- posted: 04 Dec. 2007
- scrollarts@byui.edu
The clock is running, sweat is dripping, and — cups are stacking? Two BYU-Idaho students have excelled in a hobby that literally raises the bar — or the cups.
Cup-stacking is a pastime that Stephanie Wright, a junior studying health education, and Skyler Ostler, a freshman studying mechanical engineering, dedicate quite a bit of time and practice to. Their hard work has paid off because they are not only nationally ranked, but world champions.
Wright was introduced to the sport in high school. She played it after her dance class because she was bored and eventually got hooked.
“I really got into it because I got hurt and couldn’t play basketball or dance anymore; it’s really addictive,” Wright said.
Wright stacked cups in a competition in the doubles category with Ostler. For both students, this activity has become a fun hobby as well as a competitive sport.
The two received second place in their division and fifth place overall in the competition they participated in in Denver, Colo. Wright said that the whole point is to stack 12 cups in three different formations as quickly as possible.
“The hardest part is calming your nerves; it takes self-control and good hand-eye coordination,” Ostler said.
Both students have taken part in many competitions but also enjoy performing for live audiences.
Besides performing and competing, Ostler and Wright have accomplished much more from cup-stacking. Ostler was able to participate in a commercial that advertised glow-in-the-dark cups.
“It’s more than just stacking cups for us,” Wright said. “It has brought a lot of good opportunities, and we’ve been able to work with different businesses.”
Ostler and Wright said that other fun experiences they have gained from cup-stacking include being able to share their talent with others.
“It’s a good icebreaker because the sport is so unique. Sometimes people even refer to me as the ‘cup kid,’” Ostler said. 
