MIAMI, Okla. (AP) -- There is a new sport taking Miami by storm and Washington Elementary School teacher, Mary Kay McCoy, said she has never seen anything like it.

It started early in the school year when newcomer Robbie Robinson joined the ranks of Washington fifth-grade students and shared his cup-stacking hobby with McCoy.

"Robbie very politely asked me if he could show me sport stacking," McCoy said.

"I had no idea what it was, but when he showed me, it was the most incredible thing I had ever seen ... I was dumbfounded."

Sport stacking is stacking specially-designed plastic cups called Speed Stacks at a high rate of speed.

Robinson demonstrated for McCoy his ability to upstack and downstack 12 plastic cups in a series of patterns, about 50 individual movements in a matter of seconds.

"I was hooked," McCoy said.

McCoy's enthusiasm prompted Robinson to contact Speed Stacks Inc. founder Bob Fox, who immediately shipped out a complimentary set of cups and an instructional video to McCoy.

Robinson's parents provided 30 sets of Speed Stacks for the school.

McCoy has since implemented the sport into the curriculum in her T-1 through fifth-grade classes.

"The kids absolutely love it," McCoy said.

"When you walk through the halls you see cup pouches hanging from backpacks, on belt loops ... they are everywhere. Kids are even making their own."

McCoy says the task utilizes both sides of the brain, enhances coordination, promotes dexterity in both hands, strengthens sequencing skills and boosts self esteem.

McCoy said those basic skills build solid foundations for excellence in athletics, music and academics.

Serious stackers stack against a stop watch, but McCoy said she is not pushing competitive stacking.

"Stacking is something that every student can do," McCoy said. "My special education students can do this. It is a sport they can be successful in and they are loving it."

McCoy said she starts small, helping her youngest students to stack and unstack only three cups and is gradually building their skills until they can complete full routines.

As for Robinson, he has made quite a name for himself. The speed stacker continues to perfect his stacking skills as he works to achieve a qualifying time to compete at the 2002 Rocky Mountain Cup Stacking Championships in Colorado Springs, Colo.

"I love it," Robinson said.

He said he competes first with himself, always trying to beat his own best time.

But, there is a part of the youngster that wants to beat the world record time of 8.35 seconds.

"You have no idea how fast that is until you see it," he said."

www.speedstacks.com

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