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ROCKFORD — The idea of stacking cups as a sport is a bit of a head-scratcher for some. Others, like Daniel Gezzi of Harvard, think sport stacking is a great way to challenge yourself and have a lot of fun.

The 38-year-old pastor of Yahweh Christian Church in Harvard wanted to provide area youths with a good way to spend their time.

“We have no Boys and Girls Club, and we have no community center,” Gezzi said. “The kids needed something to do.”

Gezzi learned about sport stacking while at IFEST 2005, an international festival of Christian puppetry and ventriloquism. While at the festival he noticed some kids sport stacking and got the idea to introduce it into his church. But before he could get the kids in his community to start stacking he had to answer one questions, many times.

What exactly IS sport stacking?

Sport stacking is a competitive individual or team sport where participants stack and unstack 12 specifically designed plastic cups in predetermined sequences. Competitors are given a sequence and do their best to stack the cups in that pattern as quickly as possible.

Sport stacking has proved to be beneficial in improving hand-eye coordination, ambidexterity, quickness and concentration.

“I’ve noticed how much more control I have of everything I touch, no matter if I’m using my right hand or left,” Gezzi said.

Sport stacking has been around since the early 1980s but has been building a stronger following lately thanks in part to Bob Fox, the founder of Speed Stacks Inc., which has been promoting the sport since 1998. Roger Washburn, president of Speed Stacks, gave Gezzi a big hand in starting his own league, the Harvard Sport Stackers League.

“I told him what my goals were and what kind of program I wanted to start, and he donated almost everything,” Gezzi said.

The average American may not have heard of sport stacking yet, but its populariy is growing. There are now more than 10,500 schools that have a Speed Stacks program. There is also an official World Sport Stacking Association and a world record holder.

The recordholder, Fox’s daughter Emily, completed the cycle sequence in 7.43 seconds. When you watch video of her performance, which you can at www.speedstacks.com/teachers/index.htm, it looks almost unreal.

Fox’s record-setting performance shows that sport stacking can be exciting and competitive, but Gezzi says that setting world-record speeds isn’t what has to drive you to take up the sport.

“It depends on the person and their own ambition,” he said. “The best thing about it is that you’re competing against yourself to beat your own time.”

So far, Gezzi’s time in the cycle is a 14.08, and he’s got league members nipping at his heels for the best time.

“I think it is really fun and a good sport for after school. I’ll beat him (Gezzi) soon,” Julie Brain, 14, said. She’s one of the Harvard Sport Stackers League’s initial members along with her brother Chris, 12, and Daniel’s daughter, Destini, 5.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Chris said. “I never knew it was a sport until he taught us.”

Gezzi’s goal is to introduce sport stacking to the community and give area youths a new activity to be involved in.

The Harvard Sport Stackers League will be introducing and demonstrating members’ abilities at noon Feb. 11 at the Diggins Delos Public Library, 900 E. McKinley St., Harvard. Anyone interested in joining the league or learning more about sport stacking can go.

“We’re not doing it not just to put on a good show, but because we just have the heart for it, and we want to show it’s an awesome sport,” Gezzi said.

Q&A with Daniel Gezzi

* What is the last good book you read? “Praying with Confidence,” a booklet put out by RBC Ministries in Grand Rapids, Mich.

* What is your favorite movie? “The Passion of the Christ.”

* What is in your CD player right now? Sights and Sounds, a choir-orchestra that does praise and worship music.

* What is something you’ve always wanted to do? I’ve always wanted to tour the United States.

* Favorite saying: You ask anybody and they’ll tell you my favorite saying is, “Say what you mean and mean what you say.”

* Who are your role models? Honestly, I look to God to be my role model.

* What is the most daring thing you’ve ever done? Be a father.

* If you were to win the lottery, what would you do with the money? Build a huge church. I’ve always wanted to have a nice big church that could have a big gymnasium in it.

* If a movie was made about your life, who would play you? John Goodman (friends say Steve Baldwin).

* Your motto in life: Be fair and be true to yourself.

* My life is ... challenging because I am a pastor and missionary, and I think God tests me and challenges me to succeed.

www.speedstacks.com

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