![2nd grade student with medals for successful sport stacking]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1533671612/smsdorg/zdwqmnn9jtjvw62puiot/Stack2.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1533671612/smsdorg/zdwqmnn9jtjvw62puiot/Stack2.jpg","width":400}])
Rutva Solanki will begin second grade at Trailwood as a Junior Olympic Stacking medalist. Solanki is a member of the Trailwood Stacking Club and learned to stack in physical education classes.
Solanki placed second this summer at the World Sport Stacking Association Junior Olympics in his age division.
“This is definitely a unique and well-earned recognition,” Kathy Zink, PE teacher said.
Speed stacking involves stacking 9 or 12 specially designed cups in pre-determined sequences. Players compete against the clock or another player. The sport is included in the elementary PE curriculum and can be played as an individual or team sport.
Solanki participated in the Shawnee Mission districtwide tournament and advanced to participate in the Central Region Tournament in Wichita last May. This was a sanctioned tournament that follows protocol established by the World Sport Stacking Association (WSSA). If a competitor qualifies for the finals in a sanctioned tournament, he or she receives an invitation to the Junior Olympics. Solanki’s family accepted the invitation and signed him up for the Junior Olympics hosted in Des Moines in July.
To qualify for finals, a competitor needs to be in the top 10 of each competition stack from the preliminary stacking rounds. Solanki was awarded the following medals, in addition to his second-place medal:
4th place in 3-3-3 stack with time of 4.093 seconds
4th place in 3-6-3 stack with a time of 5.601 seconds
2nd place in Cycle stack with a time of 15.823 seconds
