If you hear the sounds of steady thumping around campus, do not fear … it may just be a student escorting themself to class on a pogo stick. Cornell Pogo Club is not just any club: It is the “world’s only college Extreme Pogo Sticking Club.” Founded during the Fall 2025 semester, the organization is led by Anmo Li ’28.
Li is not just any pogoer, as he is ranked 10th in the world for pogo sticking. He recalled getting into the sport after watching a guy jump and land on a roof. With a dream and sheer will, Li got to work. He not only practiced jumping around on the pavement, but also studied the mechanics and outlined potential designs of a pogo stick’s internal components. He would share videos of his pogo sticking progress through a YouTube account he created called, “vurtego flybar.” However, the online community was relatively small, making it difficult to learn from others. Because of this, Li dreamed of expanding this unknown sport and seeing others jump around him.
Coming to Cornell, he was offered that opportunity. The large campus allowed him to interact with various students, as he would jump around random areas to garner interest. Gradually, people started to notice him. They would post him on social media asking, “Who is this guy jumping around?” Seeing growing engagement, Li sought to foster a community where he could teach others how to pogo stick.
With this goal in mind, he successfully established the Cornell Pogo Club with the help of Kay Lewis, the Assistant Dean of William Keeton House. As the club is fairly new, its main priority is spreading awareness of the sport and connecting with local students, including those at Ithaca High School and various elementary schools. Li stated, “When I was nine years old, I looked up to the other people who were good at pogo sticking, and I kind of want to switch into that role now and inspire other people around me.”
Cornell Pogo Club does more beyond simply jumping around campus; it also provides a space for students with various interests to get involved. For example, Li explained that the company that made his pogo stick stopped production on those models. He then reached out to work with student engineers so that they could design and produce something similar.
What really draws me in about the Cornell Pogo Club is how it emphasizes failure. Rather than discouraging failure, Li encourages it: “You have to learn how to fall. Pogo sticking is all about learning how to fall and get back up.” Throughout that process, there is always a community behind and in front to support and “catch” students. This was rather refreshing to hear because Cornell needs more spaces where students don’t have to strive for perfection or be ashamed of failure. Cornell Pogo Club embodies Cornell’s principle of “... any person … any study.” Individuals (like myself) who are afraid of heights or are unable to pogo stick can still get involved and experience growth within this community.
In terms of the future of Cornell Pogo Club, Li emphasized the importance of maintaining a collaborative environment. He wants to pursue collaborations with other clubs, like the one they had with the Unicycle Club. Together, they provided an outlet for their members to meet and form relationships with one another. Li also stated, “I would love to become the best known club at Cornell. Like, when people think about Cornell, they’re going to be like, oh, that’s the one with the pogo club, right? I want to be like that. I want to do more.”
Whether to learn more about the art of pogo sticking or to hear about Li’s story, there is no doubt that more students should join the Cornell Pogo Club. While offering an opportunity for students to explore niche interests, it also provides a space for personal growth.
Julia Choi is a freshman in the Brooks School of Public Policy. She can be reached at jc3767@cornell.edu.
