History
Games requiring the player to keep a small object off the ground
without using the hands and arms have been played in China, Japan,
and by some Native Americans for centuries. But it wasn’t until the
1980s that a similar game using something akin to a beanbag became
popular all across America.
The game, called “Hacky Sack” or “footbag”, began in a military jail
where a Native American taught fellow prisoner, Mike Marshall (who
was in for being AWOL) about the game. Marshall later taught the
game to John Stalberger as a way to help him recover from a knee
injury.
The two friends referred to the what they were doing as “hacking a
sack” and found that it helped Stalberger regain strength and agility
and, most of all, it was lots of fun. That was all it took to set these two
on a mission to introduce this sport to America; A task that was made
much easier when Wham-O bought the rights in 1983 and sales of
Hacky Sacks skyrocketed.
During the 80s and 90s, Hacky Sacks could be found bouncing off the
feet of young people at high school playgrounds, college campuses,
and just about anywhere else there was a bit of open space and a few
friends. However, after that came a decline in interest that lasted until
quite recently. Today, many Gen Z and other young Americans are
seeking the kind of recreation that requires little equipment, is
physical, and brings people together without the use of a computer.
Hacky Sacks fit the bill to a T.
The Hacky Sack (aka Footbag)
The outer shell of Hacky Sacks are usually tangerine-sized spheres
made of crocheted cotton yarn or synthetic suede. These spheres are
filled with sand (called dirt bags), plastic or metal pellets, uncooked
beans, and numerous other fillings that can give players the amount
of bounce they want. Crocheted balls are low cost and easiest on the
feet of barefoot players while synthetic suede sticks to the shoe
making it easier to catch (stall) the ball on your foot.
The Games
Circle kicking: This is the game most people think of when talking
about Hacky Sacks. The participants stand in a circle, and one of
them tosses the Hacky Sack to the chest of another player. That
player drops the bag to his or her leg or foot and then proceeds to
pass it to another player, who in turn, passes it to the next player.
If the Hacky Sack hits the ground, the player who dropped it picks it
up and tosses it to the chest of another player to start the game again.
Freestyle Footbag: This is a more individual sport where each player
demonstrates a sequence of their best acrobatic tricks. There are over
300 freestyle footbag moves, some with exotic names like the Pixie,
Smudge, Bubba, and Scorpion Tail. A complete list and description of
these moves can be found at Footbag Worldwide’s website.
Net Footbag: This game is very similar to volleyball, but only the feet
can be used to pass the footbag or hit it over the net. This amazingly
athletic game is usually played to 11 or 15 points, but the players must
win by two points.
There are several other games that can be played with a Hacky Sack
including one that counts the number of consecutive times an
individual can kick a footbag in the air and keep it from touching the
ground. The record was set in 1997 by Ted Martin who kicked his
Hacky Sack 63,326 times in 8 hours, 50 minutes, 42 seconds. Are you
up for the challenge? ��
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