Hacky sack, sometimes known as footbag, has been quoted by the Los Angeles Times as being “the athletic equivalent to listening to the grateful dead.” It’s a game popularized in the 1970’s by a man, Mike Marshall, that resonated with hippie’s all around the world.
Marshall learned of the game from a fellow inmate during his imprisonment at a military brig. During this time he and another inmate would use a small bean bag that they would pass back and forth without touching the ground, the only rules being players couldn’t use their hands or arms to do so.
After his imprisonment Marshall and his friend John Stalberger would go into business making footbags under the name of “Hacky Sack” where the term originated and ultimately took off.
Hacky Sack’s popularity peaked in the 80s and 90s. It’s most likely a game our parents played as kids. Many factors can be attributed to the fall of Hacky Sack, but the rise of screen time can likely be a culprit to the decline of many things we enjoyed in the past.
“My first memory of Hacky Sack is probably when I was around 7 or 8 playing with my brother on the beach, I had no idea what I was doing but it was fun!” says senior Grayson Dean.
Hacky Sack lives on at LSHS. During B lunch Grayson and his buddies play Hacky Sack almost everyday. Numerous students have started keeping Hacky Sacks in their backpacks and playing whenever possible.
“Hacky Sack is always a good time, it’s even better if your friends are really competitive,” says Senior Gabriel Loayza.
Hacky Sack isn’t just a means of being social either, it has been used for physical therapy purposes for years. Many sports teams have adopted the Hacky Sack as a warm up exercise due to its natural ability of increasing hip mobility and coordination.
Next time you see a Hacky Sack circle consider giving it a try, you might just make some new friends.
