What used to be a regular sight almost everywhere, at places like college campuses and backyard barbecues, had slowly declined in popularity until recently. The fun and simple game of Hacky Sack has made a comeback. All that is needed is about a $10 footbag and enough room to stand in a circle with friends to play. With the game being this accessible, it is gaining millions of views at colleges and high schools.

Here at LSHS, Hacky sacking has been hard to miss, especially with summer right around the corner. On warm, sunny days, students gather to create Hacky Sack circles outside during lunch. A handful of student-athletes are making their own circles during downtime, and the most devoted students have started to play in classrooms when permitted.

As the trend grows, many people have been eager to join and look to work on their skills. Toe-ups, inside kicks and stalls are some of the few moves that are used the most. Players stand in a circle, and with a combination of these tricks, they try to keep the Hacky Sack in the air for as long as possible while only kicking. The goal is simple, but mastering control can be difficult. Because students are eager to participate, starting a circle is super easy to form almost anywhere, even with beginners joining for the first time.

“If you hacky sack, a bunch of random people will come to you. It’s like people you never met, you know?” senior Jonas Wright said.

Social media has played a major role in Hacky Sack’s resurgence. While the game itself is far from new, platforms like TikTok and Instagram have made it known to a younger audience in a new way. Videos of long rallies, creative tricks, and colorful footbags have helped a once-forgotten game become a summertime trend again, with an overwhelming number of people eager to join.

Online stores like worldfootbag.com are being fully cleaned out of stock, and many are currently down for maintenance, including worldfootbag. So many people have visited the site looking to purchase some footbags. The website ultimately couldn’t handle the number of viewers and shut down, showing how quickly the trend has spread online.

Ironically, some of the athletes on the sports teams, where kicking is the least important, are among the most dedicated players found exercising their hacky skills. Baseball and Softball players at LSHS have been known to create sacking circles before the revival of the trend. But as of recently, LSHS Track and Field athletes have joined the rave. These teams can be found hacky-sacking before games, before meets, and even after meets.

“We play before practice, sometimes after practice, and sometimes during practice. Whenever we get some time,” senior Kellen Johnson said.

The big question now is whether Hacky Sack will remain popular like it was before. Trends often come and go quickly, making it difficult to tell which ones will last and which will disappear once a new trend comes along.

“I think once you get into it more and you become better, you’re going to want to improve, and I think it’s just something that’s going to be around for a while,” senior Caiden Bernstein said.

Whether someone is a highly skilled player or a novice, the game creates an easy opportunity for people to join and spend time together outside of class. In a school environment where students are often busy with academics and sports, Hacky Sack offers a simple break.