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If you have information you would like to contribute to this FAQ, by all
means write us at info@footbag.org.
We hope to have more information here over time, so check back. Changes
will be mentioned on the What's New page.
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- 1. Where did footbag come from?
- 2. What are the main footbag sports in a nutshell?
- 3. How do I learn how to play?
-
- 1. What are the current footbag records?
- 2. What makes a footbag record "official"? Who sanctions them and how do
I go about having my attempt recognized?
- 3. Are footbag records really listed in the Guinness Book?
-
- 1. What is this "freestyle" I keep hearing about? Is it the same as
just standing around in a circle kicking a footbag?
- 2. So I know about "Jester", but are there names for other tricks, and
what are some of them?
- 3. Okay, so you have a move list on-line, but can I really learn to play
freestyle footbag using a computer?
- 4. What is the difference between "footbag" and "Hacky Sack"?
- 5. Do I really need special shoes to play freestyle?
- 6. I just bought a pair of adidas ® Rod Laver tennis shoes -- how
do I lace and modify them for freestyle?
- 7. How can I make my own footbag?
- 8. Where can I buy a good footbag, and which kind do I get?
- 9. How do I break in my new footbag?
A. GENERAL
1. Where did footbag come from?
Footbag is a modern American version of an ancient sport played in Asia and in North America.
In 1972, John Stalberger met Mike Marshall, who had been playing around with a Native
American game which involved kicking a small, soft object. John had recently had knee surgery and
was looking for a way to work on his flexibility, and he instantly took to the game and
become good friends with Marshall. They called the game, "hacking the sack."
Stalberger and Marshall soon became enthralled with the game, which Marshall had
been hoping to promote with the general public. The two designed a product, which they
trademarked the "Hacky Sack", and began marketing it under the KennCorp label.
Tragically, Mike Marshall died of a heart attack at only 28 years of age just as
the product (and the sport) were taking off. Stalberger,
determined to realize Marshall's vision of footbag as a sport, continued to promote the
product and the game. He formed the National Hacky Sack Association along with the help
of many others, and created an alliance with Klutz Press to market a book on Hacky Sack. He
ultimately sold the rights to the Hacky Sack to Kransco, which was later sold to Wham-O.
In the years following the creation of the Hacky Sack product, many footbag enthusiasts
began sprouting up around the world, and a sport was born. Following the model of a relatively
new Asian sport called Takraw, players began volleying a footbag over a 5-foot-high net (on
a Badminton court) and "footbag net" became an attractive alternative sport. Freestyle footbag
(where players stand in a circle, do tricks with the footbag, and pass it around the circle)
has become the most popular form of the game, because of its cooperative nature. Advanced
freestylers choreograph routines to music, much like rhythmic gymnastics or figure skating.
Footbag sports now have a rules body which governs the various aspects of competitive footbag
play: the International Footbag Advisory Board. For
more information on organized footbag, see the Official
Rules of Footbag Sports.
2. What are the main footbag sports in a nutshell?
Read the Sport of Footbag Overview page on this service.
3. How do I learn how to play?
If you want to learn to play freestyle, you should do the following (we know all are not possible, but do your best!):
- read the freestyle FAQ below;
- study the on-line move list -- over time we
will be adding more instruction, along with video showing how to hit moves, to that list;
- get a footbag designed for freestyle (see the footbag guide);
- buy a copy of Tricks of
the Trade, an instructional videotape available from the
WFA;
- get a pair of Rod Laver tennis shoes (perfectly suited to this sport -- most good players wear them);
- find the club nearest you and see if there are any
advanced freestylers who can teach you;
- go to as many events as you can;
- join the freestyle@footbag.org e-mail list; and
- skool hard!
If you want to learn to play net, here are some ideas:
- get a footbag designed for net (see the footbag net section);
- use a good pair of running or cross-training shoes (but be sure they have flat insides, i.e., no gap or gnobbies in the "sweet spot")
- find the club nearest you and see if they have
a regular pick-up net game;
- get a footbag net set;
- go to as many events as you can;
- join the footbag@footbag.org e-mail list;
- drill those basic kicks, preferably with a friend; and finally,
- convince us to write the footbag net training guide!
1. What are the current footbag records?
See our WORLD RECORDS page for a list of current world
records involving footbag consecutives.
2. What makes a footbag record "official"? Who sanctions them and how do
I go about having my attempt recognized?
All world records in footbag are
made official by the World Footbag Association,
which sanctions official attempts. If you're going to try for a record,
you have to follow the WFA's sanctioning guidelines, setting up the
event well in advance and following the official IFAB Rules.
Contact WFA for more information.
3. Are footbag records really listed in the Guinness Book?
Yes. The official world records in footbag have been listed
in the Guinness Book of World Records for quite a few years. While
the term "footbag" still does not appear in a dictionary or encyclopedia, at least
Guinness recognizes it!
C. FREESTYLE
1. What is this "freestyle" I keep hearing about? Is it the same as
just standing around in a circle kicking a footbag?
Yes, basically, "freestyle footbag" is just another name for the sport that has
evolved from "hacking" in a circle. The game of kicking a footbag around
a circle is still the single most dominant form of the game in the world.
In freestyle competitions,
players choreograph routines to music, alone or in pairs, executing difficult moves
in synch with the music--the result is something like a cross between
rhythmic gymnastics and figure skating.
The distinction between "freestyle" and "hacking" is in the eye of the
beholder. Almost all advanced freestylers practice and play
in a circle, with the same rules everyone is familiar with: (a) courtesy
tosses to start the rally, (b) no hands, (c) trying to make sure the footbag gets passed
to every player in the circle. (Advanced players tend to always pass the
footbag in a specific direction to players around the circle so that they
don't skip anyone, although even in circles of top players, this is not
always possible.)
All traditional footbag "hack" circles are freestyle circles, as players
not only kick the bag, but attempt to do "tricks" or FREESTYLE MOVES
with the footbag while they have it.
As you might expect, there is not just one school of thought about footbag
freestyle. For an alternative perspective, see
"Bloughchitm --
A Renaissance of Modern Movement" by Steve
Blough.
2. So I know about "Jester", but are there names for other tricks, and
what are some of them?
Actually, "Jester" is the street name for "Flying Clipper",
as it is called in the advanced freestyle community. Advanced freestylers
don't really use the term "Jester", which seems to have
been created and popularized by an early video game called "California Games",
which contained a basic footbag game.
Obviously, players couldn't get very far if they didn't come up with a
way of naming the moves in freestyle. The rules for the judging system in
competitive freestyle are complicated, and based on the components that
go into executing a particular move. So if there weren't a way to identify
each move by name, rules, analysis, judging, and instruction would be
even more difficult.
So, what are some moves? Our friends in New Zealand have tried to put together a list along with
detailed descriptions of how to execute them for certain specific moves
that we think are important for learning other moves. This FREESTYLE
MOVES LIST is a changing, "living" document, incorporating many of the
more common freestyle moves agreed-upon by many of the top players.
They are organized in rough order of difficulty as is described in the
list itself. Please don't treat this list as "official" -- it is certainly
full of holes and most likely contains mistakes as there is a lot of
information in the list. The beginner would do well to focus on the
first ten or twelve tricks and, after mastering them, return to see if
the list has changed before continuing.
3. Okay, so you have a move list on-line, but can I really learn to play
freestyle footbag using a computer?
No. While the Internet helps us spread the word and disseminate
basic information about the sport, the best way to
learn is to be taught by other people. There is no substitute for
a good teacher. One good way to start is to get the instructional
video, "Tricks
of the Trade", by the master himself, Kenny Shults. It's available
at a reasonable price from the World
Footbag Association. (Note: it's available for both the North American
TV system and the European (PAL) system -- if you live outside the U.S.,
be sure to specify that you want the PAL version.)
Another great way to learn is to get involved in the local organized footbag
scene (if there is one), and/or to go to a footbag event (such as a
tournament or festival). There is an on-line
footbag event list at http://www.footbag.org/events,
an on-line list of footbag clubs around the world
at http://www.footbag.org/clubs.
In addition, subscriptions to Footbag
World Magazine are very affordable, and the magazine contains an
abundance of news about upcoming footbag events.
However, there are a few on-line "how-to" pages that make a stab at explaining how to
do everything from basic kicks to complex freestyle moves. Some are illustrated
and aimed at the very beginner. Here is a list of pages we've come across so far (with
no guarantee as to their utility or correctness):
- Hackman's Page, published
by Wes Ratcliff;
- Footbag
Move Guide by Pat
Holder <NukPruuf@aol.com>;
- Kicking Tips and Instructions published by
The FEAT footbag club (including an on-line version of
the illustrated kicking manual put out by the World Footbag
Association; and
- The Freestyle Move List discussed above.
4. What is the difference between "footbag" and "Hacky Sack"?
Footbag is the name of the sport about which this entire website is devoted. You can
find a quick overview of the sport by looking at the Sport of Footbag page.
"Hacky Sack" is actually a trademark of Wham-O, Inc. Though most people refer to
the somewhat casual game of kicking a footbag in a circle as "hacking" or "hacky-sacking",
this is a misnomer. Most advanced footbag players call it either "circle-kicking" or
"freestyle footbag".
5. Do I really need special shoes to play freestyle?
Absolutely. The shoes you wear (and the support and surfaces they provide you) are just
as important as the type of footbag you play with. If you don't have the right equipment
in any sport, you can become frustrated very quickly.
There is little controversy among advanced freestyle players with respect to shoes. Almost
every player agrees that, at present, the best-suited shoe for freestyle footbag is the adidas
® Rod Laver nylon-mesh tennis shoe. The reason it's so good is that the sole is thick
and good for absorbing shock, the inside surface (for inside delays, clipper delays, etc.) is
flat, and the shoe has an "open toe" design, making a nice flat area with no obstructions for
stalling the footbag on your toe (after you modify them -- see below).
This recommendation is valid for every level of player; even the first-timer will find
this shoe remarkable for playing footbag, especially after they are modified and laced properly.
6. I just bought a pair of adidas ® Rod Laver tennis shoes -- how
do I lace and modify them for freestyle?
We have compiled (with the help of Jeffrey Komar)
a Guide to Lacing and Modifying the Rod Laver Shoe for Freestyle Footbag.
We recommend you read this by clicking here.
7. How can I make my own footbag?
It's all about patterns -- there is an on-line
Footbag Pattern FAQ compiled by Eric
Tiffany.
8. Where can I buy a good footbag, and which kind do I get?
This is probably the most common question we get. Unfortunately, the answers are not simple -- this is
one of the reasons this service was created. There are many different kinds of footbags and they
are made of different types of materials, sewn (or otherwise constructed) in various ways, and
filled with various types of filling; and not a lot of stores carry a wide variety of
footbags.
Which footbag you buy depends a lot on what you want to do with it (i.e., play
freestyle, net, golf, or just kick it), what you're used to, what kind of shoes you wear, and on,
and on. The best thing we can tell you is to look at a large variety before buying, and to read
our on-line Footbag Guide before purchasing a bag.
Where to buy a footbag is still unfortunately hard to answer. Many sporting goods stores
(especially the larger chains) carry the well-known brands of footbags (such as the
Hacky Sack and Sipa Sipa products), and the new Adidas footbag is starting to show up in
many places. However, the best place to find a wide variety of footbags is still through
mail-order. See our on-line Footbag Guide for more information
on some of the more prominent footbag retailers we're aware of.
9. How do I break in my new footbag?
The answer to this question depends on which type of footbag you bought. We have not
tested a lot of different brands, but, in general, the best way to break in a footbag
is to knead it in your hands and kick with it a lot until it becomes softer and easier
to control. It seems to be a general rule of thumb that footbags have a specific life-span;
during their early days they are usually too hard and "fiery"; as they grow into maturity
they become "perfect"; and then, eventually, they die of old age (they either get a hole
in them and lose their filling, or just become unplayable for some other reason). Patience
is a virtue with a new bag.
For bags made of "facile" (a type of synthetic material common for many freestyle footbags),
it's advisable to treat them gently, knead them in your hands, and wash them a couple of times
with mild non-abrasive soap (don't wring them too hard or you'll stretch the fabric) in
tepid or cold water. Usually this will make them much more "stallable" if that's what you
are looking for. [For more information on washing, see
How to
wash your footbag on the Penn
Footbag page.]
We do not recommend the procedure we've heard about of people parking their cars on
their footbags to break them in. This generally damages the footbags. Instead, we recommend
that you not buy a footbag that is so hard you'd be compelled to want to try such a thing in the
first place. Most footbags sold today are soft and playable right out of the package.
For more information, see the Penn
Footbag FAQ.
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