Groups:HOF/2003

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1 Footbag Hall of Fame: 2003 Inductees

Footbag Hall of Fame: 2003 Inductees

43. Eric Cole

Eric Cole

When did you see your first Footbag?
- In 1979, my brother Lance came up from Bisbee, Arizona talking about a cool new game called hacky sack. We didn’t know where to buy one so we started sewing our own. We both had experience sewing leather. We got hooked right off and when we started selling them the summer of 1980 at the Utah Arts Festival, we were definitely hooked on playing and making bags.
Your own personal comments and notes?
- Once I started selling bags and playing it consumed a lot of my time. My wife and I often took our young children to Mexico in the winters and I would sew bags down there– giving myself a certain quota for each day so I felt like I was working and making enough money to justify our months on the beach.
- I was always a better sewer than kicker, but I loved net and always was ready to play a game. We never had the caliber of kickers in Utah but for several years footbag was taught at the University of Utah by myself and Dutch Holland before me. I was involved with sponsoring many events in Utah and supporting numerous players at tournaments around the country as well as contributing to people traveling the world to introduce footbag and other non-competitive games to foreign countries. I raised my kids in the sport of footbag, going every summer to the Worlds. Those times and making the friendships I did, have been because footbag has been so incredibly rewarding. When my son, Dylan, grew into a very good net player we joined up as a team to compete at the intermediate level one season and traveled to several tournaments. That was a blast. We did pretty well winning a couple and placing second and third at several. My daughter Tia was always there at the tournaments making friends and cheering her dad and brother along. Hardly anyone else had kids back then, but now lots of the old crew have kids and I see them raising their kids in the kicking circle and that is great. It really is a circle — a community that is comprised of wonderful, warm and loving people.
Major achievements?
The sports future?
- I think footbag net and freestyle are great spectator events and I believe eventually they will get the spotlight to make them big time sports. I don’t know how long it will take but I know it will happen one day.

44. Jon Lind

Jon Lind

When did you see your first Footbag?
- Jon began playing footbag in 1979.
Your own personal comments and notes?
Major achievements?
- Footbag “Deca” designer. Freestyle innovator. 1984 WFA Tour Team Member. 1986 World Singles Freestyle Champion. 1988, 1991, 1993 World Team Freestyle Champion.

The sports future?

45. Jay Moldenhauer

Jay Moldenhauer

When did you see your first Footbag?
Your own personal comments and notes?
Major achievements?
- A Team Freestyle innovator. Inspirational Tour Team Player, Coach. Leading others to grow into World Champions. Tournament and event director/promoter of Xmas Jams for the worlds best freestylers. World Doubles Freestyle Champion: 1990, 1992, 1994.

The sports future?

46. Rick Reese

Rippin’ Rick Reese

When did you see your first Footbag?
Your own personal comments and notes?
Major achievements?
- A Legendary Freestyle innovator. Began tournament play in 1985. Winning 1st of 7 World Championships 1987. World singles Freestyle Champion: 1988, World Doubles Freestyle Champion: 1987, ’89, ’96, ’98, 2000, AND 2001. Original 7 founding member of Freestyle’s “Big Add Posse”

The sports future?

47. Peter Shunny

Peter Shunny

When did you see your first Footbag?
- Peter began playing footbag in 1983.
Your own personal comments and notes?
Major achievements?
ï¿½ 2003 Footbag Hall of Fame Inductee

ï¿½ Former World record holder – Doubles Distance One Pass Footbag Consecutive ï¿½ Over 6,000 professional footbag programs ï¿½ World Footbag Championships staff member for eleven years ï¿½ International tours in Canada, Spain, Australia and Japan ï¿½ Founder of Mirage Footbag Club 1982, Albuquerque, New Mexico ï¿½ Founder/director of High Desert Footbag Classic tournament 1984-’85, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Competitive Results: ï¿½ 2007 World Singles Masters Footbag Net Champion ï¿½ 2007 World Doubles Masters Footbag Net Champion ï¿½ 2002 World Doubles Footbag Net Champion ï¿½ 2001 World Overall Champion ï¿½ 1997 World Overall Champion ï¿½ 1997 World Overall Masters Champion ï¿½ 1992 World Doubles Distance One Pass Footbag Consecutive Champion ï¿½ 1990 World Doubles Distance One Pass Footbag Consecutive Champion ï¿½ Ranked 2nd in World Overall standings in 1990,1992, and 1996 ï¿½ Ranked in top 8 World Overall standings since 1989. ï¿½ 1990 Rocky Mountain Team Footbag Freestyle Champion ï¿½ 1990 Rocky Mountain Doubles Footbag Net Champion ï¿½ 1990 Rocky Mountain Mixed Doubles Footbag Net Champion ï¿½ 1986 Tennessee Singles Footbag Net Champion ï¿½ 1983 WFA Nationals Singles Net Champion Division III

The sports future?

Endless possiblities!!!

48. Brenda Solonoski

Brenda Solonoski

When did you see your first Footbag?
- In 1984 in Hazleton, Pa., a friend of Joe (my husband now), Dave Pihota, showed him a Hacky Sack he had bought. Brenda saw her first Hacky Sack in February of 1985 when she met Joe on a racquetball court at a fitness Club in Hazleton. Joe was playing recreational tennis and Brenda was involved with photography at the time. They were immediately addicted.
Your own personal comments and notes?
Major achievements?
- Brenda began organized play in 1984 and became a WFA Certified Instructor. Her first tournament was in 1985. Brenda and Joe started the Funtastic Summer Classic tournament and this tournament is still going strong today. This tournament has been the backbone of innovation for the sport in the East coast of the US. Her enthusiasm, sponsorship, and promotion of footbag has significantly contributed to footbag’s growth worldwide.

The sports future?

49. Joe Solonoski

Joe Solonoski

When did you see your first Footbag?
- In 1984 in Hazleton, Pa. Joe’s friend, Dave Pihota, showed him a Hacky Sack he had bought. In February of 1985 Joe meet Brenda on a racquetball court, at a Fitness Club in Hazleton. Joe was playing recreational tennis and Brenda was involved with photography at the time. They were immediately addicted.
Your own personal comments and notes?
Major achievements?
- Joe began organized play in 1984 and became a WFA Certified Instructor. His first tournament was in 1985. Joe and Brenda started the Funtastic Summer Classic tournament and this tournament is still going strong today. This tournament has been the backbone of innovation for the sport in the East coast of the US. His enthusiasm, sponsorship, and promotion of footbag has significantly contributed to footbag’s growth worldwide.

The sports future?

50. Tim Vozar

Tim Vozar

When did you see your first Footbag?
- I saw my first footbag in 1980 in Houston Texas. Used it to warm-up during Ultimate practice (disc game). Garry Gaman was the first to show me the competitive part of the sport in 1983. It took me about 6 months after Gary Gaman showed me footbag net before I devoted most of my sporting life to footbag. Ultimate was the sport that took a back seat for me once I started competing in footbag.
Your own personal comments and notes?
Major achievements?
- From the start of my competitive years in 1983, myself and the Houston Skyliners started to promote footbag in many ways, whether it was practicing, competing, school demos, exhibitions, kicking at airports or clubs. We started a portfolio for each player and I kept updating mine all the way up to the day I was inducted into the Hall of Fame. For many years (1984-1994) the list was long and other years the list was shorter. Some years I directed 4 tournaments in Houston alone within one year. Many of the years I assisted other directors throughout the United States with their tournaments.
- I won the Mike Marshall Award in 1989 and feel very honored to be one of the recipients of this award.
The sports future?
- From the time I went to my first National(Worlds in 1986) Championships in 1984 till my nineth straight year in 1992, myself and most all of the competitors wanted and hoped for footbag to become an olympic event. My hopes are still the same, and with the Worlds event being giving in countries other than the United States, that fact can only help us get to the Olympics. The net game should be the first event to take us to the Olympics. I would like to see more promotions throughout the world and those promotions should be consistent in content and professionalism in order for footbag to get the respect it deserves.

51. Eric Wulff

Eric Wulff

When did you see your first Footbag?
Your own personal comments and notes?
Major achievements?
- “The Ironman” is a 13-time freestyle finalist at the World Championships and has won World Championship Titles in 1996 (Open Team – Partner: Peter Irish) and 1998 (Open Singles; Open Mixed – Partner: Carol Wedemeyer), 1999(Open Team – Partner: Tuan Vu). He excels in both Net and Freestyle. Game and sport innovator, and inspiration. Coach, tournament director, including the 2002 World Championships.

The sports future?