A possible method to expand the sport

Lycanthrope · Post by **Lycanthrope** » 05 Jan 2012 10:08

We all like to deny that footbag is like soccer, but the truth is that it involves similar coordination. I believe that if we piggy back on soccer instead of push it away then our sport can possibly explode. the more people at the bottom, the more incentive there is to be at the top and thus the more prize money etc because of the supporting base players.

Footbag is just beginning to touch the tips of the world and players can now be found in Canada, Australia, japan, and Europe. I even met David Castillo from Colombia at worlds in Finland last year. There have been a number of videos from people that I have never seen before and I am not sure where they are from, but I assume somewhere in South America.

I have been thinking lately that if some highly skilled players began to go on tours of South America to showcase the sport in Central America and South America that there is a possibility of our sport exploding and having a spectacular base of new shredders, and though there may be more money in professional cup stacking or underwater basket weaving, footbag shares quite a bit of similarity with the most popular sport in the world (by far) that it has a huge amount of untapped potential which may possibly be unrivaled by other sports.

A popular argument about why footbag is not as popular as it could be is that people cannot simply pick it up and play it right off the bat with limited practice such as shooting hoops or jumping on a board with wheels on it and rolling down the street; however, when I was in California fairly recently I witnessed a five year old pick a bag up and with indoor soccer shoes on foot, he was able to kick several times. If a child can do it then real people could as well.

I suggest that a small group of skilled players converges and raises funds for a trip south of the States in which they advertise the sport intensively in various South American Countries.

What think you?

C-Fan · Post by **C-Fan** » 05 Jan 2012 10:41

Lycanthrope wrote: If a child can do it then real people could as well.

boyle · Post by **boyle** » 05 Jan 2012 10:46

CHI CHI CHI- LE LE LE

I am living in Chile for the next few years. This is my exact hope of what to achieve.

I would love to see this happening, definitely.

There are pretty good scenes in Colombia and Venezuela. And so much potential in the rest of the countries too.

I would love to see some kind of tour happening- it would be great to do it in line with the Copa Libertadores or Copa Sudamericana (Intercontinental Cups, just like Champions League in Europe).

Brazil is hosting the World Cup in 2014. Hopefully we can get involved, either in an official or unofficial capacity to have a competition there. I know they had a massive freestyle football competition in the lead up to the South Africa world cup.

It's a great idea Evan, and something that has been on my mind a lot, particularly now that I am living in South America.

Max Power · Post by **Max Power** » 14 Jan 2012 07:54

Great idea, but I'm going to quite footbag in order to make millions competing in under water basket weaving.

On a more real note, it would be good to have players that speak Spanish on this tour. Do you think that you would had out promotional footbags or try to sell them? Their is an insane amount of poverty in these countries, Brazil is on the up rise but still most people are very poor. Even if you were to give footbags to all these people it would be way too expensive for them to buy shoes (not that they are totally necessary). I feel like a tour like this would work well in any part of the world and would surly help the sport. The extent of how much it would help can't be for seen though.

RM · Post by RM » 15 Jan 2012 07:26

Something like this needs to happen in Canada. Everyone here is wealthy enough to partake in the sport and for the most part we all value athleticism and sporting as a big part of our lives. We need someone who knows what they are doing from the other more dominant countries in the sport to hold demonstrations and whatnot and get the wheels turning so to speak.

sen · Post by **sen** » 15 Jan 2012 08:15

RM, where in Canada do you live. There are a few of us up here. There used to be more but the herd has really thinned out. Regardless, depending on where you are from, there might be someone nearby.

RM · Post by RM » 15 Jan 2012 08:27

Right outside toronto. I know that the university ill be attending next year (UWO) has a bunch of players so that will be good.

sen · Post by **sen** » 15 Jan 2012 08:56

There's at least a few freestyle players in the GTA. I'd look up Erik Chan (username Erik on here). I think He'll be able to get you in contact with the Footbag Association of Toronto.

abstract · Post by **abstract** » 15 Jan 2012 14:08

RM wrote:Right outside toronto. I know that the university ill be attending next year (UWO) has a bunch of players so that will be good.

heya, welcome to modified.

here is toronto's footblog: http://modified.in/footbag/viewtopic.php?t=12729

kingston also has an active scene if you're ever in the area.

i think evan is right. i have a nephew who is a local soccer phenom ( 14 years old ). i spent about 20 minutes with him & a footbag & he could already do stalls, knee bounces & head / neck catches in that short time. the skill set definitely translates between the two.

youth definitely get more excited about footbag than others, just based on reactions from crowds during street performances--footbag has so much room to explore that young players can get excited about it. i think showing its potential as cross training for soccer can have a good yield of new blood.

calemccoy · Post by **calemccoy** » 16 Jan 2012 17:28

i definitely agree that soccer could be a route for footbag to reach a more mainstream audience; and if world cup really is in chile 2014, we should have worlds there the same year.

i would funking love to tour across south america with a bunch of footbaggers, and i speak some spanish and have been to central mexico twice. how cool would that be.

RM · Post by RM » 16 Jan 2012 18:56

How about summer olympics this year. London is big on soccer-football-whateveryoucallit and the olympics is always an awesome venue for any kind of unique athleticism, sport, and hobby.

PLUS WE WONT HAVE TO LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE!

Dio · Post by **Dio** » 21 Jan 2012 13:04

RM I'm gonna PM you man!

Anyway on the note of South America - I'm going to Argentina for 2 weeks in February as part of a field course. Although I won't be staying in a major city centre, I hope to fit in as much shred as possible and expose the locals to footbag.

worldbound · Post by **worldbound** » 30 Jan 2012 07:12

As a person who speaks Brazilian Portuguese fluently, and who lived there for two years, I am 100% in support in going to the world cup and think it's a great idea.

Also an easy free way to expose the sport to around 1,000, 000 people is making a 5 second clip of a crazy trick followed by saying "My name is ________, this is freestyle footbag, and you are watching the Phillip de Franco show" and submitting it to the Phillip de Franco show on YouTube.

boyle · Post by **boyle** » 10 Feb 2012 17:52

calemccoy wrote:i definitely agree that soccer could be a route for footbag to reach a more mainstream audience; and if world cup really is in chile 2014, we should have worlds there the same year.

i would funking love to tour across south america with a bunch of footbaggers, and i speak some spanish and have been to central mexico twice. how cool would that be.

World cup is in Brazil in 2014.

Where in Argentina are you going Dante? Anyhwere near Mendoza?

A possible method to expand the sport

A possible method to expand the sport

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