Obscure Talent or Sport?

Sidi||TOFU · Post by **Sidi||TOFU** » 27 Oct 2005 07:31

Amongst the general public there are claims that footbag is an illegitimate sport, that is it purely a quirky leisure activity. Just out of curiousity, when you explain footbag to someone who has never seen it before do you refer to as a sport or a leisure activity that requires lots of talent. Do you find it offensive when people do not call it a sport? I don't really have any opinion on the topic myself but would like to see what other footers have to say.

FlexThis · Post by **FlexThis** » 27 Oct 2005 07:58

I find it to be All of the Above.

That's the beauty of this sport. It can be any of those choices and many more, like a great way to lose weight.

~peace
Damon

mentor · Post by **mentor** » 27 Oct 2005 08:10

I find it to be All of the Above.

Is this not the case in almost all sports and activities???

shredzilla · Post by **shredzilla** » 27 Oct 2005 08:28

yeah definitely all of the above. Which can be said about most sports and leisure activities these days. I mean hell, if they can show Texas Hold'em and XBox Live tournaments on ESPN...

sport: 1. Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively
2. An active pastime; recreation

Bander87 · Post by **Bander87** » 27 Oct 2005 10:23

Alternative sport?

Slowsis · Post by **Slowsis** » 27 Oct 2005 10:25

Alternative to what??

And even though i voted for sport.....i think its more like a drug. Crack for your feet!!!!

Sergey · Post by **Sergey** » 27 Oct 2005 10:46

Slowsis wrote:Alternative to what??

And even though i voted for sport.....i think its more like a drug. Crack for your feet!!!!

Crank for your feet!

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 27 Oct 2005 10:50

I believe it is a sport and I'd really like to see people treat it as a serious sport. At the moment I'd have to say that there is way too much stuff involved in the culture for that to happen. The old school ideas that took us to where we are good and we should remember them but I think we need to start behaving as if footbag is a real sport and not some hippy stoner past time. In particular I'm talking about people's attitude to circle shredding and to bap. If we want non footbaggers to view footbag as legitimate sport we have to behave like it is one.

jon · Post by **jon** » 27 Oct 2005 11:02

Jeremy wrote: In particular I'm talking about people's attitude to circle shredding ...

Dude, man, that would like, totally ruin the chi and flow of the circle! I need the engergy of the group or I will trip out. Goes to practice bloughchi ...

shredzilla · Post by **shredzilla** » 27 Oct 2005 11:29

Jeremy wrote:In particular I'm talking about people's attitude to circle shredding ...

Versions of footbag have been played all throughout human history. It may have been called something else, but I'm sure somewhere on earth people were doing it. Now that we have a more rigid scoring structure, and more complex moves that require much more physical training to execute, it has become a sport. Just because I also think it should be a sport, doesn't mean that I think people can't casually enjoy it as much as neighborhood football, or futbol, or baseball, or any other sport. People do things for fun no matter what they are.

The sport needs promotion and marketing for it to become big, and shed the stereotypes that may be associated with it. And I'm not sure what you're referring to when you talk about people's attitude to circle shredding, but in my opinion, that's just another great way that our awesome sport can be enjoyed. Believe it or not, anything is a hobby or leisure activity until you do it in competition.

I do however agree that there is a stereotype of 'stoner/hippie' in the States, but the only way we're going to get rid of that is by marketing the sport more efficiently, and show people what footbag's really all about.

james_dean · Post by **james_dean** » 27 Oct 2005 17:04

Yeah I hate it when people don't see this as a serious sport. Could you clarify what you mean by people's attitudes to circle kicking Jer? I'm sure he doesn't mean destroying the flow or energy in a circle.

Nathan · Post by **Nathan** » 27 Oct 2005 17:10

Its as much of a sport as basketball or football. Sure it could be a leisure activity, but at it's best, footbag is a sport.

Sergey · Post by **Sergey** » 27 Oct 2005 18:00

shredzilla wrote:Believe it or not, anything is a hobby or leisure activity until you do it in competition.

I don't agree with that particular statement because I think that you can

compete and have fun at the same time, at least I can.

And I also belive there should be competition element because it is the only way the sport of footbag will ever evolve to a higher level (assuming we all want that to happen

). I mean what is the point in developing your skillz and getting a better athlete for no reason? You may argue people will get better without competition just because footbag if fun and they are dedicated to it... I highly doubt that and the reason is because getting better requires alot of time, hard work and sweat, but do you think all those kinds out there who are just enjoying footbag want to work their asses off wile having fun? I don't.

Vask is a good example. I bet there's a bunch of people on this forum who have been influenced by him. In my opinion he is the one who showed us what a real competition is and how far you can stretch the boundaries of footbag...without people like him, footbag would not be where it is now.

But that's just my personal opinion, that's how I see what our beautiful sport should look like.

The bottom line is, footbag will die without competition.

Good topic, looking forward for some experienced shredder's opinions.

slapdash21 · Post by **slapdash21** » 27 Oct 2005 18:03

Sergey wrote:The bottom line is, footbag will die without competition.

no way. many footbaggers start seriously kicking before they even know competitions exist. i started kicking just because it was fun, and got fairly decent before i even found out about competitions.

Sergey · Post by **Sergey** » 27 Oct 2005 18:10

slapdash21 wrote:
Sergey wrote:The bottom line is, footbag will die without competition.
no way. many footbaggers start seriously kicking before they even know competitions exist. i started kicking just because it was fun, and got fairly decent before i even found out about competitions.

I agree with you, and I'm not saying that when you start footbag, you gotta keep in mind that you must compete, in most cases it is burdensome... most of us start playing because it's just alot of fun and looks cool.

I'm talking about the chioce whether you compete or not as an experienced player.

shredzilla · Post by **shredzilla** » 27 Oct 2005 18:30

Sergey wrote:
shredzilla wrote: Believe it or not, anything is a hobby or leisure activity until you do it in competition.

I don't agree with that particular statement because I think that you can

compete and have fun at the same time, at least I can.

I am saying that as well. It's a hobby until you do it in competition. Then it becomes a sport AND/OR hobby for that individual.

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 28 Oct 2005 05:33

shredzilla wrote:
Jeremy wrote:In particular I'm talking about people's attitude to circle shredding ...
Versions of footbag have been played all throughout human history. It may have been called something else, but I'm sure somewhere on earth people were doing it. Now that we have a more rigid scoring structure, and more complex moves that require much more physical training to execute, it has become a sport. Just because I also think it should be a sport, doesn't mean that I think people can't casually enjoy it as much as neighborhood football, or futbol, or baseball, or any other sport. People do things for fun no matter what they are.

The sport needs promotion and marketing for it to become big, and shed the stereotypes that may be associated with it. And I'm not sure what you're referring to when you talk about people's attitude to circle shredding, but in my opinion, that's just another great way that our awesome sport can be enjoyed. Believe it or not, anything is a hobby or leisure activity until you do it in competition.

I do however agree that there is a stereotype of 'stoner/hippie' in the States, but the only way we're going to get rid of that is by marketing the sport more efficiently, and show people what footbag's really all about.

I think you put your finger on it correctly. Footbag is only a sport when done competively. Other sports are done in a non competive way such as having a kick of a football at a park (or a throw I guess for American's) but people recognise that for what it is and how it relates to the sport. Of course circle kicking is very important for the sport and competition is what makes it a sport. If footbag is to become an accepted sport it needs the majority of people who play the sport to understand and promote it as a sport and not as a past time/hobby. You can argue that non competive things like rock climbing is a sport (although that can obviously be competetive) but this isn't a discussion of definitions of "what is a sport" - the IOC has strong guidelines on what constitutes a sport and if we want official recognition as a sport that's what we need to be aiming for - not our own definitions of what "sport" is.

Same reason why bap is completely counter productive to gaining the sport official recognition and actually promotes footbag as a non sport and should have remained a club of personal friends with the same opinion. I know people will disagree with me on that and you're entitled to your opinions. I hope you've researched what footbag needs to achieve to be officially recognised as a sport before expressing those opinions.

sniikeri · Post by **sniikeri** » 28 Oct 2005 07:01

I've never competed but my hobby is definitely sport - check how 'dry' your T-shirt is after a good shred session.

shredzilla · Post by **shredzilla** » 28 Oct 2005 07:05

T-shirt? Pshh.

haha jk

Just out of curiousity though Jer, what are your reasons for wanting to make the sport recognized? I was wondering if they are similar to my own.

My reasons for wanting to make the sport more popular are to:

A. Gain recognition amongst sports enthusiasts worldwide
B. Generate money into the sport, to fund bigger and better tournaments, with real prize money. This is mainly done through sponsorship.
C. Hopefully one day get into the Olympics??? That'd be insane!

But basically you want to get money into the sport by drawing attention to it, and draw attention to the sport by getting money into it. It's basic principles of marketing. When you look at it from that perspective, then you have to analyze what markets are available, and go after them. Professional sports ONLY exist because they have a fan base that watches them. Footbag will only become big and recognizable if it has fans that love the sport as much as players do.

Bander87 · Post by **Bander87** » 28 Oct 2005 10:15

Would it be hard for footbag to be recognised by the IOC?

modified

Obscure Talent or Sport?

Which would you use to describe footbag?

Obscure Talent or Sport?