Freestyle and old people

Faco · Post by **Faco** » 09 Jan 2006 15:53

We were playing in our gym and it was time to end the shred as other people use the gym the same day. Well, suddenly bunch of old grannies came into the place (they are having a joga of some kind) and were thrilled about Footbag!

We had to explain how this is a new sport and so on...and they were just like:"look at him go!" or "Martha, did you see these boys?"
They even wanted to examine the bag up close. I felt just great and it motivated me very much.

I had similar experience before and I must say that old people really know how to appreciate what they see. It is sometimes hard to impress younger viewers, but these folks (even though they have no idea what they are looking at) are so happy when they see a footbager.

Well that is all I wanted to say

JFootbagger · Post by **JFootbagger** » 09 Jan 2006 16:39

Hooray for Grandma's

slapdash21 · Post by **slapdash21** » 09 Jan 2006 18:49

all i know is, the one old person that ever reacted to my footbag was one old lady who yelled at me for over 5 minutes for not wearing a shirt outside in september weather. she asked all my friends if i was poor, if i had a shirt i could wear...

jon · Post by **jon** » 10 Jan 2006 06:01

I always get the best responses from middle aged mothers. I think their appreciation comes from seeing years of little league soccer games and being very supportive even when their children are uncoordinated and suck. So when they see something like footbag, that takes a lot of skill, performed at a high level their auto-supportive nature and appreciation of the skill comes through and they usually make a nice comment or compliment you. Most of the time they are more interested then the little kid they are dragging around with them.

This is my theory at least.
I should try and see if I can get some grannies to play with me, that would be hawt.

slapdash21 · Post by **slapdash21** » 10 Jan 2006 11:27

Jon wrote:Most of the time they are more interested then the little kid they are dragging around with them.

i dunno about that...i have been in the habit lately of playing some footbag on the way home from school, in train stations. whenever i see some impatiant kid irritating their mother, i purposely play right near the kid, to get him to watch. i had one really young kid play with me (basically if i dropped it he ran and picked it up and tossed it to me again) for like 20 minutes while waiting for the train. the parents often quietly thanks/compliments me

SandWraith · Post by **SandWraith** » 10 Jan 2006 11:53

slapdash21 wrote:i dunno about that...i have been in the habit lately of playing some footbag on the way home from school, in train stations. whenever i see some impatiant kid irritating their mother, i purposely play right near the kid, to get him to watch. i had one really young kid play with me (basically if i dropped it he ran and picked it up and tossed it to me again) for like 20 minutes while waiting for the train. the parents often quietly thanks/compliments me

That's awesome! I like how you're making the parents' time a little easier, and it just sounds pretty cool all around.

riku · Post by **riku** » 10 Jan 2006 12:28

When we still played at outside, people used to stop by and watch.
But only the older people asked about the sport (If you don't count "is that hard?" from every little boy/girl).
Sometimes little kids stared at me for a long time, but I wasn't sure if they were looking my mohawk or my footbag skills

Funniest thing ever happened when a mother went by with her child:
Boy: "What are they doing"
Mother: "I haven't got a clue - now let's go"
It was funny because usually the father/mother tries to explain their little kids what we're doing (though they don't know anything about footbag

)

slapdash21 · Post by **slapdash21** » 10 Jan 2006 14:40

some hot chicks passed me when i was shredding downtown today. i could distinctly hear: "ooooh, i wish i could do that" so i turned and smiled, and launched into a nice string

edit- sorry for the off-topic.

Trey · Post by **Trey** » 11 Jan 2006 15:40

One time this old guy approached my footbag club at our usual spot at the park.

Old guy: "Hey, those skills are gonna come in handy when you get drafted. You know, for dodging bullets."

We're still not exactly sure what he was talking about, but it feels good to know that a random crazy believes in my ability to evade death.

ptaku · Post by **ptaku** » 14 Jan 2006 03:39

When I'm shreding outside in Summer, near the beach, lots of older people pass by and comment on my game.
My town is a health-resort and summer capital of Poland (at least some people say so, and they're making t-shirts with signs like that.) at once. In summer a lot of older people from German and Sweden are here.
The most comments come from Germans. They are saying "Gut", "Super", "Toll", "Sehr kunstlerisch", and they clap and do sounds like "oh".
Once an older man from Sweden said "You are doing fine" in English to me.

I've got only good experiences with older people seeing me shred.

sniikeri · Post by **sniikeri** » 14 Jan 2006 07:18

When I was in Germany last summer an older man (looked a bit like a hippie) just shouted "Cool!" when he passed by with his bicycle. That's probably the best compliment I've ever got.

posshr · Post by **posshr** » 14 Jan 2006 19:40

ive never really had a random stranger care about it, well, maby the future will bring,eh

Troyson · Post by **Troyson** » 14 Jan 2006 20:57

when i was shredding in puerto rico i would do a string and not have anyone around me, and then when i went to pick up the bag after i dropped it i would have a bunch of old people wid their kids watching me. i would often get compliments, mostly all from old people.

james_dean · Post by **james_dean** » 18 Jan 2006 04:34

Today shredding at Federation Square, last day of Australian Champs (best week *ever*) a bunch of old ladies came up, they loved it, we're asking what it was called and looking at the bags and stuff. One was like "oh, I don't think I could do that... I'm 76!" and they all had little badges with their names on, they watched for ages, it was funny

Uranos · Post by **Uranos** » 18 Jan 2006 04:38

Yeah i remember that.....its probably one of the only times ive seen old people appreciate footbag so much..

Wasabi · Post by **Wasabi** » 18 Jan 2006 15:29

How about old people that can actually play? Ted Fritsch, Hacky Sack Jack, etc. They're cool.

wolfpac444 · Post by **wolfpac444** » 18 Jan 2006 15:36

Wasabi wrote:How about old people that can actually play? Ted Fritsch, Hacky Sack Jack, etc. They're cool.

Check out Freestyle Reality ;-]

RawSko · Post by **RawSko** » 18 Jan 2006 15:50

I remember one time when I was still just a hacky slacker, I was attempting a lil freestyle at the zoo with my fam out in Winnipeg. I wound up smoking this old lady in the face with the Mr Sandbag (wasn't mine). I felt so bad and I instantly started to apologize profusely, but she's like "oh! it's alright!! I like it!". I kept appologizing, but I was kinda wierded out by here enjoying that experience of taking a footbag to the face...

Anexthesis · Post by **Anexthesis** » 04 Feb 2006 10:25

The one response I seem to get most often is "Thats cool. Why don't you play soccer?" Grr! "Cause I like footbag....thats why."

Faco · Post by **Faco** » 04 Feb 2006 11:19

That one is easy.
Ask them:"Why don't you play the flute?"