I'm in need of some help... Please. (lol)

[Switch Kicker]

Hey, how's it goin. Not bad? Great. Things are kinda going sour for me...

I've been playing Footbag for almost 2 years. Like... VERY casually. Not really attempting to get great, just to be able to play in a circle with my Footbag fenatic friend Josh. Just about a year ago I started actually trying to get better, and I'd have to say that with my kind of work schedule and how much I actually play, I'm pretty good.

I spent about 3 months playing HARDCORE in 2005 starting in April. Then I had to go to Basic Training that summer, and well... 3 months with no footbag is... Hellish, let's just say that. But when I got back to the real world... I had lost any talent I had. Now it's April again and I've gotten LOADS better.

Here's my problem. It's getting old. I don't find Footbag as fun as I used to. I'll pick up my Abshire, shred for 5 minutes, and then be bored... It's not because I can't exel to new heights in skill, and out frustration I just quit. It's not quiting at all... I just... get bored. Lack of desire.

I've also experienced a little bit of depression, but I was treated for that during the winter, and now I'm back to normal. Life's on track, got my school shit straightened out, in a great relationship with my girlfriend Tamaran... But, Footbag's just slipping away from me. And I don't want it to.

Is there anyway to fix this? Like, should I take a good break from it and then reintroduce myself to it in like 3 months or something? Or... Damnit, I do NOT want to quit the sport, but it's gotten so stale for me...

Maybe I just need to go to a big jam or something... I don't know...

Any help on this matter is GREATLY welcomed.

Thanks for listening.
Fred.

(I posted this on Footbag.org as well and just copy/pasted it on here. =D)

[andr00]

http://www.footbag.org/gallery/show/6943


Does that make you want to sit on your ass or does that make you want to shred!?!!!!





(just dont kick if you dont want to man, dont force it, and youll realize when you arent kicking that you really want to)

[brinard]

id say yeah, go to a tourney. or something like it. or just get some local shredders together and play.

maybe pick up stitching, i was getting bored, and now the idea thrills me.

hope this helps.

[SandWraith]

I know that sometimes I feel like I really should shred because if I don't I'll suck. However, then footbag is more like a chore, and definately not fun. By wanting to get better or keep good or whatever, you can really kill the fun inherent in this game. Like Andrew said: if you don't feel like kicking, just sit back and don't kick. The only pressure really comes from this weird desire people seem to have that they have to be the best at this game.

[andr00]

^^ Nicely said. Take his advice, bro. DOnt force anything and soon you will remember the joy that can come out of this. ENjoy!

[Switch Kicker]

It's not so much a fear of losing what skill I've gained, because you can always work your way back up.

It's just that I know that I used to be rediculously addicted to this... And I loved it. The best time of my life as a teen was spent shredding(Well, except for the last 4 months with my girlfriend)... And I don't want to lose that. It's not a fear of growing up either, lol. (Turning 18 in less than a month. Ohhhh, scary, lol.) It's just that I LOVE shredding, and I want to continue untill my legs break off from being overused. And when I'm 50, I still want to be kicking with my futuristic robotic legs that can automatically do like 300 dexs per second.

I want this to be a sport that I can teach to my child. (I will put a bullet to my head before I willingly have TWO childern... )

I will try to hit a big jam somewhere this summer... I am HOPFULLY going on a road trip with my girlfriend.

Any suggestions on some stops in the Western part of the US I should try to hit? We're planning on going into Nebraska (Visit her father's grave.) then into Colorado, then make our way down into Southern California. (Doesn't Richie Abshire live in California? Should I try to contact him and make a stop for an afternoon of shredding?) Then drive up the Pacific coast into Washington. (When's the Seattle Juggling and Footbag Festival up there?), and then cutting accross into Idaho (SP?), and stoping in Missoula to have a shred with Evan Lovely and Kevin Crawley hopefully. And then going back to Albert Lea, Minnesota.

Again, any places of interest that I should consider hitting, please post it. My days as a Footbagger depend on it, lol.

Thanks again.
Fred.

[BalinorNZ]

Just go to worlds

[Skippy!]

Yeah, I can imagine that going to worlds would turn any uninspired footbag player into a huge pile of inspired footbag mush.

[Guest_2]

Come fucking shred w/us this weekend!!!

[Jeremy]

I remember Lon Smith once told me that he puts on his favourite cd of the day and plays footbag for the length of that cd - everday regardless of how he feels about playing. I don't know if he still does this but I do (except these days I listen to the radio instead but make sure I play for at least an hour - if not more).

I think regardless of how I feel when I start playing - I always feel better when I finish (not because I've finished - because I've done something). I also think you need to learn to read your body. Some days I'll work really hard and try to make some significant improvements. Other days I'll take things easy and work on things that I already can hit - but just would like to hit better (I think I would like to hit every part of my game better). If I'm feeling low on motivation I won't work on something that will really frustrate me - I'll work on things that will give me confidence.

Train smarter not harder!

[andr00]

Come fucking shred w/us this weekend!!!

DOO IT! The minnesota crew (all 3 of us ) would love it!




oh, and jeremy - i love that shred through your fave CD thing. good stuff.