Elementary School Demo

Caleb · Post by **Caleb** » 15 Sep 2006 07:03

So I have to do an assembly for an elementary school and I am trying to think of what to do. I have to kind of talk a bit about achieving your goals and how everyone has the potential to do anything. Then, I know I'm going to do a two minute routine with a lot of crowd/music ques and a good, wholesome, well-known song. But what else could I do to grab the attention of these lil youngsters?

I remember when I was a kid it was always a big hit when a speaker/performer involved one of my classmates.....or better yet a teacher! But what could I do with footbag that involves an absolute novice? Even a basic kick would be really difficult for a 3rd grader.

slapdash21 · Post by **slapdash21** » 15 Sep 2006 09:50

Caleb wrote:music ques and a good, wholesome, well-known song

I believe "Fuck Tha Police" -N.W.A. is the particular track you seek for the children.

its more well-rounded, innocent fun than the barney song and has a much better message.

dp · Post by dp » 15 Sep 2006 11:54

Perhaps do a couple moves with a sandwich or something of the sort. I can imagine that being really funny to elementary school kids. And two bag juggling? I dunno if that was included in your routine.

Guest_1 · Post by **Guest_1** » 15 Sep 2006 13:53

bring a dozen bags and just let the kids play with them

Go around to the different circles playing with the kids

Talk with the teachers ahead of time and get them to play in the circles with the kids, but make sure they know it's really for the kids to play

Senor Grommet · Post by **Senor Grommet** » 15 Sep 2006 14:58

talk about fitness and footbag; promoting healthy habits; how its like juggling; talk about history of footbag?

explain the kick vs. the stall

demo: kicks, basic stalls, some basic 2 add tricks, some basic combos

explain and demo some cool concepts: flying tricks, ducking tricks, spinning tricks. Explain how legs cut through air around bag to make tricks harder.

Explain the add system as each trick is worth a diff # of points. The most points you can get is 7, the smallest is 1. What type of trick should I try noe? a 3 point trick or a 4 point trick? they yell out- you perform. Much of this.

Do a 2 minute routine.
Do a shred 30.

Invite kids up on stage to try the basic kicks that you have already demo'd. A few kids from each grade level.

It would be cool if you had some footbags to give away to the school or the participating kids. Just a thought.

Ive used many of the above ideas in assemblies and they work very well. PM me if you want more specific ideas. REMEMBER, try to have more than 1 footbagger there so that someone can be talking while you are talking/in between performance sets.

HooD · Post by **HooD** » 15 Sep 2006 16:07

Interesting, today I was thinking about doing a demo for my elementary school. Just a thought, and now I see it on text, you ready my mind Caleb.

professor · Post by **professor** » 16 Sep 2006 09:07

The Vegas crew just did a footbag demonstration for a school of over 1,500 kids and we presented to almost all of them. It was awesome! We did 6 presentations total. Each presentation was about an hour. I'll give a run-down of all the things we did/talked about.

-We told them about how footbag is hacky sack, but everyone calls it the wrong thing.
-We told them a little history about how the sport started.
-We explained adds and demonstrated tricks in each add category.
-We showed them a video example of different freestyle competition events and explained the goal of each competition.
-We showed them what footbag net was as well as how to play 4 square.
-We explained to them how to progress as a beginner in footbag (kicks first for awhile using both sides then move to delays, then harder tricks) and let them know that it will be difficult at first, but it is very possible to get to our level.
-We explained/showed how a shred circle works and proper etiquette.
-One of us did a small routine for them.
-2 of us did a rippin' run for them.
-We showed them 2 bag juggling as well as a small sample of trials (or street footbag, or whatever it's called)
-The 4 of us demoed in a circle for a little bit.
-We explained why we all had the same nasty looking shoes on.
-We told them how footbag is great exercise and how it improves balance, coordination, etc.
-At the end we allowed the kids to come down from the stands and we each took a group of kids and let them kick a footbag around (giving them tips on form, balance, etc.)

You might find some of these ideas useful when doing a presentation. Most all the kids seemed to respond really well to the presentation and were genuinely interested.

Caleb · Post by **Caleb** » 19 Sep 2006 06:11

Thanks for the input guys.

t1337dude · Post by **t1337dude** » 04 Oct 2006 19:40

I personally think all of these come out a bit cheesy. But it's not like you're showing middleschool/highschool kids but some times trying to spread the sport through systematic ways will just put more kids off to thinking it's lame.

professor · Post by **professor** » 04 Oct 2006 22:04

t1337dude wrote:I personally think all of these come out a bit cheesy. But it's not like you're showing middleschool/highschool kids but some times trying to spread the sport through systematic ways will just put more kids off to thinking it's lame.

The kids didn't find it cheesy at all. It's all in the way you present it. Don't look down on the kids, meet them at their level. Don't act like you're so awesome at footbag and make sure they know they can get to be as good as you are.