Are You Gathering New Players?

Splint · Post by **Splint** » 26 Apr 2004 12:16

I think too many people kick in their Garages or Shred Rooms or Bedrooms.

Too many people on this forum and off this forum always talk about not having anyone to kick with. Well I say we as players have to make more of an effort to get people to kick.
Remember that only 1 in every 6 million people really get into footbag. The numbers are growing, but you have to get outside where people can see you and get interested.

Go to parks or local festivals or street corners or wherever there are people AND ALWAYS ENCOURAGE OHTERS TO JOIN IN. Don't let people get out of your circle because they feel embarassed that they are not as good as you. Teach them a frickin' toe stall or give them one of your many Freedom Footbags if you have a spare.

Zeke · Post by **Zeke** » 26 Apr 2004 13:32

I completely agree with every word you said.

We play at busy spots in the city, usually where there's lots of foot traffic. We also kick at all the major free music festivals where there are plenty of people and hack circles. Some of us shred in one location while others go out to the field and mingle in all the hack circles giving out flyers to those who are interested. I've noticed that some people react to flyers like we were handing out open bottles of plague

. A strategy that seems to work is to jump into a circle and get their attention with a few simple tricks (and PASS) then usually someone asks where I learned the tricks from. At this point I let them know that I learned from kicking wih other people and from the net and ask if they want more info, then give out the flyers to those that want them. If they are particularly talented or really interested I ask for for phone #'s and e-mails so we can get together and play more often.

mosher · Post by **mosher** » 26 Apr 2004 13:53

I voted that I normally play inside.
But that is only because I have only been playing footbag for the winter months.

Now that it is getting warm out I have been playing outside as much as possible.

And I ALWAYS promote footbag like crazy.

It just doesn't catch on with anyone. Lots of people are interested, but it takes too much work to not suck.

Seath · Post by **Seath** » 26 Apr 2004 14:07

Welcome to my life!
Theres three serious kickers in Ottawa, and we're all very new to the game, all I do every day is talk about footbag and promote it. I've found some very popular areas to kick, including a park that always has circles in it, but no ones hitting more than super jesters and toe stalls.

FlexThis · Post by **FlexThis** » 26 Apr 2004 15:46

puredisco · Post by **puredisco** » 26 Apr 2004 15:56

i disagree in that anyone who has someone to play with will usually play outSIDe in the public eye seclusion isnt the the Only thing that plaGUEs footbag

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 26 Apr 2004 18:02

I'd have to say I play indoors by myself way more often than I play with other people. This week is a bit of an exception since I have at least 2 footbag demos that I'm doing at a university but a usual week means I play in public 2 or 3 and by myself 5 or 6 times.

I think I probably do a lot to promote the sport

carl winslow · Post by **carl winslow** » 26 Apr 2004 18:07

i just kick with my friends never in public that much, i dont want to teach people how to play, its annoying having someone in your circle that cant kick too many drops piss me right off.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » 26 Apr 2004 18:52

My freezer is packed full of all the people I can gather. What more do you want from me?!?!

Shredster · Post by **Shredster** » 26 Apr 2004 21:06

I think i've gained one guys interest...i'm trying to rope him into modified

hacksterbator · Post by **hacksterbator** » 26 Apr 2004 21:45

when i play with the crew, it's always in public (except if it's super late at night, or -50 outside). if i'm schooling tricks i usually stay home and do it on my own.

Juice · Post by **Juice** » 27 Apr 2004 00:03

I usually kick at home or somewhere near my house, which is a pretty quiet area and isnt really busy, so im not really kicking in public. Its also a mile or two (a few km's) from my house to get to a location where i will be exposed to public.

shredj · Post by **shredj** » 27 Apr 2004 07:52

Zeke wrote:I completely agree with every word you said.

We play at busy spots in the city, usually where there's lots of foot traffic. We also kick at all the major free music festivals where there are plenty of people and hack circles. Some of us shred in one location while others go out to the field and mingle in all the hack circles giving out flyers to those who are interested. I've noticed that some people react to flyers like we were handing out open bottles of plague . A strategy that seems to work is to jump into a circle and get their attention with a few simple tricks (and PASS) then usually someone asks where I learned the tricks from. At this point I let them know that I learned from kicking wih other people and from the net and ask if they want more info, then give out the flyers to those that want them. If they are particularly talented or really interested I ask for for phone #'s and e-mails so we can get together and play more often.

Zeke, that is a really cool flyer. props to that, really. ill have to do something like that but lately ive been writing footbag related sites such as "flipsider" "footbag.org" etc. on dollar bills i come across

aand im at the same situation as mosher is on playing indoor/outdoor

Zeke · Post by **Zeke** » 27 Apr 2004 14:38

Just an idea,

If someone had the time, what if he/she could design a simple flyer with footbag.org, flipsider, modified, freedom footbags, blurryworld, and monsterhack's addy's on them? It can then be posted on modified for shredders to download, print out and hand out to people. It's one way to get the word out fairly cheap (particularly if you have a laser printer at work or school

).

EDIT:
Sorry, I don't mean to hi-jack this thread... perhaps I'll start a new thread just to post downloadable flyers. Anyone can post their designs and we can download what we like.

Seath · Post by **Seath** » 27 Apr 2004 14:40

Zeke wrote:Just an idea,

If someone had the time, what if he/she could design a simple flyer with footbag.org, flipsider, modified, freedom footbags, blurryworld, and monsterhack's addy's on them? It can then be posted on modified for shredders to download, print out and hand out to people. It's one way to get the word out fairly cheap (particularly if you have a laser printer at work or school ).

I'll happily do it! I'll post something by 11 tonight.

Spadrick · Post by **Spadrick** » 27 Apr 2004 17:34

First; I love playing outside and playing with other footbaggers. I love getting people into the sport, and teaching what I know. That is how a sport grows, right?

Second; About the flyers, I have a Graphic Design Studio at my disposal (I opperate it), and I would be happy to come up with some designs and post them here. Zeke, if you want to collaborate on some, let me know in a PM. Im sure we could come up with some great universal adverts for the footbag community to use.

Seath · Post by **Seath** » 27 Apr 2004 18:56

ran out of steam to make a full flyer but I did make this:

sNale · Post by **sNale** » 28 Apr 2004 01:48

Hi
I'm going to copy this flyer today so we can hand them out to intrested ppl here in munich. Btw. I just joined a circel of 4 guys this week and showed them some stuff, it was really funny... one of them sing our guestbook at munich-footbag.de hmm maybe I can get them into footbag.
Whatevere heres the flyer:

Greetings Max

ebo · Post by **ebo** » 28 Apr 2004 05:17

By the way, Max's Flyer says:

do you want to know more about Footbag? (aka HackySack)

meet cool people
learn new tricks
more than just circle kicking

Interested?
We shred at least once a week.
Just get in touch via email: ....

Zeke · Post by **Zeke** » 28 Apr 2004 07:26

Cool stuff so far guys

.

I made a new thread specifically for posting flyers here.

Are You Gathering New Players?

Where do you play?

Are You Gathering New Players?