My footbag dream

Posi-Cole · Post by **Posi-Cole** » 11 Jun 2004 08:32

I have a dream ... (interesting choice of opening sentence, eh?)

My dream is for footbag to be globally recognized, and understood, so that when people see someone shredding, they may watch for a moment, or compliment, or just walk by, but they WON'T think "What on earth are those people doing?"

I would love to have people look at someone playing footbag, and treat them with the same respect as if they were to see someone playing baseball, football, soccer, or any other recognized sport ; as opposed to some people who think "He must have a lot of time on his hands" or "What a waste of time".

I want the number of kickers to increase multifold, and for someone to just be able to walk around their town and likely find a circle in progress they can join in on, with everything from guitless veterans to a newb who just bought Lavers and is trying his/her first tiltless combo.

It would be great if good freestylers actually got the respect they deserved, rather than just being labeled as 'really good at something that no one else cares to try that hard at' or something similar. If some minor baseball player always hit at least one homerun a game, people would treat him with respect, and talk about his prowess as an athlete. In my ideal footbag world, that styler who is pushing the boundaries of fearless and hitting long, genuine combos would get that same sort of attention and respect.

It would be ideal if there were clinics and camps set up in different cities in order to develop footbag talent, and if people in certain areas could register with a footbag association, and be able to attend jams and tournies against other footbag associations in neighbouring cities.

In my ideal world the top footbags don't have to be ordered through the mail either, any sports store would now carry top of the line 32's, as well as revolutions, and perhaps there would even be a store specifically for footbag gear that sells Lavers and other footbag shoes, bags, videos, shorts, t-shirts, etc.

Along with all that, footbag would be seen on national television as well, with major tournaments being put on air, as well as popular shred videos being player on TV.

This is my footbag dream, even if half of it came true I would be very happy (mostly just the stuff about it being recognized as a sport, and footbaggers getting respect).

How feasible does any of this seem? I think it could all happen, but it will take many, many years.

What's your dream for footbag?

crazydwarf · Post by **crazydwarf** » 11 Jun 2004 09:05

great dream... My dream might just be for footbag to continue it's steady growth as it is now. I like the sport just how it is, but if it stopped growwing it would become stagnent. Plus for me I wouldn't get respect anyways, I'm not good enough...

Splint · Post by **Splint** » 11 Jun 2004 09:27

This is going to sound really harsh and I'm not, I repeat NOT, directing this at any ONE person, but...

I'm more interested in knowing if anyone on this forum actually has any intention of getting off their butts and attempting to make a dream like that come true or is it really just some fantasy that we all like typing about occasionally.

I'll tell you quite honestly that I would love to see all of that happen, but I don't see myself ever pouring (or should I say 'poor'ing) in the blood, sweat and tears into trying to make it happen.

Right now it appears that there is a huge scene happening in Europe because there are people pushing the boundaries of the sport and having events seemingly every week, getting TV spots and getting sponsorships, all the while we are sitting over here "dreaming" about it.

When this sport began there were a bunch of 20 something year olds who busted there asses and stayed in the poor house for several years trying to make a real sport out of Footbag. Well those people are pretty tired after having busted ass for over 20 years and gotten nothing...barely even the thanks and gratitude of the community.

Well at some point in the last few years freestyle revived this sport as it was starting to die out. '99 Worlds was the first Worlds where Whamo refused support, so Steve Goldberg sunk a large chunk of personal cash into making sure it still happened (LARGE). 2000 almost didn't happen and 2001 and 2002 was built and made a huge success because of a supreme effort from the San Fran crew which included a bunch of the 'older' crowd I mentioned.

So I ask you this... What are you doing to make this dream of yours a reality?
Are you in your early twenties with nothing to lose? 20+ years of groundwork has already been laid out and the road couldn't have been made smoother for you if you steam rolled it.

How much is your dream worth?
You will make an event or several events, you will get sponsors, you will get TV, you will get Wheaties boxes with Vaseks picture on it, and kids stopping by a footbag circle for autographs and all those things you dreamed about.

The Cost?
In the end almost no one will thank you. They won't hardly know who you are while taking advantage of everything you've done to make yours and their dream a reality. They will knock down your door, fill your inbox and ring your phone off the hook to complain about this that and the other thing.
Ask Steve and he'll tell you all about it.

So again I ask you (the plural you)
Are you a dreamer or a creator?

shreddaily · Post by **shreddaily** » 11 Jun 2004 10:36

I don't agree with much of your ranting Brad but, damn homee

GOOD POINT

I have many different feelings on this subject. Whatever I write in this thread I could write another post about how wrong I am, so if someone wants to right a post about how wrong brad is I'd be glad to support it.

the Executioner · Post by **the Executioner** » 11 Jun 2004 11:33

Brad is right.

But I like to think of it from another angle.
Everyone likes to dream that footbag will become huge, as big as baseball or something. Why is this your dream?
I've been in the footbag scene for 18 years competively. I used to know every single person in the world who could do an around-the-world delay or flying clipper. Now I go to even local tournaments and dont know 80% of the people playing. It's grown that much in even the last 5 years.
But it's still small.
Thank goodness.
The best thing about this game to me is the fact that this is still a very pure scene. There are very few attitudes; it is still a real community.I am glad to be a part of this game while it is still small.
If it ever becomes huge, that element will be gone, and trust me-it's the best part.
I like the fact that freestyle is obscure. I like the fact that I can show someone something utterly new and different and amazing; something they've never seen and, for most, something they may never see again.

Footbag is an "alternative" game; it will never be as big as baseball, and I wouldn't want it to be. I think it is wise to appreciate the charms of what we have now, while trying to advance the game and educate the public.
If footbag ever gets big then that's great; but it will turn into something definately different than what it is now. The experience of going to tournaments will be different, the people will be different, the atmosphere and scene will be different. You can consider for yourself if this is a good thing or not.

shreddaily · Post by **shreddaily** » 11 Jun 2004 11:35

EDIT:

peter is more eloquent then I so I erased this post.

Posi-Cole · Post by **Posi-Cole** » 11 Jun 2004 11:53

Splint wrote:This is going to sound really harsh and I'm not, I repeat NOT, directing this at any ONE person, but...

So again I ask you (the plural you)
Are you a dreamer or a creator?

Unfortunately, I would say I'm more of a dreamer than a creator.

I can't see myself ever making any Steve Goldberg sized impacts on footbag, but I try to do what I can to promote it in my area. In fact, this post inspired me to check footbag.org for player profiles in my area, and I sent out emails to about 10 people, here's to hoping this is the next step in the advancement of Nova Scotia footbag

bustinjustin · Post by **bustinjustin** » 11 Jun 2004 13:17

I think it would be cool if we could just be as organized as to form teams. Then we could form a schedule of competition and teams could travel around to compete against other teams. Something like the top five pro's and intermediates in each area form a team. There would be a couple Cali teams, a Colorado team, I can think of probably 5+ in america just off the top of my head. Then do a tourny style action like a gymnastics format with team scores averaged, or how ever they do it. Then you could form a circuit ( like one weekend rain city shred (RCS) would take on Chicago Inner Circle (CIC), etc). I think this type to thing would help the sport get recognition greatly but as to its effect thats still subjective.
I think that skaters and b-boys and snow boarders are getting that kind of recognition because they didn't just creat a sport they created a scene. It seems like those sports promote ego's and a flair all their own when compared to footbag. Sure we have well known shredders but we don't have sensationalized shredders. I think the euro kids are the closest as they are fusing their own culture into footbag. Or maybe its that they are making a culture all their own, a hybrid cutlure.

I just watch buddas best and think, this is how skating and breaking got so popular, they are creating something bigger than footbag and thats something people cant ignore. As compared to many American video where its usually just a few people in circle busting. Its such a subtle difference yet I think thats what will get footbag to "dream" status.

my last comment is that I think its the money in the sport that holds it back, or lack there of. This sport needs a Mark Cuban, someone who will lay down the capital to implement a greater infrastructure of the sport. I imagine it would be easy to get the cameras there if you could equate footbag to a bigger format. Just like you see on espn. whether it will be me or someone else I hope in my life time i see the person with the big enough heart (or wallet) to see the business in the sport of footbag (essentially other sports are so popular/on tv because they are a business first!). I mean look at the rediculous amounts of money in professional sports. We can get that too. But do we want it?

FlexThis · Post by **FlexThis** » 11 Jun 2004 15:55

SmellMyFinger · Post by **SmellMyFinger** » 11 Jun 2004 16:08

if the sport does grow to what you dream about Cole, the footbag community wouldn't be as cool... if people got paid for this there would be a lot of assholes who just do it for the money. they won't want to play with you, they wouldn't even care what happens, they just want their money. as of now, all the pros are willing to teach and play with the newbies, and what other sports have people like that?

Spadrick · Post by **Spadrick** » 11 Jun 2004 18:42

Splint wrote:So I ask you this... What are you doing to make this dream of yours a reality?
Are you in your early twenties with nothing to lose? 20+ years of groundwork has already been laid out and the road couldn't have been made smoother for you if you steam rolled it.

How much is your dream worth?
You will make an event or several events, you will get sponsors, you will get TV, you will get Wheaties boxes with Vaseks picture on it, and kids stopping by a footbag circle for autographs and all those things you dreamed about.

The Cost?
In the end almost no one will thank you. They won't hardly know who you are while taking advantage of everything you've done to make yours and their dream a reality. They will knock down your door, fill your inbox and ring your phone off the hook to complain about this that and the other thing.
Ask Steve and he'll tell you all about it.

So again I ask you (the plural you)
Are you a dreamer or a creator?

I agree and disagree. Let me address the original post. Your right, footbag deserves to be recognised by all. Respected by many. Followed by most, and practised by few. This is where we are now, but that is not how footbag will stay, I promise you.

Think of how many pro baseball players there are, how many hockey players are there in the NHL? Even if you add these two sports together you only get a fraction of how many footbag players there are in the world. The problem with our scenario is that footbag seems small, but the main reason being is that we are so spread out and so abroad. If we were all piled into one place at one time, footbag would be huge.

We need to act differently in this sport, to achieve acclaim like other sports. If every person who plays footbag gets three more people playing, and those three people each get three people to play, after a while, we would have more density in each area.

To address the quote, I am a creator. I have drive and determination to create. I already have some pretty massive plans to execute during my future tenure in the footbag community. My plan is to bring all footbagers together under one roof so to speak, so the community would be portrayed in a global light.

This resource, as some may have already heard about is a website. This website is my dream. I dont care about recognition or fame, I care about utilizing the skills that I currently possess to help footbaggers everywhere, and make the footbag community a livlier and more productive place to live and reside in. We need to be closer to eachother, and we can use the internet to achieve that.

I dont think that footbag should ever be a major or leagued sport, that would take the mysticism away from it, also, I believe that one of the best things about foobag is the lack of rivalry and true competitiveness. If people were only doing it for the money, the magic would be lost.

~ Dex

bustinjustin · Post by **bustinjustin** » 14 Jun 2004 10:48

What ever happened to making a living. What ever happed to being able to love work. Why does getting paid to shred all of a sudden have to be about the money? As a pro athlete I strive to put in at least 20 hours a week training. To what end-Fun why not monetary compensation along the way. I think its pretty naive to put forth so much energy and not try to see it returned in some way....wheather monetary or spiritually, or I mean whats the point of being a pro athlete if you can't live off being an athlete. Its rediculous to think we can have these dreams of this sport and then expect everyone to do it for free. I mean damn, that would be great.
Also was expressed concern over it becoming more competative. I don't think this would change at all. Were all freinds first. Thats what modified is all about, a close knit community. Does competing legitimately change that? Not all sports have rivalries. I don't think it would be an issue in footbag.
Also I put in my time and evergy to this sport for "REAL" not JUST fun. This sport is pushing new bounderies every day-for fun-I would say FOR REAL. I have seen so many injuries in this sport I can easily equate it to rackin my nuts on a rail.
oh and the Athletes-Stoner coment-PLEASE
do you know how many professional athletes smoke?????How many champions in legitimate sports have had worse drug problems. C'mon

I don't know why we would want to keep the mysticism. I personally wouldn't mind it your general public could walk up and be like, "wow, great mobius," or, "was that a 6 add?" rather than, "hey i knew this one guy once who did this one thing, could you do it, it was like- when we were playing hackysack" I may not understand what you meant by mysticism.
I am not trying to debate and it may seem I am addressing previous posts too harshly. I am sorry. Were talking about the future of footbag. Each person playing whether your a "past time shredder" or for "REAL" we all have a hand in what is to come. As a community we should all do it together. Which means addressing each others dreams.
Against my better judgment I am submitting this rather than deleting it. sorry, and thanks

Seath · Post by **Seath** » 14 Jun 2004 11:12

My participation in the progression of footbag so far has been establishing a footbag club in Ottawa Canada.

Through it I've met a good 3 or 4 guys who are very serious about getting better and a whole wack of casual hackysackers who now have a way to connect to other hacky sackers and meet up..

I've also met up with a local crochet bag maker who sells bags that are found all over the city. Because of his name recognization in Ottawa he is now the clubs first sponsor. I've brought the Ottawa footbag/hacky sack community closer together in hopes of eventually having players compete from Ottawa.

casual hacky sackers in Ottawa know more about footbag, have learned new moves, and can appreciate the game more now that they know there's an organization all about what they love. In time another city will show itself to the footbag world. And it's oh so close to Montreal too hehe.

FlexThis · Post by **FlexThis** » 14 Jun 2004 11:35