Footbag factoring into education decisions

[pedler]

So this is a completely selfish poll based on the fact that I am looking into potential grad schools and job locations in the coming year. I am about to graduate from Ohio State. There is not the most enthusiastic group of shredders here anymore, there was 4-5 at most who knew the ins and outs of the game, and the history, and the guys here have helped me get a good handle on my game. However as the other OSU kickers graduated their enthusiasm for the game dropped substantially, and I would like to avoid this where possible.

Obviously Footbag is by no mean what I am deciding my future on, but it would be a nice little bit of icing on the cake….. So tell me what you think about these locations, especially if you are in one of them. Regularity of sessions, level of play, weather, making fun of mascots, nice shred locations, local bars, or just braggin on your ‘hood, whatever you like…. Anything more that what is touched on by DotOrg’s club listings would be handy.

(FYI) my level of play, which I would like to elevate, is occasional guilts, a couple dozen 4’s and a couple 5’s in my bag of tricks

[Nathan]

I live very close to PEnn State, and as far as I know Scott Bevier still lives here too.

[Outsider]

New Brunswick, NJ is where its at, my man.

The Ministry of Silly Walks is just twenty minutes away in Somerville, NJ. Our club kicks every Tuesday and Thursday nights from 7:00 till 9:30. I'm talking about Jack Keller, Chris Kovacs, Andrew Ivanyo, Pat McGurran, Kevin Tully, Greg Collins, Justin Johnson, Jason Buzby, and some occasional guests. We also host a larger jam on the last Sunday of every month, and some kickers come in from New York City (Bruce Dole, Drew Martin, Benny Kelman, Alex Sagalovskiy, Alex Strassmanetc. ) and Philadelphia (Josh Benham, Nick Miller, Kevin McGrogan, and sometimes even Kenny Shults. David Clavens often comes to the Sunday jam too, but he's not exactly in Philadelphia. Then again, neither is Kenny.)

I think that we have one of the best freestyle footbag scenes in the country right here, actually, and hardly anybody even knows it but us. Its strange.

And speaking of New York City, being in New Brunswick places almost right in New York City. Not geographically, exactly, but New Brunswick is on the New Jersey Transit NorthEast Corridor line, which takes 45 minutes to drop you off right in Penn Station NY. Personally, I just love taking a couple of escalators up from the station and emerging right in the middle of Manhattan, with all the electronic signs around Madison Square Garden right there, and Time Square just a few blocks up, Central Park just a little farther. Usually I head downtown, though, towards Greenwich Village to kick it with the New York Footbag Association. They've been meeting almost every weekend at Union Square or a cool little dance studio we rent by the hour near there (NYFA is Bruce Dole, Stan Sagalovskiy, Alex Sagalovskiy, Benny Kellman, Drew Martin, Mike Schwarts, Kathy Sor, David Sussillo, Alex Strassman, and sometimes Josh Penny. NYFA is one of my all-time favorite clubs besides my own) (There is also a few strong shredders uptown at Columbia U., Alexander Faber and Matt Isanuk) When its nice out we sometimes kick it at the South Street Seaport or in Central Park. There are many great locations to choose from in NYC. New York City is awesome, and you should take advantage of living close by while you are able. I'd live in the city, myself, if I were able.

The NJ Transit NorthEast Corridor line heads in the other direction too, directly to Philadelphia. Its a good place to be, in general, half-way between New York City and Philadelphia. The Philly club in general isn't at its most active lately, but Bob Riefer could start his organizational activities up again at any time. It wasn't so long ago that I rode into the city every other weekend for a good jam with Bob Green, Benham, Kenny, Miller, Kevin, Riefer, and some others. The city itself is also pretty cool. I like to wander around by South Street. But its no NYC.

As for Rutgers, I used to go there to kick it every week. Three years ago the winter was unusually mild and I was playing on campus in my shorts through most of November and some of December. I'd often get a good Hack Circle going amongst the students there. There were even a couple of shredders, but unfortunately I haven't seen them in a long time. I'd invited them to Somerville often, but nary a word I heard. I think that Rutgers could support its own Shred Scene, but it just needs a small hard core, a couple of dedicated kickers, to keep it active and encourage the occasional kickers to come out more. One September night after work I raced to Rutgers to catch the train in to the city, but traffic held me up alot, and I was going to be very late for my plans in the city, so I called and cancelled them. After all the traffic I couldn't bear to sit in the train for almost an hour more, anyway. I had my gear with me, so I began to kick it on Rutgers campus for a while. Some people mentioned a music festival downtown, so I walked over to find out more (campus is like a down-town in itself, but its also an easy walk to New Brunswick's actual down-town area [can be cool, but not my favorite]). The music fest consisted of about twenty bands of various types and sizes. Each one had a streetcorner or parking lot staked out. About one band per block. I wandered from here to there kicking it to different sounds. A pretty fun night, but a little lonely as shredding goes. Anyway, it was kind of a cool way to experience a music fest.

I don't think that there is that much more to add, other than Rutgers is under an hour from the Jersey Shore. Its not the greatest beach-going experience in the universe, but its good for some laughs.