In 1972, a few friends in Oregon City tried to keep a hand-sewn bag in the air using anything but their hands. This game is now known as hacky sack. Hacky sack has been a viral trend, with people showcasing their various skills and techniques on social media. As a game that was most popular during the 80s and 90s, it has suddenly flourished amongst younger generations.
People first saw this trend through videos on TikTok and Instagram showing off trick shots and cool techniques. People enjoy hacky sack because of its vibe, being offline and non-competitive. Third Former Peter Pierce said it’s “a way to bond, where you can make friends through playing and showing off tricks.”
Compared to other popular school-day games such as spikeball and football, “sacking” requires less space, time, price, and people. Students can be seen sacking across the Haverford campus in locations such as The Quad, Sabol Field, and Memorial Field. The flexibility of the game, combined with the low price of the bag, allowed students of all ages to get involved easily.
“I find the rise in hacky sack to be more funny and weird, but also interesting how it suddenly blew up.”
– Dean of Students Mr. Luqman Kolade
Teachers have mixed feelings about hacky sack. The simplicity of the game has led to students playing indoors as well, where it often causes distractions and disruptions in the hallways, leading to a ban on sacking indoors. Despite the ban, the hype and popularity of the game have led to many students continuing to sack indoors.
“I find the rise in hacky sack to be more funny and weird, but also interesting how it suddenly blew up,” Dean of Students Mr. Luqman Kolade said.
On the other hand, hacky sack has allowed students to further their sense of community at Haverford. The various groups of students sacking together allow students to disconnect from social media and live in the moment while building connections to their classmates.With hacky sack’s sudden rise in popularity, we can only wonder what other retro hobbies might make a comeback.
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