Hacky sack returns to its Oregon roots with national tournament in West Linn

Hacky sack, otherwise known as “footbag,” is a collaborative game of dexterity, where players kick a small, round, pellet-filled bag back and forth between players.  The sport is typically affiliated with images of college quads in the ‘80s and ‘90s, but it’s experiencing a resurgence — so much so that there’s even a current hacky sack shortage.  The U.S. Open Footbag tournament is taking place in West Linn, Oregon, this weekend, just across the river from Hacky Sack’s birthplace of Oregon City.  The game is characterized by its laid-back nature, but this weekend, hacky sackers will compete in several different events, including “freestyle battles” and “Net,” a volleyball-style event where competitors have to kick the bag over a 5-foot-tall net. They can even show off their tricks and compete with planned hacky sack routines. Oregon is not only the birthplace of modern hacky sacking, but as it turns out, the birthplace of several professional hacky sack athletes.  One of those athletes is Tricia George, who’s considered one of the best players of all time, according to her entry in the Footbag Hall of Fame.  She holds several Guinness World Records in hacky-sacking and has been playing since 1980. She’ll join us on the show, along with a newer player, Brennan Reim, a soon-to-be 9th grader who’s competing in this weekend’s competition.  He’s been hacky sacking since 2024.