Beneath the BOHS flag pole, a small pellet-filled sack flies through the air, a circle of students shuffling and lunging to prevent the ball from touching the ground. Around them, spectators pause mid-lunch to watch BOHS’s new favorite pastime: hacky sack.
Invented in 1972 in Oregon, the game was originally an exercise to rehabilitate a knee injury via kicking a “footbag” (an old sock filled with popcorn kernels) into the air. The game quickly became a ubiquitous fixture at music festivals and on college campuses. By the early 1980s, the cooperative and inclusive nature of hacky sack circles had ingrained the game into American youth culture.
While traditionally played in a circle with kicks and “stalls” (a controlled catch and balancing move on a foot, leg, or knee, instead of kicking the sack back into the air), today’s version resembles a mix between freestyle soccer and trick-shot culture, more spins and flashy combinations than simple kicks.
The sport’s resurgence, especially amongst high schoolers, is largely due to social media, with viral clips on TikTok and Instagram — ranging from three-minute rallies to backflips with a hacky sack wedged between feet — introducing the sport to a new generation. Google searches for “hacky sack” have increased over 5,000% in the past month, and TikTok searches have gone up 7,000% in the past year.
Locally, accounts like CIF-SS Sack (@southernsectionsack), reposts clips sent in by different school “teams,” documenting local sack matchups, and establishing regional leaderboards.
Inspired by the digital movement, BOHS students launched their own team account, @bohs_sack. The student run page is complete with a “varsity roster” and highlight clips.
“It was the CIF hacky sack team we saw on TikTok, and then it was like all the schools around us were doing,” Jonah Handel (‘27), member of the BOHS Varsity Hacky Sack team, said. “We were like, ‘let’s just join in…why not?’”
Part of the game’s appeal stems from its simplicity. Hacky sack doesn’t require complicated equipment or a complex understanding of the rules; it just requires a small bean bag, some creative movement, and another person. This set up fosters a unique communal dynamic centered on collaboration and improv, giving students a reason to unplug from digital distractions and achieve a groove of shared, unspoken “flow.”
Ethier Vargas (‘27), varsity soccer player, said that hacky sack reminds him of skills that he already uses in soccer. “It’s kind of cool since it’s a transferable skill,” Vargas said. “You can’t bring a soccer ball to school to keep it up with your friends, but you can bring a hacky sack to keep it up.”
Vargas brings a hacky sack to school every day to play with his friends in the quad.
Without the pressure of winning or losing, newcomers can enjoy the game just as much as experienced players.
“I like all of the tricks that you can do to move the ball around,” Audrey Ortiz (‘28), who recently picked up the sport, said. “My favorite trick is ‘umbrella’, which is where you bounce the ball off your shirt.”
While the revival was sparked online, the momentum is sustained offline by students looking for a good reason to put down their phones. By offering a way to interact face-to-face, the sport has helped form tight-knit communities and deep friendships between students who otherwise may not have spoken.
“In my BITA class, I didn’t really know this kid,” Vargas said. “But ever since I brought my hacky sack, he wanted to join and we’ve been doing it ever since. It’s been really cool.”
