What if I told you that in my hand I hold the secret to
world harmony that diplomats have been searching for for
centerys. That a toy about the size of a plumb can improve
your physical and mental well being tremendously. It may
sound corny, but it may even bring you at peace with the
world. You may call me crazy, but I believe that this little
devise can do all these things.

This is the hackysac, or footbag as it is officially known,
and it is the only component necessary in a very exciting game. But to me, it is much more than a
game. To me, it is an expressive dance, a natural high, an important social skill that everyone should
become familiar. I am now going familiarize you with this social skill by explaining some philosophy
behind it and showing you some basic kicks. 

The Olympics claim to promote peace and unity, but any hacker will tell you the true goodwill game
is hackysack. It has kept warrior guards awake in ancient China, warmed up the legs of soccer
players, and helped treat sports injuries by stretching muscles and tendons. Through it's lattest
incarnation, though, it's the ultimate neo-hippie sport;the athletic equivalent of tie-dyed clothing or
listening to the Grateful Dead.

Hackysac's reputation as a game of peace, love and understanding may have begun during a 1987
American-Soviet peace walk protesting the arms race. As hack circles developed along the road
from Leningrad to Moscow, people joked that summit meetings weren't the answer and the true
secret to lasting peace among nations lay in the game of hackysack.

The dynamics of the game reinforce the hac's image of a game of good-will. Basically, the hac is
pass through the air with any part of the body except the hands and arms. A circle is formed as
more people join in, and there is no limit to the number of players. In fact, the more the merrier since
the fun increases with more players. This makes the sport inherently welcoming, all you need do is
ask and your in. The circle itself is significant in that it makes everyone equal, there is no single
"important" position, no quarterbacks, centers, goalies, or bench warmers. Best of all, you can hack
just about anywhere except in line at the bank. 

A friend of mine once asked me, "Why do you play hackysac? You can't score and you can't win."
To which I responded, "Exactly." The fact that emphasis is not place on scoring or wining is the
beauty of the sport. No one is working against anybody, no enemy to defeat, no conflict. Instead,
emphasis is placed on cooperation, teamwork, and sharing. Members of the hac circle becomes
one force determined to keep the hac in the air. Still, the game still attracts plenty of showoffs
displaying showy kicks: "jesters" "fliers,""clippers" and "stalls," among other so-called circus tricks
or as fellow hacker Timur Willson put it, "hacksturbation" 

The game may feel awkward to the uninitiated, like shooting hoops with a golf ball, but it quickly
becomes second nature once you know a few basic kicks. I will show you a few of them. The
Inside Kick is one of the two most important kicks in footbag. Fortunately, it's also the easiest. Use
this kick when the bag falls directly between the shoulders. The secret is to to the foot directly under
the hacky and turning the ankle to have a flat surface to strike it with.Use a smooth lifting motion as
opposed to a swift jabbing motion and it will hopefully propel straight back up.

The outside kick is the another essential kicking skill. This kick is executed when the hacky falls
outside either shoulder . The outside of the foot is used by turning the ankle and knee outward to
create a flat striking surface. Again, use a smooth lifting motion. 

This back kick is used when the hacky is going over your head or is directly approaching your
upper body. The hips and upper body must rotate to the direction of the hacky's flight so that eye
contact can be maintained with the hacky. The contact point should be between the hips and knee. 

The knee kick is executed when the bag is too close to the body to execute an inside kick. The top
portion of the thigh is used by bending the knee and lifting straight up as in a high marching step. This
should set you up for a more reliable inside or outside kick. 

The toe kick provides a quick reach or save when the other four basic kicks cannot be used. The
top surface of the foot contacts the hacky by flicking your toes straight up and snapping the ankle.
There are, of course, many more kicks then this but learning the basic kicks will prepare you for any
hack circle.

The Aztec indians played a similar game to hackysac but instead of a small bean bag, they used
hollow reed balls or feathered rocks. It's no coincidence to me that shorty after such games were
prohibited, their civilization fell. Since then, the power of the footbag has only increased. I truly
believe that the hacky sac can, indeed, lead to a more healthy, peaceful, and prosperous life. So
there's no need to read the Tao Te Ching cover to cover to find peace, run the New York
Marathon to stay fit, or sit upon a tiben mountain to find the meaning of life. The answer may be as
near as local K-mart for as little as five buck.