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For the second consecutive year, SkillCon will be the venue for the US Open Footbag Net Championships. The 2018 US Open will showcase America’s top athletes (and select elite athletes from Europe and Asia) competing in Footbag Net’s three premier events (i.e., Singles, Doubles and Mixed).

Footbag net is considered by many to be the world’s most difficult foot-only court sport. Combining the basic kicks of “Hacky Sack,” the aerial kicking techniques of martial arts, and the strategy of volleyball, competitors use only their feet to kick a small 32-panel ball over a 5-foot high net within the confines of a badminton court.

Check out the action, buy a net footbag, learn the basics, and get some tips from America’s top athletes on December 14th (Friday- Prelims Day) and 16th (Sunday- Finals Day) at SkillCon!

Lastly, if you’re interested in participating in some 1-on-1 or small group instruction to learn the basics, contact event organizer Jeremy Mirken and ask about a beginner clinic on Saturday the 15th. Thanks, and see you at SkillCon!

Introduction:

The 2018 US Freestyle Footbag Championships are proud to once again be a part of the Moxie Games SkillCon Convention for the second year in a row. This December at the Rio Hotel and Casino, see the nations best freestyle footbag players perform tricks with gravity defying and breakneck supersonic speed that is so fast pace, you may think your cranial optic nerves have been boondoggled! Spectators will be dazzled at USA’s premier freestyle footbag competition, and newcomers are welcome to come and enjoy this fun and athletic sport.

History:

Since John Stalberger and Mike Marshall invented footbag in Portland, Oregon in 1972, freestyle footbag has grown into a very technical, artistic, and competitive discipline with hundreds of different tricks. Frequently referred to as Hacky Sack (registered trademark for Wham-O’s manufactured product), footbag has been a competitive sport at festivals and tournaments throughout the world every year.

General footbag information for newcomers:

In normal freestyle footbag, also known as “shredding,” players attempt to perform as many tricks in a row displaying variety and execution in their strings. A point system was developed to measure difficulty called the “add” system (or additional degree of difficulty) that includes elements from different categories:

1. Delay: catching the footbag on any surface of your foot (medial/lateral side of foot, or on the toe)
2. Dexterity: crossing the plane of motion of the footbag with your leg, or doing a full circle around the footbag with your foot or leg.
3. Body: when a trick involves a spin, jump, twist, or duck around the footbag.
4. Cross body: a delay on the opposite side of the body from the leg and foot making the delay.
5. Paradox: A paradox is a complicated concept when the footbag travels from the setting foot in a cross body delay, the footbag moves across the body, and the setting foot does a dexterity in the same direction as the footbag is moving before a delay is made with the opposite foot from the setting foot.
6. Unusual surface: a delay where any unusual surface of the body stalls the footbag, excluding any part of the hand or arm distal to the shoulder, and excluding the usual surfaces (toe, medial and lateral aspect of foot)

There are several great websites available for people to learn more about footbag.

-Clubs, events, and additional information: www.footbag.org

-Videos demonstrating basic tricks: http://modified.in/footbag/moveslist/

Description of competition:

Routine Event:

This event demonstrates a single player’s ability to perform freestyle footbag in an artistic and technical manner choreographed to a song, in-under two minutes. The competitor attempts to please the audience with technical execution in concert with the music while impressing judges through presentation, difficulty, variety, and execution. This form of competition also measures a player’s stamina and creativity as they try to go through their whole routine without dropping the footbag once.

Circle Event:

Four players take turns attempting to perform as many tricks and combos in a string as they can without dropping. Once a player drops, their turn is over and they must pass to the next player unless judges and players agree that the drop occurred too early and in this case, the player may receive one retry (or pass back) per turn. The footbag will travel around the circle so each player receives a turn, three turns for each competitor, per round. There are two rounds with a brief intermission in-between. Each round is judged differently, one round for variety and one for density. Variety is measured by a player’s range of tricks and combos while density displays their technical ability to hit difficult combinations of tricks. This is one of the newest and exciting forms of freestyle footbag there is and this thrilling competition should not be missed by anybody in the universe!

For Competitors:

Freestyle Footbag events:

Open Routines

Open Circle

Request

Intermediate Routines

Intermediate Circle

Master’s Division (40 years old or more)

Master Routines

Master Circle

Schedule of events:

Saturday 12/15/2018:

10:00am-2:00pm: Shred/Exhibition Play

Record attempts

Four Square

Tutorials for newcomers

2:00pm: Intermediate routine preliminaries

2:30pm: Master’s routine preliminaries

3:00pm: Open routine preliminaries

3:30pm: Intermediate circle preliminaries

4:00pm: Master’s circle preliminaries

4:30pm: Open Circle preliminaries

5:00pm-10:00pm: Sideline shred

10:00pm: Celebrations

Sunday 12/16/2018:

10:00am-2:00pm: Shred/Exhibition Play

Record attempts

Four Square

Tutorials for newcomers

2:00pm: Intermediate Routine Finals

2:30pm: Master’s Routine Finals

SkillCon Convention Main Stage (3-6pm)

3:00pm: Open Routine Finals

3:45pm: Intermediate Circle Finals

4:15pm: Master’s Circle Finals

4:30pm: Open Circle Finals

5:00pm: Request Competition

7:00pm: Awards Ceremony

7:45pm: Farewell Celebrations