Basic Footbag Rules

The game of footbag, also known in America as "hacky sack," makes use of a small knitted bag containing beans. Players kick or bounce the bag back and forth or to themselves using any part of the body except for the arms or hands. Hacky sack can be played in a small group or on your own, and several versions of the game exist.

  1. Circle Kick

    • Circle kick is the most widely known Hacky Sack game. Several people stand in a small circle facing each other, and players use their bodies to perform tricks and keep the bag moving between each other without touching the ground. The game involves no points to keep; rather the goal is to keep the bag in play for as long as possible, sharing the ball equally between the players.

    Footbag Net

    • Footbag net is a more competitive game, similar to tennis or volleyball, that pits players against each other. Generally played either one on one or between doubles teams, the game requires players to volley the bag over a 5-foot-high net using only their legs or feet. Players serve the bag over the net to start each point and try to prevent the bag from touching the ground. Each time the bag hits the ground on your side, the other team wins a point.

    Freestyle

    • Freestyle footbag is a competition sport wherein players win points by performing tricks with the bag on their own body. The ending point of one trick becomes the starting point for the next trick, lending an element of theatricality and choreography to the sport. A panel of judges awards points based on difficulty, originality and execution.

    Elimination

    • Elimination is a game that starts with a large numbers of players. Players bat the ball back and forth with their body until a player drops the ball or knocks it out of play. Every player who fails to keep the hacky sack in play is eliminated, with the circle dwindling in size until only one player is left.