As snow finally starts falling, a lot of people who used to play soccer or football in the fields outside after school are grappling with the new reality of being confined indoors. What will students do to pass the time? As it seemed like all hope was lost and woe was upon them, a savior emerged from the light: hacky sack. 

Hacky sack—named after the knitted wool ball filled with beads used in the game—is played somewhat like wallball, but instead of bouncing it up against the wall and gearing to catch it, the ball is instead kicked with the player’s feet in an attempt to keep it off the floor. Right now, it’s taking the school by storm, with students gathering every lunch, Flex, and free period to crowd together and play it in the hallways. 

“It’s a good game, but it requires skill,” sophomore Hamse Hassan said. “Many people think it’s just throwing a ball but it requires a lot of skill, and this skill is very tough to learn. But once you learn, it becomes extremely fun and challenging.” 

As unbelievable as it may seem, playing coordination games can be helpful for honing cognitive motor skills when trying to balance on one foot or stretch out a leg to catch a flying ball, as well as, of course, being an exercise form that can help keep your cardiovascular systems healthy. 

As you may imagine, these new hacky sack players are all aware of these great reasons to play their favorite game. “It’s very great for the people to know. And by banning it, there will be some consequences, very dire consequences that I know the school doesn’t want to face,” said Hassan. “I dare you to ban it.”

This piece was originally published in Zephyrus’ print edition on Dec. 19, 2024