Masuk Free Press

Hallways have become training grounds for trick shots, Instagram accounts have become scoreboards, and hacky sack has become one of the most unexpected trends to take over Masuk High School. Popularized during the1990s as a casual activity played in school courtyards and parking lots, hacky sack has resurfaced for a new generation through social media. What was once simply a game played in circles during lunch has evolved into a competitive online culture filled with rankings, creativity, and viral videos. 

Across Connecticut, schools are creating varsity hacky sack teams and posting clips online in hopes of being featured on popular accounts such as @ciacgirlssack, which ranks trick-shot videos from different schools and fuels competition between teams. 

As the trend has grown, so has the vocabulary surrounding the sport. Players now use terms such as “stalling,” which refers to balancing the hacky sack on a foot or another part of the body before continuing the trick. Advanced combinations, synchronized team routines, and creative stalls have become some of the most popular types of content online. 

The growing competitiveness has even led to unofficial regulations within the online community. One widely recognized rule promoted by CIAC hacky sack accounts is “no chicken wing,” a move where players catch the hacky sack in the crease of their elbow instead of controlling it with skillful footwork or body movement. Many players consider the move too easy and believe banning it keeps competitions fair and more creative. 

Masuk’s own boys varsity sack team recently experienced internet fame after posting a video through the Instagram account @masuksack. The video gained more than 500,000 views and over 30,000 likes, attracting attention from students across the country. Included in the video was Teddy Walsh who said, “I did not anticipate the video to gain so much popularity when we first posted it. The trick shot didn’t even take very long…maybe around like 40 attempts to get it.” Since then, hacky sack culture throughout the school has continued to grow. 

The girls varsity hacky sack team has also become a close-knit community for many students. Sophomore Captain Olivia Augustine said, “Honestly, I feel like coaching this team has really brought us together and I have made some true friends from this hacky sack team. My best friend Maya is doing it with me, together we are the queens of sack.” 

For many students, hacky sack is no longer just something to do during free time. With online rankings and viral trick-shot videos becoming part of the culture, the game has transformed into a creative competition that continues to spread across schools.   

While the popularity of hacky sack continues to grow, some students wonder how long the trend will last. Like other social media-driven fads that rose quickly and disappeared just as fast—such as bottle flipping, fidget spinners, and ice bucket challenges—it remains uncertain whether the excitement will last beyond this school year or fade just as quickly as it arrived. 

For now, however, that uncertainty has not slowed its momentum. At Masuk, one thing is clear: hacky sack is back, and students are taking it more seriously than ever.