By: Spencer Grams and Brody Jackson

   Across the country, hacky sack has once again become a sensation for students. For the first time since the early 2000s, the leather pouch is a staple on high school and college campuses. At Marriott’s Ridge, the hacky sack isn’t just a callback trend from the 2000s. It’s a phenomenon that unites students from all different backgrounds and identities.

   While some students spend their breaks glued to screens, a growing number of Mustangs are opting for the hacky sack circle. Much like other things at MRHS, the hacky sack circle has its own unwritten rules. 

   “It’s all about the flow. You don’t just kick it. You keep the energy alive. If someone new joins, you don’t judge their footwork. You just pass it to them. It’s the most inclusive thing we’ve got going right now,” senior Mason Machiran explained. 

   Although the game is based on keeping the sack in the air, there are a couple of strict rules that students must follow. The self-sack, where a player kicks the sack on the serve instead of throwing it to someone else, is a quick way to get the other players looking at you the wrong way. 

   “I remember one time I self-sacked, and everybody stared at me and called me a self-sacker, but the game went back to normal after that,” senior Abbot Harley said. 

   Other banned moves include the trampoline, where a player bounces it off their shirt, the chicken wing, where a player catches it on their arm, and sorry sacking, where a player apologizes for not being able to keep the sack up. 

   Footbag is the latest hobby gaining traction among a new generation of students, and at MRHS, matches break out anywhere there is enough space. 

   “Sometimes we’ll get let out of math early to play sack in the hallway or the stairwell,” senior Michael Delmonte said. “We have gotten yelled at for playing too loudly before, though.”

   Although sacking closely aligns with MRHS values, some believe that MRHS sackers need to be a little more careful of their surroundings. 

   “I love that students are getting involved with each other in physical activity instead of being on their computers, but they do need to be mindful of the noise that they are creating,” social studies teacher Quinn Khouri said. 

   Nationally, numerous instagram accounts have been created to rank states by how talented they are and show off the best clips from the week. With spring sports in full swing, many teams have embraced this new activity with open arms. The baseball and lacrosse teams both have their own Instagram accounts where they post highlights from their rounds. The main account at MRHS is ridge sack where a varsity team was formed. While sack has its roots in inclusivity, varsity sack is exclusive to only the highest level of MRHS sackers go to play. 

   Whether it’s a casual hallway circle or a varsity game, hacky sack has firmly made its way into the culture of Marriott’s Ridge. By trading screens for the sack, Mustangs have turned a once forgotten pastime into MRHS’s newest activity.