What was once a phenomenon among high schoolers in the 1980s and 1990s, the game of Hacky Sack, like many other trends, has resurfaced thanks to social media and modern-day teenagers. Gen-Z has begun using the nostalgic game to pass the time with their friends. The objective is to keep the Hacky Sack, a small, round bean bag, off the ground for as long as possible by standing in a circle, using only your feet, knees or chest.

Though the game has been around for a long time, its recent revival was driven by viral TikTok and Instagram trends. Teens create clubs or groups at their schools to play Hacky Sack, then make Instagram accounts – such as the popular IS Preps (Inside Sack Preps) – spreading the trend nationwide.

Hacky Sack has reached St. Paul Academy and Summit School as well, with students finding their way to the courtyards during tutorials for sack games and tournaments to see who can do the best tricks.

Sophomore Eli Kardasis Sturtz has been hacky sacking since he was young. “You could actually kind of say I’m like a veteran at [Hacky Sack],” he says. “My aunt used to be really [good] in college, so I did it when I was little. But I sucked really bad, so I picked it back up when it became a trend a couple [of] months ago.”

Kardasis Sturtz was the one to introduce the game to his friends, starting big Hacky Sack circles in the hallways and in the courtyard. He explains that the most appealing part of the trend is that “There’s no limit to the [number] of people who can play,” making it an inclusive and enjoyable experience for everyone.

Similar to Kardasis Sturtz, sophomore Lucy Lowman has been playing sack since she was in elementary school; a favorite activity for her and her family when they would venture to the Boundary Waters. “It was kind of just the thing we did in our free time,” she said.

Lowman says the game’s appeal lies in its thrill. “It’s so entertaining and you never know what’s gonna happen,” she said. “It’s like the anticipation of keeping it up and when you get it up, it’s so hype and amazing.”

Lucy Lowman isn’t the only Lowman who loves hacky sacking, though; her dad, Daryn Lowman, the ceramics teacher, recently introduced his advisory to the sport as well.

Junior Nico Martin, part of the Lowman advisory, says that immediately after Lowman first introduced the game to them, he began to really enjoy it. “Instead of sitting in the common spaces, it’s really nice to go outside and do something.”

Martin enjoyed the game so much that he actually ended up making the SPA Sack Instagram account. Martin was inspired by the SPA tutorial footy account, which was a soccer account made by a group of 2026 seniors, who had videos of them playing soccer during tutorial, breaks and even at parks in their free time. The sack account is relatively the same idea.

Hacky sack has stretched beyond just school grounds, though. “I did buy a sack and start practicing some tricks by myself,” Martin said.

Hacky Sack has once again taken over high schools, allowing new opportunities for students to interact and engage with friends. Many say that trends are cyclical, but in the case of the sack, they can be spherical as well.