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Hacky Sack Club brings light-hearted fun to City College

President+of+the+Hacky+Sack+Club+Ben+Early%2C+right%2C+kicks+the+footbag+while+the+other+members%2C+from+left%2C+Alex+Sasich%2C+Elijah+Akia%2C+Dylan+Rief%2C+Taji+Tanner%2C+and+Rocio+Reyes+get+ready+for+the+ball+to+be+passed+around+outside+the+Earth+and+Biological+Sciences+Building+on+Thursday%2C+March+21%2C+2019%2C+at+City+College+in+Santa+Barbara%2C+Calif.+The+Hacky+Sack+Club+meets+4+p.m.+on+Thursdays.
Alejandro Gonzalez Valle
President of the Hacky Sack Club Ben Early, right, kicks the footbag while the other members, from left, Alex Sasich, Elijah Akia, Dylan Rief, Taji Tanner, and Rocio Reyes get ready for the ball to be passed around outside the Earth and Biological Sciences Building on Thursday, March 21, 2019, at City College in Santa Barbara, Calif. The Hacky Sack Club meets 4 p.m. on Thursdays.

What most would assume is a game of the 1970s, is now a well-received City College get together, called the Hacky Sack Club.

With a total of 30 members that come to play each week, the club has become popular on campus.

“It feels very rewarding,” said City College student Ben Early. “I’ve always had a hard time being a leader of something, so I figured I would step out of my comfort zone and try to start something new.”

With the guidance of club adviser Eiko Kitao, Early and his friends in the geology department decided to turn their hobby into an established club.

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“Ben really popularized it around campus, he single-handedly put it on the map,” said Kitao.

Early and his peers would find themselves spending their spare time with spontaneous games of hacky sack during Geology field trips.

“It’s kind of been like a ritual, someone always brings a hacky sack,” said Early, adding he drew inspiration from the field trips after he realized it was something everyone enjoyed to do.

The thought of “how many people” would join didn’t cross the club founder’s mind.

Dylan Rief, center, bounces the footbag off his chest while Joneel Zinto, left, and Taji Tanner, right, wait for the ball to be passed around during the Hacky Sack Club’s meeting outside the Earth and Biological Sciences Building on Thursday, March 21, 2019, at City College in Santa Barbara, Calif.
Alejandro Gonzalez Valle
Dylan Rief, center, bounces the footbag off his chest while Joneel Zinto, left, and Taji Tanner, right, wait for the ball to be passed around during the Hacky Sack Club’s meeting outside the Earth and Biological Sciences Building on Thursday, March 21, 2019, at City College in Santa Barbara, Calif.

“It was really more about just who was interested, it’s been a really great experience and everybody seems to enjoy it,” Early continued.

City College student Rocio Reyes discovered the group at a club fair early on in the semester.

“I saw them playing after the club fair, and it looked really fun,” said Reyes. “I’m glad I joined.”

The crowd size grew as the games proceeded, members were eager to hop in and out of the hacky sack circle.

“The players who are a bit more advanced are really patient with the beginners, there are new players every week,” said Kitao.  

The club meets at 4 p.m. every Thursday behind the Earth & Biological Sciences building.

Early started this club the beginning of Spring semester and plans to keep it running.

“I kind of started as a joke, not really thinking it would be this popular,” said Early.  “It turned into something great.”

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