"Ronnie," is a 16 year old foster child, talkative, needy and rambunctious. "Joseph," also 16 years old, is extremely bright, in trouble with the law and taking antidepressant medication. "Jeannette," 15 years old, whose alcoholic father died last year, is a good natured teen who enjoys taking care of others, body piercing and living on her own. "Maxwell," also living independently after escaping an abusive home in Delaware, is a good-looking, lovelorn 20 year old who suffers periodic bouts of low self esteem. When "Kelly," 15 years old, was kicked out of her house recently, she dyed her hair purple and got a tatoo.
What do these not-so-atypical American youths have in common?
You guessed it. Footbag is changing
their lives for the better.
by Daniel Botkin
In 1988 I launched the Footbag Peace Initiative and organized a footbag friendship tour through war-torn Central America. This first kicking diplomacy expedition and its subsequent video documentary ("Futbolito") have been warmly received and widely supported by players and peace activists. However, among mainstream athletes, traditional educators, policy makers and the commercial media, the mission of the FPI ("...to harness our sport in the service of cultural healing.") has been mostly ignored, sometimes patronized and occasionally viewed as just plain weird.
Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised recently to receive government funding for a pilot project to teach footbag (along with other survival skills) to troubled teenagers here in Western Massachusetts. Since January, the Footbag Mentors Project has been mobilizing "at-risk" local youths into a team of accomplished athletes, peer leaders, and footbag makers. Supported by a $9,000 Massachusetts DPH "Teen Pregnancy Prevention" challenge grant, this unlikely after-school program represents a growing recognition of the educational and theraputic potential inherent in our sport.
Photo: From left: Kelly Cody, Shawn Behilo, Ricky Rodriguez, D. Botkin,
Mark Mosquera, and Pat Deane.
It's no mystery to this social worker that youth at risk (those prone to substance abuse, unplanned pregnancy, disease or criminal involvement) act defiantly, in part due to their view of themselves as outsiders. These kids possess hidden gifts, but too often their identities are forged by negative attention rather than by contributing or playing by the rules.
The Mentors Project uses the springboard of footbag, widely popular among the fringe youth cultures, to make a positive contact and begin building belonging and trust. Despite the anti-social connotation footbag has among many high school administrators, playing our sport has an uncanny way of mobilizing people in a good way!
Within the circle a true community develops. For teens grappling with issues of identity and alienation, footbag can be a potent symbol, a loving family as well as an effective vehicle of communication. As we footbag pioneers have known since the early 80's, circle play naturally elicits communication, problem solving, leadership and initiative, as well as mutual support and unity between skilled and unskilled players alike--even strangers! For adolescents who've slipped through the cracks of traditional sports, footbag can also be a unique back door into athletics, a fun, alternative workout which incidentally promotes self esteem, fitness, balance, endurance and reflex.
Photo: Mary Elizabeth Marchefka, left, and Madie Facto get their hands into footbag.
Photo by D. Botkin.
Blending the disciplines of sports, craftwork, group building and health education, the Mentors group meets three times weekly for two hours after school, in space donated at the local YMCA. Twice a week we have a formal 70-minute workout (space donated by the local YMCA) which includes coaching in proper stretches, warm ups, kicking techniques musical choreography and drills.
After each workout we gather in a circle for "check-in." We pass around a special footbag, taking turns sharing personal issues, feelings, what we're grateful for and finally, giving positive and constructive feedback and support. I'm always surprised by just how willing and capable these adolescents are to opening up and risk sharing, something many adults cannot or will not do.
The Footbag Mentors also convene weekly for an hour-long training session focusing on decision-making, responsible sexuality and teen pregnancy and disease prevention themes. Cody Kelly, a part-time college intern studying outdoor recreation, recently led us on a day-long orienteering adventure. We've also scheduled Cody to lead us on a ropes course experience, a day of rock climbing and an afternoon of new games. Through the group, several of our young members will be receiving career counseling and two will be immunized for Hepatitis B.
Photo: Paulette Theriot, left, and Eric Graves sew their first footbags
at a mentors group gathering. Photo by D. Botkin.
And of course, the kids are learning to hand-stitch leather and synthetic footbags. At the end of our sessions each person gets to sew his or her own footbag and, if they wish, receive free materials to continue sewing on their own. Several youngsters have shown a distinct talent with the needle and have progressed quickly to producing lovely multipanel bags, some even adding the wings and bells popularized last summer by yours truly.
True to their name, the teen mentors are now also teaching footbag making to their peers in school during scheduled workshops, and on the streets of Greenfield MA. Rare is the young kicker who does not want to make his own bag, for free! Now that word of the project, as well as the colorful, handmade products themselves have filtered out on the street, a "hundredth monkey" phenomenon is kicking in. Whereas the crocheted cotton footbag used to be the overwhelming norm just a few months ago, now it is the "teen-made" models which reign supreme around town.
We're interested in sharing more details about the Footbag Mentors Project with other youth workers who may be interested in adapting this model, as well as communicating with peace-oriented footbaggers of all stripes. For a copy of my 11-page grant proposal, send a few bucks for copying and postage to: P.O. Box 147, Montague, MA, 01351. Or call (413) 367-2427.
Daniel Botkin, director of the Footbag Mentors Project, is a bilingual health educator, a social worker, and a joyous player and footbag maker. His e-mail address is: <dbotkin@family.hampshire.edu>.
