Don'tcha think the phrase "up-and-coming-young-freestylers" has grown a bit soggy with its recent overuse? Short of agreeing on a pronunciation of the acronym UACYFs, it seems to me we could get the point across more succinctly and less euphemistically with terms like vultures, sabateurs, guerillas, or giant-killers. Whatever you call them, nowadays, they're the ones irreverently forecasting the retirement of Kenny Shults from freestyle competition with blasphemous slurs such as "Washed up," "Old Has Been," and "Hope he's in my pool." This comes on the heals of Shults' failure, for the first time at any event, to advance to either the singles or team freestyle finals at last fall's 10th annual Funtastik Summer Classic in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Yes, Father Time has struck again. Together with fellow sideliner Rippin' Rick Reese, Shults sat in dismay against a wood shed watching the finals of freestyle take place without him. Although Reese did manage to muster up a fourth place in singles, the once-untouchable pair humbly eyed a major add grinding routine by "the enlightener," Scott Davidson and first place honors bestowed upon Irish once again.

Outside tourney play, however, there were several blistering circles of shred. The Big Add Posse (BAP) was in full force at the Funtastik Summer Classic as the Executioner (Irish), Hugh-Mungis (Munger), Chiseler (Casey), Kosmo (Kremer), Disco Ninja (Vu), GF Smoothie (Nelson), Noah, Davidson, and, of course, the Enforcer (Shults) all tied up their laces tight for a remarkable weekend of blurs, blizzards, barrages, and blenders. In particular, heavyweights Irish, Shults, Casey, Munger, and Reese battled for hours under the gazebo. Witnesses say Rippin' put on a wicked display with, forgive me for saying, net shoes on. Stand clear of the blades! Don't miss this awesome event next year. Big thanks to Joe and Brenda.

"Chiseler Josh Casey strung together countless blurs and blizzards as he and Hugh Mungis upped the ante in style and Rippin' held on for dear life."
	Photo by John Caveney

What year-end would be complete without Michigan's annual X-mas Jam? Rarely considered a few years ago, shredders now come from near and far to battle the cold of Flint for this midwestern spectacle. The dedication of these shred-heads is an inspiration to us all.

Chiseler Josh Casey strung together countless blurs and blizzards as he and Hugh-Mungis upped the ante in style and Rippin' held on for dear life. Davidson arrived on Sunday to spank everyone with some Chicago-based spinning shred worthy of video tape. Kosmo busted blurry to blur with ease, but Daryl Genz was still the man, linking 10 paradox whirls in a row and 8 blurs with no guilt (2 add moves) in between. After the smoke had cleared, Carol (What's your BAP nickname?) Wedemeyer rips torque to paradox drifter (WOW!) and was the only one left shredding. Watch out, Sam.

After about two months' rest to recover from the Funtastik wounds received at the hands, or more appropriately feet, of virtually all of the pups-who-seem-to-have-no-respect-for-their-elders, Shults put the final touches on the SkoolHouse, the world's first, designed-from-the-ground-up, freestyle footbag training facility. Taking advantage of a half inch of rubber flooring under carpet, Kenny's comeback training results have been promising. Even so, the SkoolHouse has been the proud witness to a much more remarkable story this winter. Ahren "The Torch" (as in the passing thereof) Gehrman, has scorched the custom floor repeatedly with the kind of HUGE guilt-free combos previously reserved for those who were at least old enough to carry a driver's license. To say that no sixteen year old has ever played at this level is an understatement. To say that no freestyler has ever reached such heights so fast would be only a little closer.

"...but Daryl Genz was still the man, linking 10 paradox whirls in a row and 8 blurs with no guilt."
	Photo by Tom Holt

Gehrman served notice at Portland's Heart of Footbag Freestyle tournament in February. If any of the old-guard BAP members care to keep up, they had better consider cashing in any assets they might have for a set of sixteen-year-old legs. Remember--for every one that's up-and-coming, somebody's got to be down-and-going.

Apparently, word of the new prodigy leaked out to San Francisco. This might well explain the conspicuous absence of Peter Irish, Tim Kelly, and Dennis Jones from the Heart of Footbag event. Not a moment too soon, Gehrman is now the youngest and most recent Big Add Posse member. Congratulations!

In other Portland highlights, Scott Davidson demonstrated, with some stunning combos rich with his signature cross-body moves and spins, that he didn't waste his winter juggling. Likewise, Darryl (Gensu) Genz came with a much-improved repertoire and showed that it is simply impossible to outlast him.

On a final note, Daryl Genz & Rippin' Rick have joined forces to try and lasso a long overdue championship for '96. Perhaps Rippin' and Kenny have finally conceded that, if you want to land the big ones, you've gotta at least find a partner who lives in the same time zone. Look no further than Nelson/Moldenauer or Irish/Wulff for proof of that.

That's it for this issue of the Underground. Thanks for tuning in and, if you can't find your way to Montreal, we'll be right here next time to share the highs and lows.

CONTENTS French Connection | Mentors | Three Stripes Tricks | Nervous? | Underground | Swift FootNotes | Events | Results | Entry Form | FootMART

Copyright © 1996 World Footbag Association.

On-Line Edition by Steven L. Goldberg, July, 1996.