The Terrapin men’s basketball team may have missed the NCAA Tournament, but March Madness still came to the Reckord Armory on Saturday afternoon.
Alpha Phi Omega hosted Shred for Savvy, a footbag tournament benefiting a victim of biliary atresia, a rare condition found in infants. One-year-old Savannah Anselmo, a cousin of one of the fraternity’s members, suffers from the disease, and the tournament’s proceeds will help offset the cost of her medical bills.
Competitors of all ages came from as far as Pennsylvania and New York to show off their hacky sack prowess in several events. Players choreographed footbag tricks to music in the freestyle routines. The open circle featured players passing the ball around and performing complex tricks. And there was a volleyball-like footbag game.
Newer players were able to participate in a game where the goal was simply to juggle the footbag for as long as possible.
Senior Spanish and education major Adrienne Dukes, a member of the fraternity who organized the tournament, said she was pleased with the turnout.
“This is the first footbag tournament that I’ve put on, and I’m really excited about it,” she said.
In addition to organizing the event, Dukes also plays footbag and competes in various footbag tournaments.
Alpha Phi Omega raised about $450 for Anselmo’s treatment by asking for donations at the tournament.
Players wearing T-shirts, gym shorts and special sneakers suited to “shredding” – slang for playing footbag – prepared for the event by putting on knee and ankle braces, stretching extensively and even jumping rope to warm up.
During the routines competition, players displayed their talents to a vast array of music, from Fall Out Boy to the Aladdin soundtrack. One player, 41-year-old Ted Fritsch of Ellenville, N.Y., said his routine is the longest-running routine in footbagging.
“I’ve been doing my Rush routine since 1991,” Fritsch said, donning a tie-dye Rush T-shirt. “I guess I still do it because I’ve never quite gotten it right.”
“Flash” Gordon Bevier, 28, of State College, Penn., is currently ranked third in the world and second in the United States in footbag. Bevier said he got his start nine years ago after picking the sport up with people at concerts.
“When I went to my first tournament in Harrisburg, I was hooked immediately,” he said.
Penn State student David Clavens, 19, started playing five years ago at his soccer coach’s suggestion. “He suggested it to get better at juggling the soccer ball, but I ended up liking footbag better because you can be more creative with making tricks,” Clavens said. He finished fourth at the 2007 World Championships.The oldest player attending was Jack Lentz, 54, of Erie, Penn. Lentz started playing hacky sack in 1985 and has since competed in many tournaments. Fritsch said he anticipates that Lentz will be inducted into the Footbag Hall of Fame this year.
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