Hacky sack is back and it's taking over this Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, school

The same question can be heard every day during lunchtime at La Salle College High School in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. 

"Who wants to go play sack?" 18-year-old Charlie Desmond said.

Before any rallies or stalls, phones are set off to the sidelines as a small woven ball captures the attention of dozens of students all across campus. 

"Instead of sitting inside on our phones, on social media, we're out here hanging out with each other," Desmond said.

The new pastime and its impact aren't lost on school staff. 

"Probably one of the more controversial topics is controlling cellphone use, but now they're just being with each other," School president Brother James Butler said. "So, in some ways, the problem has really solved itself with the intervention of the sport."

Hacky sack, which is also known as footbag, is a no-hands sport that was started in the early 1970s in the United States.

However, similar games have been traced back to the 18th century in Chinese culture and throughout history in Native American communities, according to World Footbag.

It's gone in and out of popularity, but it's seeing a revival right now.

"People started bringing hacky sacks from their home and a bunch of different friend groups play," Desmond said. "It's like all over the school."

From an upperclassmen-only space called "The Pit" to other outdoor areas filled with younger students. Talent can be seen everywhere, as some students have been able to incorporate back flips and other tricks to elevate their game. 

"It makes me proud because they really did it themselves," Butler said. "You can't point to great coaching. This is just them. It's all organic that they've taken this and gotten involved with the movement."

It's gaining attention on social media too. La Salle is one of the top-ranked schools in the country, according to online stats.

"For as long as it lasts as a fad, I'm delighted," Butler said. "When the kids ask me if I want to sack, I always say I'm a retired pass master. That's because when I first started teaching in '82 or '83, it was a big thing for a while. I remember it well."

As the circle keeps growing, so does the bond between generations.  

"Our time here is coming to an end and so it's really just a great opportunity to just hang out with each other, be in the moment and just having fun playing hacky sack," Desmond said.