Best feet forward
Talk about putting your best feet forward.
Butler resident Josh Gayhart was able to do so on the world stage recently — thanks in part to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gayhart, 34, competed in his first Freestyle World Footbag Championships and placed third in the Open Sick3 Division earlier this month. Because of the pandemic, the world championships were conducted online.
“You had a three-week time frame in which to submit your video,” Gayhart said. “I loved the format. There's a lot less pressure than actually performing live.
“There was a live stream of the whole thing on YouTube. I liked how it was done. They should have two world championships every year — one at an actual site, the other online — so everyone interested can have a chance to compete.”
Gayhart has competed in footbag events before. He's placed fourth and second, respectively, at the New Year's Jam in Detroit the past two years.
Approximately 40 people entered his division at the Freestyle World Championships. He was one of nine selected for the finals, where judges determined his fate.
“I've always had interest in entering the world event,” Gayhart admitted. “Of course, it's held at a different site in the world each year. I could never get there.”
Last year's world championships took place in Warszawa, Poland. The 2018 event was in Sofia, Bulgaria, while the 2017 championships were in Portland, Ore.
Gayhart began doing footbag as a hobby at age 13. A Butler High School graduate, he only began entering competitions two years ago.
Footbag, made popular in the 1970s, consists of a small, round bag filled with plastic pellets or sand. The object is to keep the bag off the ground as long as possible, using only one's feet to launch it in the air.
Footbag can be a competitive game or simply used as a display of dexterity.
“There was one kid in high school who could do it better than me and I wanted to be the best,” Gayhart said. “That was my motivation.
“I'll practice three or four days a week for one or two hours. I never gave it up.”
The Open Sick3 division consisted of linking together three moves consecutively, with no stoppage or errors.
Gayhart's moves were the Pixie Armageddon, Pixie Motion and Food Processor. Other popular moves include the Backside Bedwetter, Nemesis, Atomic Torque, Atomic Eggbeater, Phoenix Swirl, Alpine Fusion and P.S. Whirling Swirl.
“It's hard to explain the moves,” Gayhart said. “They involve a lot of leg movement, twists and spins, switching from one foot to another.”
Both of the competitors finishing ahead of Gayhart were from Poland.
“One was 35 years old, the other was in his late 20's,” Gayhart said. “They were pretty impressive.”
His father, Sean Gayhart, admits he doesn't know a lot about the sport.
“I just know Josh has been doing it for a long time and he works hard at it,” he said. “What he did was quite an accomplisment. I'm glad he had the opportunity to compete.”
While Gayhart has competed in smaller footbag tournaments, there is a U.S. Open and East Coast Championship every year. Those events were held in Boston and New York City, respectively, last year.
The 2020 East Coast Championship is slated for Sept. 12 in Doylesburg, Pa.
“I'm training now to compete in that one,” Gayhart said.
