24/08/2026
Superball 2026 🤔
I’m speaking here both as Head of Culture, but also as an athlete and a friend.
When I came to my first Superball in 2017, I honestly felt like I didn’t belong. It was one of the hardest weeks of my life. But it taught me an important lesson. Paloma Freestyle (one of the best things through freestyle; life long friends) told me: you can either quit or fight harder. And if I felt like I didn’t belong, I also had a responsibility to do something about it. I couldn’t just wait to be welcomed. I needed to reach out, talk to people and welcome others too.
I think this applies to all of us.
We have different opinions, experiences and ways of seeing things. Clashes will happen. What matters is how we handle them. Open conversations, honesty and the willingness to understand each other are essential for any sport and community to grow.
We all have our own battles, and not all of them are related to freestyle. We don’t need to be best friends with everyone, but we should see each other and remember that everyone comes from a different life. Because freestyle is about much more than skills, competitions or recognition. It teaches persistence, communication, dealing with setbacks, working with different people and understanding yourself. These are things you take with you long after freestyle.
I started freestyle at 35. Some people thought it was a waste of time and that I should focus on something more “valuable”. I saw it as an opportunity. Everything I had done before became a tool for freestyle. You probably do it the opposite way. One day, everything you learn through freestyle will become a tool for whatever comes next.
Pushing the level and creating crazy things is important. But also: see each other, respect each other and take responsibility for the community we want to build.
I am more than happy to discuss on the points I personally or World Freestyle Football Association could do better, as I know there are many.
Most what I hoped this year was that I personally saw everyone, you as well. And I truly felt I was seen too. Thank you all for that. In the end, it’s the people around us that make it all meaningful.
Superball 2026 🫶🏻
📷 Mateusz Odrzygóźdź
