SIOUX CITY — Cornhole is commonly known for being a popular backyard or tailgating game, but in recent years, it has gained popularity in the competitive sphere.
Competitive cornhole -- or bag toss depending on who you ask -- has been growing throughout Siouxland, with both private and city-sponsored leagues.
Each week, a men’s and a women’s cornhole league meets at The Blue Ribbon Tap.
Many of those who participate started because it sounded like a fun way to get out of the house and meet new people.
Jonathan Tripp is one of the founding members of the Sioux City Baggerz league. His friend started it and invited him around the summer of 2019, but he eventually took over.
Tripp said cornhole is like a family. He said everyone is welcoming and willing to teach others how to play.
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“It’s a really easy game to get down,” he said.
Tripp brought the idea of starting a league to Cody Worden, owner of the Blue Ribbon Tap four or five years ago. Worden said it started a way for people to have a night away, to drink, play and relax.
“We all weren’t very good at it,” he said.
It naturally got more competitive. They started tournaments and leagues and it became what it is now.
Josh Montagne and Zach Bainbridge played softball together, but Montagne said he got tired of getting hurt. The pair played in a random tournament three years ago and said “this is so much fun and you’re not going to hurt yourself.”
What started as a fun activity became more competitive, leading the pair to attend national competitions.
Bainbridge said his favorite part is the atmosphere. He said he has met many friends and always has a good time.
Rachel Bagels and Amanda Jordan are partners in the women’s league. Their friend Kayla Worden is one of the owners of The Blue Ribbon Tap and wanted the pair to join.
“We were kind of reluctant at first,” Bagels said. “We’re like the least competitive people.”
In their first season, they were able to attend the championship and won every game ending in the first place. This year, they’re in second place for the season.
Val Peterson and Bonnie Kleinhesselink are in first place in the Blue Ribbon league. They started playing a year and a half ago at The Marquee. Kleinhesselink said when they first started, they couldn’t even hit the board, but they’ve gotten better.
Jordan said the best part of women’s league is it is not as competitive as co-ed leagues and they can make new friendships.
“It’s a lot harder to connect when you get older, so the set day to hang out with all of your girls is a really fun experience,” Bagels said.
Bagels agreed. “We can stand next to somebody we haven’t really played before and just joke around.”
Kleinhesselink said she loves the competition, and everyone is relaxed and fun.
Easy to learn
The game of cornhole is simple to learn. In teams of two, players throw four bags each team onto a board 27 feet away. Players stand across from their teammates and beside their competitors.
A bag on the board means one point, and a bag in the hole means three points, but if the player’s competitor also gets bags on or in the board, they cancel each other out. The first to 21 points wins.
Around 80 percent of the game is mental and 20 percent is learning how to play, Montagne said.
“People defeat themselves before they even hit the board when they go up against somebody good,” he said.
Montagne said people will start shaky, get better, then hit a downward spiral because they were in a mental rut.
Montagne said even though the game is simple to learn, there are a variety of different skills to master. There are different throws, different goals and changes for environmental factors.
“We all start throwing the bag how we do in the backyard, and you end up learning there’s a technique to it,” he said.
Montagne said the different types of throws all have names and purposes. There is a throw called the penguin shot, for example, that can scoop the bag in front of it to push both in the hole. Bainbridge said some shots are meant to block, or push through a block.
Strategizing
“It comes down to strategy a lot,” Bainbridge said. “If you’re going against somebody that’s just really good at just sliding it into the hole every time, that’s where a blocker comes in,” he said.
Each bag also has two different sides - a smooth side and a sticky side – and they have speed ratings.
“You have to find a bag company that you like the material,” Montagne said.
Prices for bags can range from $60 for four, or $300 for four. Board sets also range in price with some as low as $40 and as high as $500.
Quick mastery
While it can vary from person to person, Montagne said after around six months of work, someone could be decent at the game and Bainbridge said after a year they could be strongly competing.
Montagne and Bainbridge have attended national competitions and both said it was an amazing experience.
“You will play against people you see on ESPN,” Montagne said.
Most of the communication of the leagues and tournaments is through word-of-mouth and Facebook. The Sioux City Baggerz has a public Facebook group that anyone can join to learn about tournaments throughout Siouxland and surrounding communities.
The Blue Ribbon Tap league is $100 for 12 weeks in a season, with one week of playoffs.
Every Monday, many cornhole competitors meet at The Don’s in South Sioux City to compete. Bainbridge said those who attend range from really good, to just starting.
The City of Sioux City also has a league for adults. The next season starts Aug. 2 and runs until Sept. 13 for $50. Signup is available online.
When asked what they would say to those interested in playing, everyone the Journal spoke to said “do it.”
Each recommended going to a Monday night Don’s competition or joining the Sioux City Baggerz league. At The Don’s there is a $10 buy-in and it changes from bringing your partner, singles and random doubles.
“Come play with us because we’ll pump you up, we get new people all the time,” Montagne said.
If someone doesn’t know how to play, no problem; every individual said cornhole competitors in Sioux City are more than willing to teach and help a new player along.
Jordan said new players can be intimidated, but Jordan and Bagels said the group is about helping each other.
“If you come and you’re nervous, and it’s your first time, we’re more than willing to give advice. We’re just here for fun,” Bagels said.
