There are some combinations that just fit together so well — peanut butter and jelly, bacon and eggs, and cornhole and tailgates.
A classic part of fall Saturdays for many Nebraskans, cornhole is the quintessential social game to play. It’s simple, easy to understand, and fun to play with a group, making it popular in party settings outside of tailgates as well.
“You just play it in the backyard with your family and friends, having picnics and cookouts,” David Case, the sport director for cornhole, said.
Although the game has been popular in the Midwest since the 1980s, it has seen a recent increase in popularity which has vaulted it onto the national scene. The American Cornhole League (ACL) sponsors competitive cornhole events, with some being televised on ESPN.
“It’s really interesting seeing it grow. It’s very inclusive to everybody and it’s cool to see that it’s not only on TV but it’s [growing] locally too,” Case said.
Case has been a part of that growth, as he is a part of I-80 Cornhole, a local cornhole group which helps organize ACL events. After he got into the competitive cornhole scene personally, he found he enjoyed the sport tremendously and he wanted to think of ways to grow it.
“I just thought, ‘Well, it’s on TV, it should be in the Cornhusker State Games.’ It’s just another avenue I thought of to try and grow the sport,” he said.
Unlike many sports or games, cornhole is very simple to play, which helps make it accessible to a larger audience. Additionally, the social nature of cornhole makes it fun to play, whether with friends or strangers, as all participants can share in the fun of the game together.
“I like the social aspect of it, being out there and talking with everybody,” Case said. “You can go out there and throw a bag and compete against anybody as long as you can throw it in the hole.”
One of the three new sports for the 2019 Cornhusker State Games, competition will take place on July 20. The scoring for cornhole is simple- 1 point for a bag on the board, 3 points for a bag which goes through the hole and 0 points for bags which fail to rest on the board.
With the growth of cornhole across the country, Case is delighted at the opportunity to bring the sport to more Nebraskans.
“I’m really excited to see how many people turn out for it, and to be able to host that, it’s awesome,” Case said. “Just excited to bring all these people together and have a good time, really.”
Registration is currently open for the 2019 Cornhusker State Games. Featuring competition in 70 sports, participants can find more information and register online at our 2019 Sport Listing
