Cornhole. It’s not a cuss; it’s one of the most popular backyard games for families and friends. No tailgate party should be bereft of beer pong and cornhole. However, it’s not just an American pastime. It’s also an American sport.
Here are some reasons cornhole should be taken as a serious sport.
You can play it socially or competitively.
We all know how a game of bags is often played in the backyard or during tailgate parties. It’s a good way to pass the time, after all, before the game or the feast starts. It’s a very social pastime, often paired with beer and a good time. Originally, it was a simple parlor game like quoits or horseshoes.
And like all simple games then, things got heated and competitive. Now, it’s played as a competitive level sport with rules and guidelines provided by three independent governing bodies, namely the American Cornhole League, American Cornhole Organization, and the American Cornhole Association. These three organizations promote and sponsor cornhole events albeit separately.
It’s taking the world by storm.
Cornhole hopes to earn a seat at the table of sports. Cornhole’s three governing organizations all try to promote cornhole as a legitimate sport in the same vein as basketball, American football, and baseball. However, the ACL is taking its fight to the next level, gaining a niche on ESPN. They’re also trying to promote cornhole worldwide, even setting their sights on making baggo an Olympic sport. Could you even imagine being a part of Team USA by just throwing bean bags? Cornhole’s governing bodies think they can.
It’s backed by science.
Playing bags require strategic thinking, skills, precision, and most importantly, a bit of science. Firstly, the 6″ x 6″ bags aren’t just sacks. One side is made of suede and the other twill. Players have to take advantage of the materials’ ability to cause friction to shoot the beanbags or to block others from doing so. Players also need to take account of their optimal throwing angle and speed to achieve the best results. They can try just throwing the bags into the hole, but it’s inefficient to do so in the long run, considering the point cancellation mechanics of baggos.
By definition, it’s a sport.
The Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries defines sport as an “activity that you do for pleasure and that needs physical effort or skill, usually done in a special area and according to fixed rules.” Meanwhile, Dictionary.com defines it as “an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature.” So, by those definitions, we can infer that a sport requires physical effort or skill, competitiveness, and rules.
So, let’s look at the game of bags. Does it use physical effort? Yes. You need to throw the beanbag towards the cornhole board. Is there a skill required? Yes. It utilizes one’s accuracy and dexterity. Cornhole also requires strategic thinking, akin to other team sports like basketball and football. Can bean bag games get competitive? Yes. As was said before, there are official competitive cornhole leagues and tournaments broadcast on TV and over the Internet. Does cornhole have rules? Yes. The ACO, ACL, and ACA all have official guidelines and regulations for the game. By the definition of sport itself, playing baggos is a sport.
From a simple social sport to a competitive sport, Cornhole aims to solidify its status as a legitimate sport and not just a pastime. It may not be the next exercising fad, it’s still a physical activity that teams or individuals can compete in and is bound in rules. It is a true, American sport.