Cornhole craze hits Medicine Hat with introduction of weekly league

“Once we learned this we went to visit some of the neighbour leagues in Strathmore and Calgary, saw that people were having an awesome time, and thought ‘gee, we really need to bring this home to Medicine Hat and at that point we started getting really serious about this,” says Tom.

The Simpsons managed to collect sponsors quickly, and placed an order for their cornhole boards in April.

The complete planning process only took about two months, despite running into some issues along the way.

“The first one was getting the equipment, and finding out how we were going to pay for this, and we were fortunate to get some really good sponsors,” Tom explained. He added, “the second thing was finding a place where we could play and set out eight or nine lanes and have the space that we could use. At that point the legion came into the picture and we’re just thrilled to be able to come into their basement and set up.”

Although cornhole is stereotyped for only the older population, Simpson says it is a game for everyone.

It is a simple concept of throwing a bean bag onto a board 27 feet away. Landing the bag on the board counts for one point, and getting it through the hole counts for three. The game is played up to 21 points.

Part of the appeal is its convenience and affordability.

“We also have people with zero experience playing the game, it’s really simple to get into and doesn’t require a significant athletic background, and it doesn’t require specialized equipment. People just show up and we have it all set up for them and they’re good to go once they get here,” says Tom.

Drop-in players are welcome each Wednesday at Medicine Hat’s Royal Canadian Legion for $15.

The organizers say they are happy to help with technique development throughout the games.

Each Wednesday is a mini tournament, and winners can walk away with prize money that night.

Simpson says it is a social and fun environment.

“It’s really neat. The people are talkative, they’re laughing, having fun. It’s just one of those events that you really get hooked on quickly. It’s something that you’re gonna make a good effort to be here every wednesday because it’s very addictive.”

Carol Simpson says cornhole quickly became more than just a camping game to her.

“I’ve been playing it for a number of years, but we didn’t get serious maybe until we started camping again a few years ago, and I just loved it. When I started playing it, like I’ve played lots of games when I was camping, this one to me is the most fun,” Carol explains.

A ten-week league is also scheduled for September, and the Sundogs are hoping to have at least another 25 people join.

Tom says, “a lot of people have committed and said ‘we can’t make it here right now because we’ve got other commitments, but we’ll definitely be seeing you come September,’ so that makes us really happy to hear that.”

Drop-in players can still join the action until the end of June.

The Simpsons even convinced me to toss some bean bags, and get a taste of the sport. I can definitely say it is harder than it looks.

by Lisa Parent

Cornhole craze hits Medicine Hat with introduction of weekly league

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