THE ATHLETE NEXT DOOR
By Mandy Wolf Detwiler | Photos by Danny Alexander
Pitch it!
Two Southern Indiana residents set to compete in world cornhole championship
C ornhole, that ubiquitous, classic bag-and-board game found at nearly every barbecue and tailgating party across America, is more than just a weekend past time for Jeff Shepherd Sr. and Terry Mathis.
Shepherd, a retired member of the Charlestown Police Department, and New Albany electrician Terry Mathis have circled around each other at cornhole tournaments for years – and have even been paired together in blind draws in the past – before teaming up to play doubles this season. Together, they’ ll compete in the American Corhole Organization’ s( ACO) 12th annual world championships July 25-29 in Owensboro, Ky.
According to the ACO, there are more than 1,300 paid members of the organization representing 23 U. S. states. With an average play time of 15 minutes per game, just about anyone can learn the sport. Each season runs from September to May. There are regional events held monthly in each state, and competitors play for points. Those points determine players’ rankings. Divisions and rankings include singles, doubles, women, seniors and juniors.
Shepherd plays in the senior division for players 55 and older, as well as singles and doubles. Mathis plays singles and doubles.
“ I’ ve thrown ever since I was 13 years old, just not competitively until the last three years when I joined the ACO,” says Shepherd, who is ranked No. 5 in Indiana in singles, fourth in the senior division and 74th in the world, according to the ACO Web site.
Mathis is ranked first in the state and third in the world, and he says he’ s been playing for about 10 years. Together, they’ re ranked ninth in doubles.
Locally, there about 50 to 60 members of the Kentuckiana chapter of the ACO.
“ You go to a tailgating( party) and there’ s always somebody playing cornhole,” Mathis says.
Shepherd adds that the sport has increased in popularity with the rise of more companies building and making boards and bags, to the point where entire retail stores are devoted to cornhole. Mathis plays three days a week and on weekends, while Shepherd plays a bit less.
“ If you really want to be good at it, we know people who throw 500 bags a day,” Shepherd says, adding that he pitched softball for years and the movements are similar.“ That’ s just how good some of these guys are. … There’ s some that it’ s all they do all day.”
Mathis says many of the local and regional tournaments are played by doubles, even at bars where there are blind draws to pair up individuals of different abilities. There are competitors who play the entire season, and there are others who play really well for just a few games, enough to compete on the pro level.
The two have played for years at both the state and world levels, like the one recently held in Indiana, where they were ranked
No. 1 in doubles. Mathis is a back-to-back state champion, and they’ ve watched each other play singles for years. Separated by one county line, it just made sense for the two to pair up.
The professional cornhole associations have worked in recent years to get the public to see cornhole as more than just a party game.
“ Word of mouth is our best advertisement,” Mathis says.“ People are trying to get other people to play it. It’ s more of a social gathering.”
Adds Shepherd:“ I think the ACO is the top-notch public cornhole association.”
The ACO World Championship has more than $ 30,000 in prize money available, and holds its world event annually in areas where cornhole is popular, and there are plenty of hotels and things to do for the 500 to 600 people who compete at the international level. In larger cities like New York and Las Vegas, cornhole is considered“ a side game,” Shepherd says.
At last year’ s worlds in Knoxville, Bud Light was a sponsor for the event, which is proof that cornhole is drawing more attention yearly. This year’ s worlds will include several categories, including juniors for 17 and under, the women’ s division, singles, doubles and seniors.
“ They’ re trying to get the college crowd involved to have a college series,” Shepherd says.“ You get more people involved and the word gets around.”
The ACO also is looking to add a dedicated
10 EXTOL SPORTS / JULY 2017