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