Joanne Williams
Editor

(Photo provided –  Alex Weaver was recruited to one of only two collegiate cornhole teams in the country, and brought home a national championship for his Adrian College team. Weaver won in the national finals, held January 1 and 2 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.)

Imagine starting the year off as a national champion.

Alex Weaver of Olivet does not have to imagine it – he accomplished it, as individual champion of the College Cornhole National Championship, representing Adrian College.

Weaver, a junior, placed first out of 118 competitors, live on ESPN, as well as coverage on CBS and on The Athletic website.

Being in the spotlight “is not my favorite thing,” said Weaver, 21. But, the event was, especially since his family, mom, stepdad, granddad, and uncle, were there to cheer him on.

What makes Weaver a champion? Coach Maxwell Benedict, who initiated the program at Adrian in 2021, said, “Time, the amount of time he puts into it,” as well as consistency and mental skills. Benedict said the team has a mental coach, and Weaver makes use of the training. 

Weaver, who went through grade and high school in Olivet, played cornhole growing up but it wasn’t until  later, after playing basketball and golf, that he devoted effort to improving his cornhole play.

Three years ago, Weaver said he did not even know collegiate cornhole competition existed. “I started at Trine University,” studying finance, Weaver said, and Benedict recruited him for the second semester. The rest is history.

Adrian College is one of two colleges with dedicated teams, Winthrop University in South Carolina is the other. Adrian was the first in the country with  a school-funded team. The sport was fostered by Killshots Cornhole, a local game supplier. This is Coach Benedict’s first cornhole rodeo – someone forwarded him the job announcement as he pondered a career change.

Weaver said he will “never stop playing” the game. His tip for competing? “Patience,” he said. “Even if you are down, you just play until the game is over.” That’s 21 points in cornhole.

Cornhole has deep roots, first recognized as an outdoor game in 1883 as a combination of horseshoes and square holes. As excitement for the game grew, folks wanted an indoor version, so soft bean bags, actually filled with corn kernels, was born.

Now bean bags come in every design and color, and the wooden, ramped corn hole surfaces come in all types of designs as well. In competition, the equipment is regulated.

The game is known by a variety of names around the county: Bean bag toss, baggo, sacks and dummy board are just a few. It is now part of Special Olympics.

There are leagues and tournaments around the country, established in the early 2000s. The American Cornhole Association is located in Cincinnati, Ohio.

With the winter Olympics now in play, Weaver said there have been rumors that cornhole may be on the schedule in 2032.