Local cornhole players are getting a league of their own in Orillia this spring.
The Orillia Cornhole Club is set to host a ten-week season at ODAS Park on Thursday nights beginning in May. The inaugural season is sponsored by Mark Goode Mortgage Man Dominion Lending Centres.
Behind the new club is Simcoe County resident and Guelph Native Nick Bornino, who enjoys playing cornhole with his brother at their cottage.
“We always hated waiting until the next season before we could start playing again. We thought this would be a great thing to play all year round,” Bornino explained.
“We started to look into it and we couldn’t find anything, so we started a league last September in Guelph where my brother lives, and now we are getting going with the Orillia one.”
The Orillia Cornhole Club offers leagues for players of at least 19 years of age who want to play singles, doubles, and mixed. Bornino is also contemplating a league for players under 19.
“We are looking for players of all skill levels. We get asked all the time, is this for women as well? And the answer is yes, it’s for everybody,” Bornino said.
“We just want to get everyone playing and enjoying the game as much as we do.”
The club will be happy to host players who are looking to join for the social aspect of the game, as well as the players who would like a more competitive challenge.
“We will have a points system that will seed you for league tournaments, and our club is a part of Cornhole Canada which gives players of high skill levels a chance to qualify for the national tournament in Toronto this August,” Bornino explained.
Orillia was a marquee destination for the new club because of the popularity of the game and the opportunity to grow it.
“There are a lot of players in Orillia already, and there are some great players, so this is a great opportunity to grow the game,” Bornino said
“There is a club next door in Barrie which could allow for some friendly rival competitions. The goal is to keep growing the game and we felt Orillia was a great place to do that.”
Bornino expects there will be lots of interest in the cornhole club when the season kicks off this spring.
“I think people are tired of being stuck inside, so as we get moving again this is something new to give people something to try. It’s a night out and it allows people to enjoy themselves with some recreation,” he said.
Bornino is also a firm believer that cornhole is a game that can be played safely during a pandemic.
“It’s probably one of the best things you can play right now. The boards are 27 feet apart, we will be putting in measures like having people stand back while a person is throwing, we are keeping a little bit more than six feet in between lanes, bean bags will be sanitized in between games, and as we start to get into the warmer months we can move it outside if we wish,” he said.
“We will have masks, the screening forms to fill out, and ODAS Park will also be monitoring their venue and following protocols,” he explained.
The club will also be hosting various weekend tournaments which will be available to non-league members.
For more information on the Orillia Cornhole Club, click here.
