You practice cornhole almost every day and you are feeling great; throw is good, bag is flat and in the hole most of the time. Your muscle memory is on point and your mind is running away with thoughts on how you are going to smash it on ESPN.
Tournament time arrives and all of that confident swagger leaves you like the air from a squeaky balloon.
RIght?
Guess what? YOU. ARE. NOT. ALONE. It seems to be a common problem for many of us that are brave enough to step to the cornhole boards to compete.
SPORTS ANXIETY (definition) = a tendency to view competitive situations as threatening and to respond to these situations with apprehension and tension.]. It's a real thing...and it sucks, doesn't it?
When I interview ACL Pros I always ask them how they combat nerves when competing at such a high level and unfortunately their responses offer no instant fix. ACL Pro, Mike Ferreira says, "I think it not as a competition more so you gotta imagine yourself in the backyard having fun. I think that's where the game really starts. You gotta have fun with it . If you're not having fun, you're gonna get nervous." [See full clip @RollCutFlop]
Let's be honest. It's just not fun when your heart is racing and your bags are going everywhere BUT the hole. What's happening? Your brain is working against you and convinces your body that you are in trouble which is why you simply can't play at the level you are used to when practicing at home. So, the obvious questions we need to ask ourselves are:
>>>START HERE. It's gonna take a lot of practice and dedication.<<<
Do you know the best way to signal your brain that you are NOT in danger? Deep deliberate breathing. This sends the brain a message saying "Hey, I'm ok. I'm safe." No, it will NOT stop the nervous feeling but it can certainly help you center yourself and your attention to the task in front of you. I see a lot of players deep breathing right before a throw. It helps. If you don't already have a breathing or meditation practice before you compete, I highly suggest you start. The most successful athletes (and YES, you are an athlete) are already doing this, along with visualizing their game and their wins. It works and science backs this up so give it a shot.
You can blame your bags or the cornhole boards for being off your game but it's more likely that your body is off it's game because of the anxiety. Did you know that fear and excitement present the very same way to your body? When professional athletes are asked if they are nervous before competing, they always answer "I'm excited!". They have already trained their brains and bodies to respond to the nerves as excitement, not as fear or anxiety. That's exactly what you have to do; flip it! Say, "I AM EXCITED! I AM PUMPED! I AM PSYCHED! I AM FIRED UP! I AM STOKED! I AM READY TO PLAY! You are reframing your feelings as something positive and beneficial to your gameplay.
***NERVOUS ENERGY converted to EXCITED ENERGY***
Let's wrap this up!
From this point on, you should be practicing these 2 skill sets at every tournament:
This is just the tip of the iceberg, so stay tuned for Part 2 as I add to this Ultimate List. I will dive into the various factors that trigger your nerves, starting with points, tablets and brackets and give you suggestions to help avoid the triggers.
WAIT! Before you go, I want to spotlight a program that you should strongly consider joining if you really want to further your cornhole game. My honey is taking this bootcamp and is learning so much. You can find it HERE. You might also want to follow its creator, Michelle Thompson for some great mindset tips.
[Christmas is coming so while you're here, why not SHOP a little! We are lowering our prices just in time for the holidays. Your support is always appreciated.]
SEE YA at the next tournament!
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If you love playing cornhole and have wondered about joining a local ACL tournament, then this post is definitely for you. Like you, I was playing for fun and it didn't take very long before I was obsessed, watching every YouTube video I could find. I started with ACL Pro Anthony Ayon of Cornhole Science. It was a great way to get a good understanding of the game. Then I moved on to Pro events on ESPN, listening to Trey Ryder explain what was happening and what these pros were looking at; I just couldn't get enough! I had to learn more about this game.
January 2022 I walked into the Ocala Moose Lodge for my very first local tournament, and here are the three things I took away from that night (and consistently find at most tournaments, as well):
Hands down, cornhole players are the friendliest, most welcoming people you will ever come across. Everyone is there because they love playing cornhole so when you walk in, you are automatically part of the club. Your skill level is irrelevant.
If you ask for help, you will get it. Need help with your form, your throw, or what bag to use? Players love to support you in being a better competitor and will offer tips, advice, and all kinds of helpful encouragement. I had no idea what bags to choose from and was able to try out many different kinds just by borrowing them. (Trust me, most of the players have Zuca bags loaded with cornhole bags.)
Donna Harrison and I talking about my throw at my first local tournament. (Joe Gerace also in picture)
Depending on your location, chances are you will meet a Pro player. I am not ashamed to say I have fangirled over every Pro I have met and living in Florida I get to meet and throw with a lot of them! Most Pros are happy to share their knowledge and experience with you which I think is so cool.
Pro, Brad Payton and I throwing some practice rounds - getting some tips at my first local tounament!
So, if you are considering taking your cornhole game to the next level, I hope by reading this you are now inspired to do just that and find a local ACL tournament in your area right now. Be sure to make a good first impression and I hope to see you at the boards!
]]>Cornhole all day. Cornhole all night. We were in Heaven.
We had so many valuable takeaways from the week and a long car ride home to talk about it.
Here is our final Top 3:
We already know and love our local cornhole family. At World's, our family grew exponentially, extending all over the country! The same energy and vibe we love in Central Florida is the same energy and vibe we found in a venue filled with 1800+ people (and that includes the ACL Staff). What an amazing network of human beings! (Do you see anyone you know in this picture? TAG THEM!)
(This is only about 1/6th of the crowd at Rock Hill Sports & Event Center!)
We arrived on Sunday, super excited to be there, sit & go's, hotel parking lot blind draws, cornhole bags flying all around us. When Monday hit, we were already exhausted. We learned that we must take it easy until competition day and get lots of rest in between so we're not played out.
*Note to self: pack lidocaine patches for next time.
(Fresh Scott after surviving Competitive Singles on Monday.)
Name any other game where you can step next to a Pro and play, gaining helpful FREE advice while you practice together? Every Pro my honey spoke with was happy to be approached and even eager to be of service. Honey even scored a couple sets of new cornhole bags which was an unexpected surprise. He took advantage of the expertise that surrounded him and next season will be better because of it.
(ACL Pro Adrian Johnson and ACL Pro Brad Payton with Fresh Scott)
If you happened to see us at Worlds, drop us a comment and tell us how to find you on Social Media so we can stay in touch! You can also FOLLOW US on any or all of our ROLL CUT FLOP platforms as we continue to create ways to connect our growing cornhole family! We would love your support.
CLICK HERE to see more!
(Fresh & Sandra ready for our TV debut at Superhole III.)
*Featured image from left to right:
Fresh Scott, Ricky Jernigan, (Jacob), Logan Payton, Haseeb Habiban, Jason Palmer & Brad Payton
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Fellow First-timers, I got the lowdown from experienced Pro's and it is just too good to keep to myself so be sure to read this before you go to the ACL World Championship this year (and spread the word quickly because it's coming up fast).
I hope this post will help you have a kickass experience at the 2022 ACL World Championship. NOW I want to hear from YOU!
How do you plan to play a confident game under pressure at World's?
SHARE ONE TIP IN THE COMMENTS BELOW and encourage your experienced cornhole friends to do the same. All of us "newbies" will appreciate the support.
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We know you already get it...why cornhole is such an amazing community and just how special it is to connect over a board and some bags, RIGHT?
Three years ago, my honey & I had never even heard of American Cornhole League. We sold all the contents of our home, bought a Winnebago and started traveling. Central Florida was supposed to be a pit stop but the quarantine came, we settled in and decided to claim Bushnell as our home base.
"Our first road trip back in 2019"
Honey started playing cornhole for fun and really loved it (and I was the community score keeper). So for his birthday, November 2020, I gifted him his first set of ACL approved Game Changers and "the dream" was born. Fresh Scott (yes, that IS my honey's name) decided he was going to be a professional cornhole player!
"Fresh & I at our very first ACL Open, Winter Haven FL 2022"
"Fresh posing at ACL Southeast Conference, Sebring FL 2022"
These past six months have been a whirlwind of tournaments, lessons and practices which have led us to being ALL IN for cornhole and to this moment right here...
We are excited to offer you, the lover of ALL THINGS cornhole, high-vibing, cool cornhole stuff! This is a heart-centered brand you can trust because we believe in positive energy and connection, which is what we have found with the cornhole community no matter where we go and play! Yes, we are an online store but we want you to feel like you just stepped into a mom & pop shop, knowing we have the greatest desire to make you happy!
"ACL Pro, Alex Rawls and Future Pro, Fresh Scott"
The words and graphics we design on RollCutFlop.com swag represent the vibe of cornhole people...OUR people!...and we are excited to offer it to you and yours.
Fresh's first win, Intermediate Singles, Ruskin FL 2022
If you wish to connect with even more, follow us on Social Media!
If you wish to learn more about the game of cornhole, CLICK HERE!
"Sandra & Fresh (wearing our favorite t-shirts & hat!)"
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