3 Things You Need To Know If Attending The ACL World Championship For The First Time

The question every ACL cornhole player is asking right now is..."Are you going to Worlds?" My response?  "Why YES WE ARE, thanks for asking! First time! Have you been before because we have so many questions?"  

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).

1. WHAT WOULD A PRO DO (WWPD)?

• Get a good night's sleep every night. It's going to be a long week.
• Take daily vitamins or some type of immune support. You will be around thousands of people every day and that's a lot of germs.
• Beer, water, beer, water, beer, water...in that order.
• Consider a car nap or chill time in between games.
• Make time to eat but keep it light. You will need the energy.
• HAVE FUN! It's just a game.

2. TIPS TO DOMINATE THE MENTAL GAME

• With over 1500 people in attendance, World's is going to be an overwhelming experience, so be prepared for the nerves to crank up. When this happens, remind yourself why you love cornhole so much (and know that so many other players are nervous, too).
• Have a music playlist ready to go, pop in the headphones and zone out to songs you love during or after a game.  Have you ever heard of binaural beats for anxiety? Try this!
• BREATHE.  A deep calming breath in and out is a great habit to get into before every single throw.  It will bring you back to your body and into the moment. 
• Get outside after a game and move that intensity out of your body just by moving your hands, arms, legs, jumping up and down, whatever works for you.
• REMEMBER TO HAVE FUN! IT'S JUST A GAME!

3. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE VENUE SCOOP!

• Parking is available and only $5/day.  You may need to walk outside to get to your car so bring an umbrella because afternoon showers are a thing in South Carolina.
• Rock Hill Sports & Event Center is enormous so plan on doing plenty of walking, which means comfy HeyDudes or sneakers. There's plenty of places to sit but you can always bring your camping chairs.
• Concessions will be open so you can buy your favorite beer or grab a quick bite in between games.  There is also two restaurants within walking distance.  If you need something stronger than beer to shake those nerves head on over to The Loom at the Cambria Hotel or Old Town Kitchen. Food trucks will be open from 11AM - 2PM.
• When competition is done for the day, take time to visit the ACL Headquarters, Suite 205, to get in some extra practice sessions or hit up their fully stocked bar! *[Open M, T, Thu, Fri, Sat, 10AM -10PM; Wed, 10AM - 8PM, Closed Sunday, August 7th]

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.