CEDAR SPRINGS, Mich. — While most high school sports involve balls or pucks, the Cedar Springs Red Hawks have embraced a different kind of competition using bean bags and slanted boards with holes.
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The school's cornhole club has been active for three years and is part of the Michigan High School Cornhole Club alongside five other schools.
"We decided we'd start it up, and we've been going strong for three years," said Julie Wilcox, the club's advisor. "We go to Greenville High School on Sundays, and we play against all the surrounding schools for competition."
Wilcox said the sport's appeal lies in its accessibility to all students.
"I think the kids just really like enjoy throwing bags and just hanging out and having a good time together. We have a total smorgasbord of students," she said.
Club member Logan Redes, a senior who joined when the school started the program, emphasized how the sport levels the playing field.
"You can be really good at it. Another matter, your height, your weight. Like it doesn't matter. You just have to throw a bag," Redes said. "I enjoyed playing it at home with my family, and I just thought I'd give it a try, and I fell in love with it."
Redes' younger brother Cole, a freshman on the team, has witnessed the rapid improvement among new players.
"I've seen kids from the first week to the second week that have gotten way better, and the competition is good, especially being new to the cornhole team," Cole Redes said.
Senior Gavyn Byxbe explained the mental aspect of successful cornhole play.
"Basically, you're all in your own head. Like, it's rather, you're really gonna shoot good because your head's clear and not thinking about anything, or you're going to throw really bad, because you're thinking about a lot," Byxbe said. "Competition is good."
The club hopes cornhole will eventually become an official high school sport.
"I hope it'll be a varsity sport, because I'd love to watch it be played at, like, a state tournament, national level," Logan Redes said.
The Cedar Springs cornhole club's final tournament of the year will be held at Greenville High School on December 14 at 1 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.
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