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Anyone can play, anyone can win.
That’s the motto of theAmerican Cornhole League, the governing body for professional, competitive and recreational cornhole.
Cornhole has quickly become a favorite pastime for people of all ages, including major stars who have competed in pro-am tournaments for the league.
The ACL hosts eight celebrity tournaments annually, all broadcast on ESPN, where cornhole pros team up with stars to compete for an invitation to the World Championships.
The Super Hole champions will win $150,000 for the charity of their choice.
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Vinny Guadagninotells PEOPLE, “As I’m training him, it’s discovered that I’m amazing at the game and I’m much better than Mike. So that’s when I was like, wait a second, I should be playing in this thing.”
Mike"The Situation"Sorrentino/instagram
“I’m ready to be a cornstar,” says Guadagnino, 35, who will compete in the third Johnsonville SuperHole IV preliminary, airing on ESPN2 on Sunday. “I’m pretty good at it.”
Two other stars joining the cornhole craze are NFL champions Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman. “My favorite game out there is cornhole,” Gronkowski, previously toldESPN. “I love cornhole and when you sink four shots in a row against your opponent, it’s a great feeling.”
Gronkowski, 33, has enjoyed playing cornhole for years. In 2017, hetoldfans he was undefeated in the sport, and his family even hosted a Gronks Cornhole Tournament in 2020.
One of the key reasons so many stars are eager to support the cornhole league is its' accessibility. Anyone can sign up to join the ACL, with or without experience, via their website. The competitive spirit isn’t lost on cornhole players, but the pressures and challenges of most competitive sports aren’t an issue in cornhole.
“You become a family with the people that play in these tournaments,” Guadagnino tells PEOPLE. “It’s just always a good time.”
S.W.A.Tstar Shemar Moore has made hosting tournaments at his home in Los Angeles a regular occurrence. “It brings people together,” Moore told PEOPLE at a tournament last year.
During an appearance onThe Kelly Clarkson Show, Moore said that cornhole is “serious business at [his] house.”
“The game that is taking over—and they even have it on ESPN—the game is cornhole,” he told Clarkson. “I bought these cornhole boxes and it’s 27 feet apart and we play with a couple actors and friends fromS.W.A.T.David Lim has made literal Super Bowl rings that say Casa Del Sham ‘cause my friends call me Sham. So it’s Casa Del Sham, cornhole king.”
He went on to explain that it’s a weekly occasion that he looks forward to sharing with friends. “On Sunday, we have Sunday Funday and we have cornhole tournaments, but it’s serious and you’re playing for a ring and when you win a ring, you keep the ring.”
The pro-am matchup featuring Guadagnino, WWE star Charlotte Flair, and reality stars Marysol Patton and FOODGOD, will be broadcast Sunday, May 7 on ESPN2 at 5:00pm ET.
source: people.com
