Players of all skill levels are welcome at Okotoks' newest sports club.
The Okotoks Prairie Dogz are bringing the sport of competitive cornhole to town, with events every Thursday at the Elks Hall.
"It's an open night to anyone of any age or any skill level," explained Prairie Dogz co-director Steve Wilson. "In our league, we have everybody from pros to beginners."
The league features divisions based on skill level, with the number of divisions based on participants. Players kick off the evening by playing round-robin games, with the club's computer system calculating their skill level and placing them in a bracket.
The weekly tournaments, which offer cash prizes for first and second place winners in each division, have a $20 entry fee, with proceeds going toward facility rentals and equipment.
Players that join the Dogz are signed up for a free account with the American Cornhole League (ACL), which has teams across the United States, Europe and Canada, including the Calgary Big Bucks, Strathmore Mad Hatters and Medicine Hat Badlands in Alberta.
"You could play at any ACL league because you're signed up to the software," said Wilson, adding that players from across the province and even as far as the United States take part in the Okotoks league nights.
Wilson, who took part in the 2024 ACL Canada National Championships in Ottawa from Aug. 22 to 25, said he has big plans for the league as it grows, including introducing all-women, kids and seniors divisions.
Cornhole is growing internationally as a competitive sport, but Wilson said players haven't lost sight of the game's fun roots.
"There's a lot of people in our league that just come out for the social night of throwing bags, having fun and drinking beers," he said. "That's the side of cornhole that'll never go away. Cornhole is a beer-drinking game. It's always been a beer drinking game."
Learn more about the Okotoks Prairie Dogz on the club's Facebook page, and learn more about the American Cornhole League here.
