Spring 2019 Stonewall Sports Charlotte launched its sixth official sports league, Cornhole. The inaugural season played on Sunday mornings consisted of a five-week season. In its first season, Cornhole registered an astonishing 63 players consisting of 18 teams total! With the success in its first season and fantastic feedback from our valued sports players, we made rule adjustments and added a fall season to the sport. Our Cornhole league is a very laid back, low cost, no equipment needed, no athletic skills required sport that connects all demographics from all age ranges in a non-competitive sport!
Season Format: 4 Weeks plus Tournament (top 8 teams)
Date/Time: Summer League – Wednesdays 7-9 PM
Spring and Fall Leagues – Saturdays 12PM-2PM
Team Size: 2-4 players
Seasons:
Spring: Registration opens January 22nd. The season is played in March and April.
Summer: Registration opens May 20th. The season is played in July and August
Fall: Registration opens July 15th. Season is played in September and October.
Cost: $30, with league shirt.
Game Location:
Summer League: Lenny Boy Brewing – 3000 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28217
Spring and Fall Leagues: Noda Brewing Company – 150 W 32nd St. Charlotte, NC 28206
Sport Description
Cornhole is a game played with bean bags and boards, where players throw the bags on the boards into the hole. Each Saturday will be independent tournaments with 30 teams maximum.
Teams can be of 2, 3, or 4 players.
Cornhole Basics (see rules for additional details)
2 players from each team stand across from each other in the same lane and pitch 4 bags each, alternating with the other team.
All players will keep score at each frame during the game and report the final score and win/loss result to main scorekeeper.
“Cancellation” scoring will be used. The points of 1 player cancels out the points of the opponent. Only 1 player/team can score in each frame.
Points: For each bag that remains on the board for the frame, 1 point will be issued. For each bag through the hole, 3 points will be issued.
Teams of 3 or 4 will rotate players at the end of each frame.
Before the start of each game, players will rock-paper-scissors to determine which team pitches first, which lane to play from and which color bags they will use.
The team who scored in the preceding frame will pitch first on the next frame.
Tournament Play
Each day will be an individual round robin tournament.
The maximum number of wins per team per day will determine the winner of the individual tournament.
If there is a tie of number of wins per day per team, the scores of each game will determine the tiebreaker. The team with the larger differential (their score vs the loser’s score) will be declared the winner.
The top 2 teams per week will be entered into an unseeded tournament for the final Winner’s Tournament on the final week of the season with 8 teams maximum.
No team who played less than two (2) tournaments/weeks in the regular season will be permitted to participate in the Winner’s Tournament.
During the Winner’s Tournament, games will be timed until the final rounds.
The 4 teams in the final 2 games of the Winner’s Tournament will not be timed and will play to 21 points or over.
During the Winner’s Tournament non-timed play, teams are allowed two 1 minute timeouts. A player/team may only call a timeout when it’s their turn to play.
There will not be any prize money/cash payout awarded to any team during the season.
Fundraising: Stonewall Sports Charlotte has periodic fundraising events throughout the season to support an array of local charitable organizations. Teams are encouraged to participate in our fundraising events.
Zero Tolerance Policy: Stonewall Sports Charlotte, Inc. has zero tolerance of any bullying or harassment of any kind and for any reason of any player, captain, referee, official, participant, sponsor, director, officer or spectator. Harassment can be verbal, physical or visual, and includes all unwelcome conduct that affects someone else. The Stonewall Sports Charlotte Board of Directors has an open-door policy and welcomes you to report any conduct by any player, captain, referee, official, participant, sponsor, director, officer, or spectator that makes you feel uncomfortable. The Board of Directors takes all allegations and reports seriously and will thoroughly investigate all claims, and if warranted, will take all appropriate action.
Registration Information:
Team – A team consists of 2, 3 or 4 players.
I plan to create a team: If you plan to create a team you will need to register as a team captain. Then you can tell your friends to register as a team player and join your team. To become one of the official new teams, you must register minimum 1 players, max 4 players.
I plan to join a team: If you already know with which team you are going to play on, you will need to register as a team player. Keep in mind that you can’t randomly join any team; captains may ask that a player be removed from their team prior to the close of registration.
I want to play but I don’t have a team: That’s fantastic! This league is about making new friends! Register as a Free Agent. We will host a Cornhole Mixer where you can mingle with players and team captains to find the right fit!
Rules & Regulations
The following has been adapted from American Cornhole Organization (ACO) official rules
Equipment and Court Layout
Court Layout
A regulation size cornhole court is 8 feet wide and 40 feet long with a recommended vertical clearance of twelve (12) feet.
There are two (2) player’s lanes: Lane 1 on the left side of the board while facing the court and Lane 2 on the right side of the board while facing the court. Once players choose their lanes, they cannot switch during the game. Players stand across from each other during the game.
Boards are positioned 27’ from the front edge to front edge of the board.
A designated pitcher’s box is a 4’ x 3’ area at each end of the court and on both sides of each board; (4) boxes in all.
The front edge of the cornhole board is the foul line.
Players are responsible for making sure the court is in good playing condition prior to starting the match. No foreign substance (such as Pledge®, talc powder, baby powder, silicone sprays) may be applied to the playing surface or bags by an individual player before or during cornhole play. A dry clean cloth may be used to wipe down the boards prior to the start of the game.
Boards
Hardwood plywood playing surface measuring 47.5”to 48”x 23.5”to 24”.
The playing surface has a minimum thickness of 1/2” with cross-section backing, or 3/4” with or without cross-section backing.
Each Board in a set should weigh no less than 25 pounds.
Each hole is 6” diameter, centered 9” from the top of the board and centered from each side edge.
The front of the board is 3” to 4” from the ground to the top of the playing surface.
The back of the board is 12” from the ground to the top of the playing surface.
The playing surface should be finished-sanded to a very smooth texture. There should be little to no blemishes in the wood surface that may disrupt or distort play.
The playing surface can be painted with a high gloss latex paint or varnish. The surface should allow bags to slide when thrown, but not be so slippery that the bags slide back down the platform.
Bags
Each bag is made from two fabric squares with double-stitched seaming.
The bags should be made from a durable fabric like canvas, twill, or synthetic suede.
Each bag measures roughly 6”by 6”and weighs 15 to 16 ounces.
Game Times
Each week all teams (at least 2 players) need to be onsite at the start time indicated on the kickoff document/leagueapps for that week. There is a 5 minute grace period, where once exceeded you will not participate in that day’s games.
For teams of 3 or 4, at least 2 players need to be present at the start time. If additional players arrive after the start time of the first game, they may not participate in the first game but may participate in the remaining games that day.
Official Attire
While participating, players must wear the official League t-shirt designated for the current season – no other shirts are permitted unless for special events sanctioned by League. Players are permitted to alter or decorate their shirts; however, no alterations or decorations may infringe on the League’s or Sponsors’ logos.
Players/Teams
Teams consist of a minimum of 2 and maximum of 4 players.
Player/Team A competes against Player/Team B. Both players stay in their designated lane for the whole game. Players start the game at the headboard and will alternate pitching bags (Player A then Player B) until each player has pitched all (4) of their bags.
For teams of 3 or 4, players will alternate pitching bags at each frame in order for all players to participate each game.
At the end of each frame, players will take score and resume pitching back to the other cornhole board.
Players on opposing teams need to agree on the score and announce to the other side before the next frame begins.
At the start of the game
The player/team winning the rock-paper-scissors chooses their bag color.
The player/team winning the rock-paper-scissors chooses which team pitches first.
The player/team winning the rock-paper-scissors chooses their lane assignment.
Pitching
Players alternate pitching bags (one player at a time) until each player has pitched all (4) of their bags.
A player must pitch all (4) cornhole bags from their designated cornhole pitchers box lane.
Players must deliver the bag with an under-hand release.
One foot or appendage must be completely within the pitchers box at the time of releasing the bag.
When pitching a bag, players must release the bag before any part of the player’s body touches the ground on or beyond the foul line.
A player must pitch each cornhole bag within thirty (30) seconds of their opponent’s bag coming to rest.
Pitching the Next Frame
The player/team who scored in the preceding frame shall pitch first in the next frame. If neither player/team scores, the player/team who pitched first in the preceding frame shall retain first pitch in the next frame.
Accidental Release
Any cornhole bag that leaves a player’s hand once the final step (if taken) and final forward swing of the delivery process has started, shall count as a pitched bag.
A cornhole bag that is accidentally dropped by a player before the final step (if taken) and final forward swing has started, shall not be considered a foul bag and may be picked up and pitched.
Pitching Out of Turn
If a player pitches out of turn at any time during a frame, their pitch will be considered a Foul Bag and swept from the playing surface.
If the out-of-turn bag affects any bags in play, their opponent has the option of returning all cornhole bags to their original position on the playing surface or leaving all bags as they are.
If the error is not discovered until after two (2) cornhole bags have been pitched, the frame shall continue and be score accordingly.
No timeouts are allowed during timed play.
Scoring/Timing
The game shall be played to twenty-one (21) points. The first player/team to reach (or exceed) that amount at the conclusion of a frame is the winner.
Each game will be timed at 15 minutes. Whichever team has the higher score at the end of the frame when the time concludes will win.
If the teams are tied at the end of timed play, it will be recorded as a tie.
Cancellation Scoring: The points of one player cancel out the points of their opponent. Using this method, only one player/team can score in each frame.
Woody: Each woody is worth one (1) point. This is any cornhole bag that has been pitched and remains on the cornhole board playing surface at the conclusion of the frame.
Cornhole: Each cornhole is worth three (3) points. This is any cornhole bag that has been pitched and passes through the cornhole board hole at any time within the frame.
Example:
Red achieves one (1) woody and two (2) cornholes during the frame (7 total pts)
Blue achieves two (2) woodies and zero (0) cornholes during the frame (2 total pts)
7 points – 2 points = Red scores 5 points for that frame
Foul Bags – Refers to any cornhole bag that has not been determined as a “woody” or “cornhole”, or was designated a foul bag as the result of rules violation
Any bag pitched without at least one foot or appendage completely inside the pitcher’s box at the time of release
Any bag not pitched within the 30 second time limit
A bag pitched from a different pitcher’s box than their designated pitcher’s box
Any bag that contacted the court or the ground before coming to rest on the playing surface (including bouncing on the ground first)
Any bag that comes to rest touching the ground and the board
Any bag which struck a previously defined object such as a tree limb, wire, indoor court ceiling, etc
No cornhole bags shall be moved before the scoring is determined. If this decision is in doubt, a Certified Official shall be called to determine the scoring for the frame in question.
Tournament Play
Each day will be an individual round robin tournament.
The maximum number of wins per team per day will determine the winner of the individual tournament.
If there is a tie of number of wins per day per team, the scores of each game will determine the tiebreaker. The team with the larger differential (their score vs the loser’s score) will be declared the winner.
The top 2-3 teams (or more depending on if the same team wins multiple weeks) per week will be entered into an unseeded tournament for the final Winner’s Tournament on the final week of the season with 10 teams maximum.
No team who played less than two (2) tournaments/weeks in the regular season will be permitted to participate in the Winner’s Tournament.
During the Winner’s Tournament, games will be timed until the final rounds.
The 4 teams in the final 2 games of the Winner’s Tournament will not be timed and will play to 21 points.
During the Winner’s Tournament non-timed play, teams are allowed two 1 minute timeouts. A player/team may only call a timeout when it’s their turn to play.
There will not be any prize money/cash payout awarded to any team during the season.
Stonewall Sports Charlotte Officers are 100% volunteers committed to a smooth operating sports season. They work with sponsors, schedules, rules, officials, and much more. If you have any questions related to Cornhole please contact them below via email.
