Cornhole may be a backyard sport for some, but it’s serious business at the 59th annual U.S. Police and Fire Championships that got underway over the weekend in San Diego.
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Public safety employees and retirees from across the country will compete in dozens of sports at 28 venues across the county, from swimming in Chula Vista to golf at courses in Carlsbad, Torrey Pines and Coronado through next Saturday.
Cornhole is essentially tossing a square bean bag through a round hole in a plywood board about 27 feet away. Anybody can play, but not everybody is good.
More than 80 people competed Sunday at the San Diego Marriott Mission Valley. Their tosses often went straight in, and their misses rarely landed more than an inch from the hole.
“The secret is to get a flat bag; a flat, rotating bag is what you want,” said Jerry Lopez, a 32-year member of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department. His shirt had “Lopez” printed on the back and the name of his team — Bag Habits — on the front.
“I have about five or six sets of bags,” he said, as he swapped one set out for another in his wheeled gear box, before moving on to the next level of competition.
Most of the cornhole bags are smooth on one side and slightly sticky on the other. The sets have slight differences to help adjust for things like the weather and the texture of his target board, Lopez said
“At first it was just something to do,” Lopez said. “Everybody can pick up a bag and throw it. It became a real competition after that.”
Another player, Los Angeles Police Department Officer Justin Stewart, said his cornhole team, Bags and Badges, has about 30 members, all public safety first-responders.
“It builds that bond,” Stewart said.
And nobody gets hurt. The underhanded toss required won’t injure anybody, and there’s still plenty of exercise from all the walking involved.
“It’s all about cleverness and having fun,” said Steve Merchant, a retired California Highway Patrol officer from Sacramento, whose team is the Corn Hole Patrol. “Nobody gets angry about losing.”
Later Sunday there was a challenge cornhole competition for about 15 police and fire chiefs. And Monday evening there is a reception planned for all the athletes and then the induction of the overall championships’ four new Hall of Fame members, who were chosen by a committee based on their past participation.
“It’s great for camaraderie,” said Oceanside Police Chief Taurino Valdovinos. “Ultimately, it’s about having fun and supporting a good cause.”
Overall, the weeklong series of events has almost 3,000 participants this year, said Jim King, president of the California Police Athletic Federation, which sponsors the events.
“We all understand the importance of wellness,” King said. “It’s about being able to come together, connect and unite.”
Friendly competition helps boost the morale of police and firefighters, he said. They meet like-minded people from other agencies who share similar high-stress occupations.
“As a retired firefighter, I can tell you that we see things other people shouldn’t see,” King said. “This event provides an outlet to let your hair down, to just come and relax.”
Team sports such as baseball, soccer, basketball, ice hockey, and flag football start Monday and continue for several days. Other events include archery, billiards, tennis and cycling. And a pistol competition was held Sunday at a shooting range in Riverside. There also was a small-bore rifle competition in Dulzura.
Jonathan Deochan, a three-year member of the New York City Fire Department, arrived Sunday as a member of one of the NYFD’s two basketball teams competing in the championships. Last year his team won first place, he said.
He said he was thrilled to be in San Diego to play basketball with his fellow firefighters.
“This is the best job ever,” Deochan said. “I can’t picture myself doing anything else.”
The U.S. Police and Fire Championships was founded in 1967 by Veon “Duke” Nyhus, a deputy chief in the San Diego Police Department.
