Allison Peters

Ryan Smith

I am ACL Pro Ryan Smith from the Atlantic Conference and this is my story of how I became a professional cornhole player for the ACL.

My brother Shawn Smith got me involved playing competitively and things basically took off from there. I wanted to be able to compete and beat the top guys in my area so I purchased a set of boards & bags to practice. About 4 years later, here I am, recognized as one of the top players in the country and striving for more.

Ken Smith Jr

I am ACL Pro Ken Smith Jr from the Atlantic Conference and this is my story of how I became a professional cornhole player for the ACL.

I started playing cornhole when COVID started. I was at my apartment and I saw someone throwing and I asked to join him. After that he told me about these blind draws at a bar in Chesapeake, Virginia on Thursday’s. After that someone told me about The ACL and I went to my first regional in Franklin Virginia. And now here I am, an ACL Pro!

Tyler Bockholdt

I am ACL Pro Tyler Bockholdt from the Great Lakes Conference and this is my story of how I became a professional cornhole player for the American Cornhole League. When I was 18 years old I met Vince Pacione through friends of friends in high school. I overheard someone talking about playing bags over the weekend and stopped and asked where because I love to play in my backyard. Alspa told me about a weekly blind draw (totally foreign to me at the time) that happened every Monday night just 20 minutes from my house. This was not an ACL event, rather one sided bags and bouncy boards but it was all I knew! Later when I saw all the talent at this bar, I found out that a lot of these players played nationally and at other establishments almost every day of the week!
This is when I met Vince Pacione at the bar called Katie O’Connor’s (presently called Backroads). Winter came and I didn’t play for a couple months but got a text message from Vince that there is an indoor event that he’s starting and he wanted to see me there! I went for the first time on _______ and it wasn’t until then out about double sided bags and what the ACL was. I bought a set of bags from Rob Bev, he sold me Reynolds Pro Edge Speeds for $20 as a gift for being an aspiring newbie in the game.
Finally found myself playing weekly and then traveling a little more to other blind draws over the week. When I got my own set of boards I wouldn’t stop practicing until the street lights came on and I was ready for my first regional.
Since then it’s been about a year, moved from competitive (for only 2 regionals) to advanced ever since, playing against some of the best in the Chicagoland area.

Chris Cuccia

I am ACL Pro Chris Cuccia from the Southeast Conference and this is my story of how I became a professional cornhole player for the ACL. Jimmy Buffet tailgate 13 years ago. From the first bag I was hooked! My wife and I played together and got whooped all day. They were spinning the bag!!! We bought a set the next day and found our first tournament that weekend. I pulled one of the best players aside and got a lesson and watched most of the day. Haven't stopped playing since.