Look out, picklers—here come the cornholers.

It’s true that pickleball, invented on Bainbridge Island in the early-1970s, is the fastest-growing sport in the nation, but cornhole is gaining popularity as a sport that is so casual that many players find themselves holding their bags in one hand and a cold beer in the other.

“What got me in initially was the competition,” said Bobby Anderson, who bowled previously and was looking for another sport to take on. “There are people at extremely high levels (in cornhole), so it always gives you that next goal to shoot for.”

What Anderson would come to love in the decade since was the social values of the game that used to be commonly called bean bag toss. The sport is commonly found beyond the backyard in bars, coffee shops and many outdoor gatherings, but it grabbed hold of the national audience in recent years, especially with the 2015 founding of the American Cornhole League. It has not slowed down since; its portability, customization and safety continue to hold key roles in making it one of the most played sports in America.

Its simplicity is one of its many benefits, according to those who tossed the bags at this year’s Kitsap County Cornhole Classic at the South Kitsap Western Little League Minors Field in Port Orchard. “The community, the friends are what keeps me coming back week after week,” Anderson said. “These are my closest friends. Legitimately, if it weren’t for cornhole I would have never met some of these guys.”

The annual competition has been put together as of 2024 for five years by the SK Chamber of Commerce. Executive director of the chamber Cody Clark said the sport continues to present a chance for businesses and the public to participate in an athletic activity and meaningful conversation at the same time. Clark also mentioned the possibility of a larger collaboration between the chambers of Kitsap for a larger cornhole tournament.

“Part of the job of the chamber is to bring people into the community. In doing that, you get to do fun things like this where not only do we get to represent our local businesses, but we also get a chance to do some fun things with the people inside and outside Kitsap County,” Clark said.

Kevin Guffey added: “When you’re playing pickleball, you’re in the middle of the heat of the game, and you can’t really chit chat. When you’re playing cornhole, you can talk and have that community while you’re playing the game.”

That community is open to everybody, not just those who are sporting some sharp and breathable cornhole jerseys or those who are skilled enough to place a solid blocker, push or airmail throw.

Just ask Byron Peterson with Olalla Cornhole, a club that started with a fundraiser to benefit the Olalla Bay Market after it caught fire in 2022. With the help of Kitsap Cornhole, another cornhole community with a growing following, he said Olalla’s club has continued to meet regularly and continues to invite anybody who is interested in joining.

“I agree that anybody can play, but it’s really all about the people. It’s all really good camaraderie and all very friendly, and most people that are competitive in cornhole are really genuine people,” he said.

All that and a far greater decrease in injury risk truly makes cornhole a game for all comers, but the cause for why people play makes the sport just that much more meaningful. Cornhole became an outlet for Doug LaCroix, who was away from family and going through some difficult times. He found himself playing just about every day of the week out of necessity. “From there, I picked it up, I ran with it, and I’m here today. Now it’s part of my retirement plan,” he said.

With cornhole comes some really cool jerseys like the ones these two are wearing.