HE’S GOT IT IN THE BAG!
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A common backyard game has turned into a full-time passion and lucrative part-time job for one senior at Mount Ayr High School.
Dylan Graham lets the bags fly at a recent American Cornhole League competition.
Dylan Graham, 17, is making a name for himself in the world of competitive cornhole, also known as “bags.”
Dylan is the son of Daniel and Jentry Graham of rural Diagonal.
Often played at tailgate parties, community celebrations, and other casual get-togethers, cornhole is a game in which players attempt to toss beanbags into a hole in the center of an inclined board 27 feet away.
In the beginning
“I got started at my uncle’s house at an Iowa State versus Iowa football party,” he said. “We just had a cornhole tournament in the backyard, and for some reason, I was a little above average to start out.”
From there, Dylan continued to enter competitions on the Mount Ayr square until he met up with Jamie Roach, who invited Dylan to join him at regular Friday night friendly competitions in Kellerton.
“That was how I got really started,” Dylan said. “After two or three months playing at Kellerton, I got confident enough to enter tournaments in Des Moines.”
Because he was not yet old enough to drive, his Kellerton friends took Dylan to compete with them.
Success at the next level, however, didn’t come immediately.
“I was doing pretty good,” he said, “but I never could get in the top three. So I really started focusing even harder.”
The determination paid off.
“Once I got in the top three at the tournaments up by Des Moines, I started playing ACL,” he said.
Hitting the big-time
ACL, the American Cornhole League, is the world-wide governing body of professional cornhole.
The ACL sanctions 11 open events, six signature events, and one world championship throughout the year.
Players earn points not only by their performance in these events but also by their performance in area and regional open competitions.
After completing certain qualifications, the top 256 players nationally earn ACL “Pro” status. The next 100 amateur players in the nation earn “Elite” status, which allows them access to pro-only competitions.
To increase payouts to pro players, the number of pros will be reduced to 128 for next season.
At this point in the 2024-2025 season that began August 1, Dylan is one of only seven players in Iowa to earn “Elite” status. He currently ranks third in Iowa and 121st overall in national standings. He and his partner Charlie Barr are currently ranked 50th out of 228 doubles teams nationally.
Dylan’s aspiration is to earn Pro status for next season.
“I’ve been going to opens to build up my points,” he said, “but in 2025 they [ACL] begin Signatures. They take your top four performances from each signature and calculate them into the standings. I hopefully will be able to make at least four signatures to get good standings for points.”
Road warrior
Dylan travels extensively to build up his point total. He’s competed in opens and regionals in Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Michigan, Florida, and Ohio.
In recent weeks he has finished first in singles and doubles at the Eastern Iowa regional and second in doubles and third in singles at the Central Iowa regional.
While yet unannounced, upcoming signature events are likely to be located in Colorado, Texas, Florida, and Arizona. Each year South Carolina hosts the world championships, a ten-day televised event.
Full time work
Other than taking Tuesdays off for practice at home, Dylan’s weekdays are filled with area competitions, which he also considers as practice opportunities.
On Mondays he plays in a doubles league with his partner Jeremiah Howell in Farragut. Wednesdays he and Jeremiah run a blind draw tournament in the Ringgold Outdoor Alliance building unless it’s rented for that night. If so, he travels to Des Moines to compete. Thursdays he plays in a league in St. Charles. Fridays and Saturdays are set aside for large two-day competitions such as opens, regionals, and the upcoming signatures.
It pays to play
Besides the challenge of competing for ACL points and striving for Pro status, Dylan has found his skill with bags has translated into a fun part-time job.
“If I have a good week,” he said, “I can usually average $300-$400 a week after expenses.”
Dylan also picks up some extra dollars by playing private side games for cash during nightly competitions.
Plus, this season Dylan has picked up six sponsors to help offset costs. They include two bag manufacturers who supply him with gear and Graham Boarding, his mother’s breeding and boarding kennel, which paid for his jerseys.
An unexpected perk to Dylan’s bags adventure has come in the form of at least one college scholarship offer. He says he plans to explore other colleges that offer scholarships to join their competition bags teams.
Final toss
Dylan has come a long way from that fun backyard game during the fall years ago. But beyond the status, the travel, and the money, what does Dylan value most about his passion for bags?
“The competing part of the game is probably the most fun to me, just getting in high pressure situations where you have to hit shots is super fun,” he said. “I’ve also made a ton of friends. There’s a ton of high school kids that play that I’ve met throughout the years and that’s been fun.”
