High Desert Cornhole practices social distancing by hosting online tournaments

'Battle of the States' tournament features players from all over the country

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- While social distancing remains in effect, High Desert Cornhole has found a way to continue hosting tournaments while staying safe.

The league usually has indoor play every weekend, but now the league and tournaments have switched to online events.

High Desert Cornhole hosted its first 'Battle of the States' tournament a couple of weeks ago. The tournament featured more than 100 people from Florida all the way to Hawaii, competing from the comfort of their own home through a Zoom call.

"It's cool, because you play people that you probably wouldn't ever play in your life, because you play on the West Coast and they live on the East coast," Renee Yocum, an HDC team member, said Wednesday. "Who knows if you would have ever met?"

The tournaments have three brackets: professional, intermediate and beginner. At the first 'Battle of the States' tournament, a 10-year-old from Louisiana won the professional bracket, taking home $300.

There is a $25 buy-in order to compete. You can sign up through the HDC Facebook page.

High Desert Cornhole plans to host another nationwide tournament on the first weekend of May.