The Winning Mindset: How High School Sports Fueled Ethan Walker’s Journey to Pro
In the ever-evolving landscape of sports, few could have predicted that Cornhole, a game often seen as a casual backyard pastime, would rise to the heights of televised professional competition. Yet, here we are, and one athlete in particular has ridden the sport's meteoric rise to prominence. Enter Ethan Walker, a professional athlete in the American Cornhole League (ACL) and world champion runner-up on ESPN. His journey, from tossing bags in his high school’s multipurpose room to competing on the world stage, is nothing short of remarkable.
In a recent episode of the Bound for Greatness podcast, hosted by Scott Garvis, Walker delved into his beginnings, the rapid growth of Cornhole, and his ambitions to help further develop the sport. For Walker, his Cornhole career started in high school, when a student resource officer created a club that, in retrospect, sparked his passion. “I was terrible at first,” Walker admits, recalling his early frustrations. But being a fiercely competitive person, he couldn’t give up, and that determination laid the foundation for his eventual success. “I found a few bigger tournaments and started making a little money, and that’s when I realized I might be pretty good at this.”
From there, his career took off. He joined the ACL, entered a pro qualifier with 1,300 participants, and snagged one of the coveted 32 pro spots—a defining moment in his career. Since then, Walker has competed on the world stage, including a recent World Cup in Germany, where Team USA emerged victorious. “It’s crazy to look back on it,” Walker reflects. “I played basketball, golf, and baseball in high school, and Cornhole was just something I did for fun. I never imagined it could lead to this.”
As a multi-sport athlete in high school, Walker credits his background in basketball and golf for shaping his Cornhole skills—both physically and mentally. Cornhole, as he explains, is both an individual and team sport, requiring synergy with a partner, much like basketball, while also demanding the mental toughness and focus of golf. “Golf really prepared me mentally for Cornhole,” Walker says. “In both sports, one mistake can ruin everything, so you have to learn how to let it go and move on.”
Walker’s growth as an athlete is paralleled by the sport’s own expansion. He’s seen firsthand the ACL’s push into mainstream sports culture, including their participation in national conferences like the National High School Athletics Coaches Association and the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association. Walker believes the future of Cornhole lies in getting it into high schools across the country. “Anyone can play Cornhole,” Walker says, highlighting the ACL’s slogan, “Anyone can play, anyone can win.” This accessibility is a huge draw, making Cornhole a sport that doesn’t require physical attributes like height or extreme athleticism.
The ACL is also expanding into the collegiate level, with a few universities even offering scholarships to Cornhole players. “If we can get it into high schools, it’s only going to grow faster,” Walker says. He sees Cornhole as a sport that not only offers competitive opportunities but also teaches valuable life lessons. “It’s about learning from others and figuring out how to get better—those are skills that go beyond Cornhole.”
The sport’s unique dynamic of longevity is another aspect that excites Walker. Unlike football or basketball, Cornhole is a game that can be played for decades. “We’ve got 15-year-olds playing on ESPN and 65-year-olds competing in the same tournaments,” Walker points out. “No other sport has that kind of age range. It’s a lifelong game.”
Looking ahead, Walker remains focused on improving his own game. Despite his many achievements, including his runner-up finish in the World Championships, Walker’s competitive fire still burns bright. “As a competitor, I always want to get better. There’s no such thing as staying the same—you’re either improving or you’re not.”
For aspiring young athletes, Walker’s message is simple: find some boards, grab a few friends, and start playing. “That’s how it started for me,” he says. “I got hooked, and the rest is history.”
Ethan Walker’s journey from high school Cornhole club member to ACL pro is a testament to the opportunities that exist in unexpected places. His story isn’t just about Cornhole—it’s about determination, adaptability, and the realization that sometimes, the games we play for fun can become so much more.
Bound for Greatness Podcast
Bound for Greatness is a podcast that addresses current issues facing athletic professionals and also offers leadership strategies for coaches and athletic administrators. Coach and athletic administrative veteran, Scott Garvis, tackles the issues facing education based activities from a unique perspective; sometimes irreverent, sometimes cynical, and sometimes serious. Scott covers current topics while also providing leadership lessons from his career as coach and administrator.
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