If you've been in the Cornhole scene for a while, you've probably heard of this icon, but just in case you've never heard of him, I plan to give you all the info you need to know right here today!
In any professional sport, it's not so uncommon to see players/competitors wearing apparel that has their name on it, what sport it is they are involved in, as well as their sponsors.
Well, Cornhole is no exception. Over the years there has been a dramatic change in designs for such jerseys. Most original Cornhole jerseys were polos with embroidering on them, maybe with your last name across the back. Some printed ones from time to time were common too. But, nothing like we see today. Over the last few years or more, I've seen some of the most amazing jersey designs and the majority of them came from one place... The Jersey Guy. I've seen a variety of jerseys from the American Cornhole Organization (ACO), American Cornhole League (ACL), Crew Cornhole League (CCL), AllCornhole and many more small leagues and groups. In reality, all of these organizations/leagues have stumbled upon the Jersey Guy Team for help at some time (not all but most). So I'd have to say that this guy is the real deal.
But, who is he? Who is the guy behind the scenes that started it all? His name is Christopher Cook, aka The Bear out of Sunny, California. Chris took some time to answer a few questions I had about how this franchise got started. I also received some new information that hasn't been publicly announced yet, so I plan to do that here today! Shall we begin? First off, you could assume I asked the most generic question possible, "How did the Jersey Guy come about?" Chris had been doing jerseys on the side and for a "fun hobby" for years as well as building boards and corn bags, all by himself. Chris also responded with "my love for bears", which explains his unique logo on all of the jerseys made. He said it all "happened by accident really" and that it would have never been what it is today without the love and support of our huge Cornhole family.
I then asked Chris, at what point did he feel like he had made it to the "next level" when making jerseys. The response I got was quite interesting and possibly the turning point in his career as The Jersey Guy! He said that when people started to want "more and more jerseys, I couldn't keep up with my regular job and JG. So I had to make a decision..." He then went on to say that he received tons of support and pushes to go for "his dream of being a legit company" or he might never get the chance again. You can probably guess what choice he made as he is one of the most iconic jersey makers in the Cornhole world today. Chris went further on and said one thing I couldn't agree more to, and that was this:
"The main difference between us and other jersey companies is we constantly donate to
cornhole community fundraisers and such, we are always reachable, we always support
everyone, and we actually play the game we all love."
The business is still to this day "family-owned and run" according to Chris. Although, over the years Chris has compiled a team (aka The Jersey Guy Team) to help spread the word across the United States. Not just anyone can be part of this special task team though. It's an honor that not many people have accomplished, but I'm hoping one day I'll be able to call myself a part of that team. This "team" is all about supporting one another and working hard to spread the love of the game through the hearts of anyone interested. Whether that be a little kid walking up to the boards to throw or an older gent/gal trying to figure out the rules. You might catch one or two of them from time to time with some personalized jerseys made specifically for them.
I went on to ask Chris my final two questions before I stopped getting on his nerves (lol). The first of those was "what do you say is the key to all your success?" Chris responded with "Being a real person and not being an out-of-reach company" as well as "supporting wholeheartedly the sport we love." Those components have without a doubt helped make them the company they are today. Last but not least, I asked Chris a question that had a response that hit at home for me. If you could leave one piece of advice to others in life, what would it be? Chris, being the overachiever he is, actually gave me two pieces of advice for all you wonderful people reading this today.
"Family is always the most important thing. If you have a business that fails you have your family but if you have a family that fails you really have nothing."
"Always treat your customers as you would want to be treated. Always informed and go above and beyond for them. It always pays off for everyone."
Now, if you've stuck around through this astonishing story, you will now be rewarded with some information that has NOT been released to the public. The Jersey Guy will be releasing a new series of bags in which he will be paying himself to get them made and 100% of the proceeds, when sold, will be going to support St Judes Children's Hospital!!! These bags are going to be "limited edition" and will be available in Game Changers/Steadys, SlideRites, and AllSlides. These "limited edition" bags will have the design pictured below.
Well folks, that's all I have for you today, I appreciate all the time spent for you to read my article! Hopefully more exciting information to come soon. Please feel free to check out The Jersey Guy website posted below with tons of amazing products and apparel. Let them know you heard here to show some support for this up and coming blog! If you liked the article give me a like in the bottom right corner or wherever you may see the heart option. Until next time...
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