'That's how we've always done it' is the worst phrase in the world for growth. Even if something has been done one way for 30 years, there is always room for improvement. When we introduced the concept of a round-limited Cornhole game in 2018, I thought it was a travesty to the game. Now? I love using it as an exhibition format for our sport. It provides a new flavor of intensity in our sport that's really special. The lesson is that you may get some initial pushback on ideas because they go against the norm, but that's good, it means you're on the right track for growth.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Trey Ryder. Trey Ryder began playing Cornhole when he was 16 years old. He competed competitively throughout his high school, collegiate, and professional career where he originally pursued a degree in Chemical Engineering from Clemson University, graduating Summa Cum Laude. He joined the ACL team in 2017, as a color commentator for digital broadcasts, but has since grown his role into Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). As CMO, Ryder directs the media and marketing department within the ACL, as well as manages the group of ACL Pros that lead the sport at the highest skill level.

Thank you for joining us in this series, Trey. Can you share with us your backstory and how you became involved in the ACL?

I began playing Cornhole competitively back in 2010. Although I never emerged as an elite player, I always loved the game and had an appreciation for the strategy and the analytics of the game, as my previous professional background was in engineering. In 2017, the ACL was searching for a color commentator for their newest ESPN3 broadcast schedule, and I threw my name in the ring. I submitted a short audition tape and was eventually selected to do commentary and have been doing it ever since. Since then, my role has increased significantly. Now I also help to manage our ACL Pros as well as our social media and marketing team.

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

Whether it was interesting or just humbling, I'd probably have to turn towards the story that The Ringer published in 2020 that called me the "Tony Romo of Cornhole". Partially because of my playing career being followed by my non-traditional broadcasting technique career, the article described my journey in Cornhole and was an amazing piece. I've broadcasted on ESPN numerous times, but I've never received as much outreach or recognition from the general public as I did once that article was published. It's a piece I'll never forget and I truly appreciate.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Cornhole commentary can be quite interesting because we are located so close to the court while the matches are being played that we are calling. Back in 2018 during a singles final, a player wound up their shot as if they were going to attempt an aggressive airmail shot for big points. I loudly setup the call to prepare the audience for a big shot attempt, and in the end the player actually just laid up and did not attempt the shot. Pre-shot, the arena was quiet enough that the players and the crowd heard me on the setup call of the shot, and all had a good laugh at my expense for making the wrong call. It was all in good fun but I never forget that. Between that and the natural innuendos that can happen with a game like Cornhole, I've learned always to wait an additional half second to think and observe before making a call.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? I understand some new sponsors have come on?

So many exciting things are happening this year. First, we just launched trackable statistics within our ACL Pro Division and tournament software. These statistics bring significant legitimacy to our sport and paved the way for our newest partnership with DraftKings to insert gambling lines into Cornhole. That, in itself, is revolutionary for us. The engineer in me is stoked to have analytics for all of our ACL Pros. Another thing to be excited for is the grand opening of ACL HQ, our new corporate world headquarters in Rock Hill, SC that will open in April of this year. We are growing at an exponential rate and it's so amazing to see it all happen in front of our eyes.

What do you think makes people gravitate toward the ACL? Why is cornhole so popular?

I get asked this question a lot and I always fall back to its relatability. The analogy I always use is that when the average joe at home sees Tom Brady throw a 65 yard touchdown pass, they are not frequently saying to themselves "hey, I can do that!". Cornhole is different. Everyone that has seen the game played or has played it themselves can relate to it on some level. Whether they won a game against their tailgate rivals outside a football game a few years ago, or they've made Cornhole a family cookout tradition, most people see Cornhole as a game that is accessible and playable by anyone. Our slogan is "Anyone can play. Anyone can win". I really think that slogan holds true and it's why so many people are jumping into our sport, whether it's to play or to watch.

If you could go back in time and talk to your younger self regarding life lessons, things you would like him to know what they would be and why?

Don't follow the cookie cutter mold for life. So many people think that to be successful, they have to follow a step by step process and do everything the same way everyone else does. For me, my biggest success in life has come because I followed my passion, did something that other people said was dumb or stupid, and took a big risk. Hard work is always important, yes, but pouring passion into what you do makes life that much more enjoyable and successful.

What are your "5 things I wish someone told me about working for a startup league" and why? Please share a story or example for each.

1. "You are going royally screw up…and that's okay." We've planned tournaments with new features, new bells and whistles, and bold adjustments, all for them to come crashing down on us. In 2018, we tried to use text messaging for court assignments while running our tournaments for the first time, we were significantly underprepared from an infrastructure perspective and it made for a miserable player experience. It turned out to be okay because we learned from our mistakes and corrected everything we needed to. It was okay that we made a big mistake, because we were willing to fix it and regroup

2. "'That's how we've always done it' is the worst phrase in the world for growth". Even if something has been done one way for 30 years, there is always room for improvement. When we introduced the concept of a round-limited Cornhole game in 2018, I thought it was a travesty to the game. Now? I love using it as an exhibition format for our sport. It provides a new flavor of intensity in our sport that's really special. The lesson is that you may get some initial pushback on ideas because they go against the norm, but that's good, it means you're on the right track for growth.

3. "Passion can sometimes be more valuable than experience or intelligence". For me, this is especially true when thinking about hiring more people as we continue to grow. Yes, some jobs have minimum technical requirements that can't be overlooked. However, I'll take someone passionate about their work and the league with slightly less experience than someone with a stoic attitude and an amazing resume every day of the week. The most valuable people in our organization are actually those doing things that they had to self teach themselves because they were just simply passionate about getting this league up and running

4. "Be more accepting to do things outside your comfort zone." This is true of any startup company. I entered the league as a broadcaster only, and now one of my responsibilities is managing our social media channels for the league. I had no idea what I was doing when I first started social media. It was way outside my comfort zone. But I put my head down, studied, and built a platform that I'm excited about and proud of. I only wish I was more receptive to the idea sooner.

5."You have to learn the difference between constructive criticism and hate. Once you do, shape your approach to each." For so long, being in front of camera and the face for a league was so overwhelming and sometimes depressing because I tried so hard to please everyone and make everyone happy. You soon realize that some people will always just spew hate, regardless of the decisions that you make. The key is being able to identify the people who have legitimate grievances and addressing those for the betterment of the community. The others? The haters? You have to find a way to push aside their comments and their opinions, because they will never be pleased regardless of your decisions.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

There's certainly two that come to mind. First is my dad, Eric Ryder. Eric is on staff with the ACL and is also an ACL Pro. Back in 2016, Eric took a chance and began doing some work for the ACL on the side. He filled me in on the vision and the purpose for the league, and, to be honest, I was a doubter. I never thought Cornhole could amount to what it is now. He continued to push on me that this sport and this league had major potential. When a broadcaster role opened in 2017, he is the one who convinced me to throw my name in the hat, and to this day it's the best decision I've ever made in my professional career. Not only is my dad an amazing supporter of mine, he's the one who introduced me to the league. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be where I am. The other is our commissioner, Stacey Moore. It was one thing for Stacey to take a chance on me as an inexperienced broadcaster with no prior television experience, it's another for him to continue to trust me and build his league around some of the ideas and structures that I've envisioned. Stacey is as bold as it gets, he's willing to take chances and he dreams bigger than anyone I've ever met. He inspires me to set high expectations for myself and for our league, something that has stuck with me since I came on board in 2017.

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?

I'd look to start an initiative that uses Cornhole to promote equality across the world. I still think equality is our single biggest problem as a society and I'm passionate about trying to mend that with our sport. Developing a way to bring together people of all cultures and backgrounds to play a simple, and fun game would be revolutionary, I think. Infusing a charity aspect to the game that focuses on both domestic and international outreach with the goal of bringing people together through a game is something that just sounds like so much fun while doing so much good.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

I really believe that what we are building for Cornhole is opening the door for so many people. When it comes to almost every other sport in the world, if you weren't born with physical gifts, or don't train from the age of 10, you don't really have a chance to become a professional athlete, or even a semi-professional athlete. I think what I've tried to help do is create a sport where a 14 year old high school girl, a 28 year old electrician, and a 68 year old retired military veteran can all meet on common ground and come together to play something they all enjoy. Cornhole has the potential to bridge generational gaps which is not something that is true for many sports. I'm proud to be part of a sport that is so accessible that can bring people happiness, whether it's at a professional tournament or it's at a Tuesday night blind draw league at the local bar.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why?

Probably Jim Nantz. He's personally my favorite broadcaster and I think I could learn a lot from him when it comes to broadcasting philosophy and strategy. I also would probably use it as a pitch to get him to cover cornhole with me once :)

How can our readers follow you on social media? How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

My instagram handle is @tryder707 and my twitter handle is @TreyRyder_ACL. I'm most active on Twitter.