FERGUS – It was always the vision of the creators of Waddies to build enough interest in the game to hold a tournament.
And if that tournament could be in Fergus – home of the game – that would be a dream come true.
Well, the first Waddies Classic is planned for May 14, from 11am to 9:30pm at the Fergus Legion.
And while the players’ roster is full, there’s still room for spectators to enjoy the competition and see what the game is all about.
“We’re extremely excited to have the inaugural Waddies Classic at the Fergus Legion,” said Andy Speers, one of 11 friends who began selling the game during the pandemic.
“Right from the start, this was our dream to bring the community together in this way.
“And the game has such a rich history in our community.”
Waddies is a tossing game similar to cornhole and washers with some key differences, the main one being it can be played both indoors and outdoors.
Players toss plastic pucks – Waddies – at a board aiming to get it through the hole. Points are scored based on which puck is closest to the hole.
At the tournament there will be 64 teams – 120 participants – and they’ll play in pools of four. Then the final 64 teams will play by rank until the final showdown.
In terms of the game’s history, it’s hard to separate fact from lore.
What Speers knows for sure is that his grandfather gave him the game when he was a kid and it was widely played at the Fergus and Elora Legions.
Where it came from before that is a subject of great interest to Speers and his friends, who think it may have originated at the Legion.
But where the game is going is the current hot topic; they hope this tournament will capture interest from outside Centre Wellington and that next year there could be multiple tournaments in and outside of Wellington County.
For this tournament there are many sponsors and Speers gave a shoutout to Wellington Brewery, Arthur Cash and Carry, Speers Electric, Fergus-Elora Taxi, Lil’ Country Wood Shop, Hometown Realty and Fraberts Fresh Food, all of whom are giving cash or in-kind donations for the event.
That means there will be cash prizes: $1,000 to the winner, $500 for second place and $250 for third place finishers.
And the winner’s name will be engraved on the Waddies Cup.
Speers also lauded the Legion and its management team, who have been great to work with and who have been receptive to holding the tournament there.
He said there’s often good-natured trash talk during games, and he expects things will be lively during the tournament.
“It’s such a great social game,” he said. “Anyone who comes to watch will be thoroughly entertained.”
To learn more about Waddies or to order a game, visit waddies.ca.
