Leaving the Blocks Behind: Shay’s Journey

I’ve been traveling around the country playing kubb since 2014. I often think about how many wonderful people I’ve met along the way. I like to tell people that a kubb tournament is more like a family reunion than a competition. After all, it’s the people that make the difference in kubb. Some of my best friends I have are from kubb. I am very lucky to have so many close friends through this game. There are so many I’ve stayed close to even though they live hundreds of miles away. In my decade in the game, however, I’ve seen so many players (and teams) burst on to the scene and then fade away. They make their mark, maybe stay for a while, and then move on to other phases of their life—choosing to leave the blocks behind. There are so many former competitors and friends that have faded from my life because they no longer throw batons. I had to learn that it’s okay and people are on their own path. Some will be gone forever. Some find their way back—back to pitch and back to brotherhood. Here is where I want to highlight Cory Shay. A man that just etched his name on the most prestigious trophy in our sport, but just a few years ago, stepped away—though he wasn’t ready to be gone for good.

Cory has always been one of the good guys. He’s one of those people that you find yourself rooting for, no matter what. There’s something about him. Filled with life, always charming. He’s got a great sense of humor (some bad jokes)—you always get a good ribbing, but you leave his presence feeling respected and loved.

Cory has been around the game for as long as I remember. He has played with some heavyweights through the years. He partnered with Eric Anderson from 2015 to 2019 where they finished first or second in every Eau Claire Kubb League regular season or playoffs. Right after that, he played with Gregg Jochimsen and they always had success.

One thing I’ve learned about myself and my fellow players: success in other tournaments is nice… but it’s the success (or failures) at the soccer park in Eau Claire that matters. The practices, the daily grind, the mental preparation is a full time job in itself. You are either all-in or you are out. If you are not careful, you can forget why we play this game. Players often focus on the failures and that can consume you at times. You can start doubting yourself. Your abilities, your mental focus, you start to believe that you can never achieve your dreams. It can sometimes be easier to avoid the challenges all together than to face them head on. 

Cory stopped playing for a year or more. I believe he was stressed with the commitment and expectations to be great. I remember not seeing him at any of the tournaments I normally would and that made me sad. Would he just fade away like so many others have? There were many days and many tournaments I attended and other people took Cory’s spot in my memory. New friends. New competitors. In the hustle and bustle you lose track of those old friends and you don’t realize how long they’ve been gone. I’m not sure how long it was, but then, in late July of 2022 there he was. Cory Shay, in the flesh! Sitting in a lawn chair, a huge smile on his face, clapping and cheering on all the players. He’d tell me a story about losing the love of the game. He wasn’t sure he would come back but he came out today and it made him realize he can’t stay away. 

He was back, but could he get back to the same level—or even better?

In 2023, Cory would return to the U.S. National Kubb Championship with the Sweden/USA Kubb team. Teaming with international kubb player Urban Helander, who was one of a growing amount of players coming to America looking to be the first international U.S. champion. The pair, along with fellow American Ryan Kolden, would defeat the 2022 Silver Medalist in Group Play on Saturday and make the Top 16 on Sunday. But that’s where the comeback story ended in that year. It was a good return but there was so much more work that had to be done.

In 2024, now getting the opportunity to play with his Eau Claire Kubb League teammate (and five time National Champion) Gregg Jochimsen, Cory would team with Belgium superstar Kim Heremans and everything seemed aligned for gold. As it turned out, the dream would become another nightmare. The incredible run of the Oman kubb family would keep Shay, Jochimsen, and Heremans out of the cage for another year.

In 2025, my own kubb team, Branches with Wolves, would find ourselves battling Shay and the Wrecking Crew. We won our group and advanced through bracket play to get to Sunday. We had Shay, Jochimsen, and Heremans first thing on Sunday morning. We won game one. We battled in game two, and had an opportunity to close them out. We didn’t—that much is obvious. They stopped us from closing the door on them and they forced it wide open and stepped through it, slamming it shut in our faces. They won game two on the next turn and game three wasn’t even close to take a 2-1 victory in pool play. That was as close as anyone got to seeing them lose. In our pool, there was also the defending national champions (Omans) and Wrecking Crew took them out 2-0, along with Kubbitz. This completed a three match sweep and earned them a trip to The Cage.

Once my team finally completed group play, which we had a marathon match with Kubbitz and were the last pool match of the morning, the semi-finals matches (AKA The Cage) were mere moments away from starting. I normally find myself in a swell of players in the front row of the pitch where the championship match will be played. This year, it was crammed full of spectators and I didn’t really want to sit in the sun. I had just spent hours in the sun. I searched for a place in the shade and had to go to the other side of the pitch. I found a spot near some long time friends and settled in as the last of the warmups was occurring. This is when I noticed I was sitting near the Jochimsen family.   

Here is where I must admit that I normally root to see a new champion. I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for Gregg Jochimsen. He proves year after year that he’s the best, but I find myself wanting to see new faces—and families—on top of the podium. As the semi-finals went on, I found myself seeing this dominating, no smiles, super serious team in a new light. A family light. Watching Jayne and Evie live and die on every shot. Celebrating together. Rooting on the team. Providing their loved ones inspiration. I saw three generations of Jochimsens present. Gregg’s dad, his son, and his grandson. All focused on the task at hand, all in—as if this was championship number one for Gregg. This moment was Gregg’s return to glory and his family was all here for him. Every toss of the block, every pile blown to smitherians. This wasn’t new to him. He’s used to success in The Cage. But this time he had two men at his side that were ready for their turn to step into the spotlight. From supporting characters to main characters. 

Kim Heremans was six-for-six in the finals. Legendary. All weekend, if Kim had two shots at 8 meters, you felt certain that he was going two-for-two. Now 100 percent hit rate all weekend is impossible, but that man is an 8 meter machine. 

So where was Cory? Right in the middle. Mister dependable. Cleaning up piles. Picking off kubbs hiding behind stakes. Holding his own, and successfully helping Kim in the 8 meter game. You have to be special to go in the middle.. .especially between those two men. It’s a pressure spot that has been too much for many people throughout the years. The expectation of perfection. The mental clarity to know the stakes and not let it affect you. The preparation to know that the moment is not too big and to deliver when it all matters the most. Cory was ready. He had learned. He was prepared. He had learned from some of the best and was ready to step up and take his rightful spot.

Now it’s game two of the finals and it’s tied up with eight kubbs in play and it’s anyone’s game to win. Gregg throws in the eight kubbs, but leaves four standing after his two baton throws. I’ve seen many second throwers come in and struggle in that spot, with all that pressure. Maybe it’s the junk that gets in the way. Maybe it’s a corner pin that denies the blast. Cory Shay steps up and clears three with his first throw. The baton throwing stud he is, he almost gets all four. But now another challenge, as the last field kubb is tucked behind a bunch of junk and a leaner is in the way. It’s the kind of situation where a miss can swing the momentum the other way and be a big reason why the other team wins the match. A miss and you ask your 8 meter sniper to step up and get a pressure clear.

In front of all these spectators, standing side-by-side with the world’s best, Cory Shay would put all his learnings, all his preparation, all his love, and all his passion into this throw. Perfectly placed and true, he clears the field and sets the stage. The best 8 meter player in the world steps up, kills the last baseline, and lines up to slay the king. 

As Cory and Gregg hold onto each other, waiting for the fateful toss, I spot Jayne and Evi, embracing each other, hanging on with every passing second. Waiting. Faithful. Believing. The king falls. The celebration starts. Tears of joy start flowing from Evi. She rushes onto the field and gets an embrace from Kim. I then fixate on Cory. The journey to the top of the mountain is finally complete. I watched him receive congratulations from all the players amassed on the pitch and it was a sight to see. The emotion in his face. The happiness in his eyes.

Shortly after this, I was in my seven-hour car ride back to Michigan from the Kubb Capital when a wave of emotion hit me like a ton of bricks. I had to pull off the road and write a message to a friend. I don’t think he’ll mind me sharing the message here. It went like this: 

I am so proud of you, Cory. I got emotional seeing you emotional after the finals. It got me thinking of your journey and how hard work and dedication pays off. You always believed in yourself, never lost faith that you’d get another opportunity, and never lost that swagger while keeping your humbleness. I had an ear-to-ear smile on my face watching you lift that Stapp King. Very well deserved my friend…

I spent a lot of that car ride with that ear-to-ear smile for Cory. Nothing fills you with more joy than seeing friends fulfill their dreams. In real life you understand that not every story has a happy ending. So many times the good guy doesn’t win. What a storybook ending to the 2025 U.S. National Championship. A five time National Champion returns to the cage and earns a record sixth championship. Kim Heremans returns to Eau Claire and becomes the first non-U.S. player to win the U.S. National Championship. Cory Shay returns to the sport, falls back in love with the game, and completes his ascension to kubb immortality. How can you not be romantic about kubb?