To me a Pro yo-yo player can be a few different things. Some people see a Pro player as somebody that: Competes at higher levels, plays well enough to be Sponsored and tours and demos, a player that is Good enough to give on the spot Demonstrations at just about any skill level, etc.
A second ‘Marker’ to identify a Pro level player just spoke in the post above me. Ed…<Ed is a Pro level Yo-yo player. He is highly skilled no matter how you look at it. He is an Excellent trick teaching Instructor. Because he is also an actual Teacher; that only adds to his effectiveness. He is also a Martial Arts Expert; which allows him the added benefit of the Diciplines of ‘focus and self motivation’.
His bearing level 1A skills are higher than he would care to admit. And his fixed axle Magic literally has to be seen to be believed. On a fixed axle ladder, Ed is not looking up at the bottoms of anybody’s shoes. He is a Fixed axle Master.
…Now on another note, I would suggest you watch the following 2 minute video. It is a Perfect example of Pro level skills. When you get to the point that you can perform a super figure 8 trick combo like Jason Lee. And you can do it as smoothly and effortlessly as Jason does in this video; you are at Pro level status whether you believe it or not. Simply Amazing flow.
The Greatest thing about yo-yo playing is the fact that you can have fun at Any level of play. Some people just as in any endeavor, have more natural potential than others. But with few exceptions, where you get to in yoyos is primarily related to how much effort you put into getting there.
Never short circuit your enthusiasm by setting lofty goals. You will learn by doing. You will not learn by buying 100 yoyos. You will progress by having a few good yoyos and studying yo-yo just like anything else that takes dicipline and patience.
If your mindset is to throw to have fun; you will. Regardless, you won’t get any more out of it than you are willing to put into it.
I have literally hundreds of yoyos. Not a single one of them came with ‘tricks included’. Doesn’t faze me a bit.
I can’t pick up a yoyo without smiling. And if I ever entered a Yoyo Contest with a total of 10 contestants; I would probably finish in 11th place behind the Janitor.
I would simply smile and ask him to put the mop down so I could shake his hand. And then I would ask him to teach me that Bucket trick, lol.
When you eventually get really ‘good’ you may not even think of yourself as being ‘that good’. But you will know because others at higher levels will tell you.
If you are throwing yoyos and you are having fun, you are right where you need to be.