I worked at Arby’s all throughout College, I know all the secrets
I went to Arby’s nearly daily for lunch while working my first job above minimum wage. It was in a mall and was also where I got my first yoyo (not counting whatever I had as a kid that would have been long gone by then). I’ve been vegetarian pretty much since not long after that, so now I only get to enjoy Arby’s through jokes on Family Guy.
Fun to see this. The Path is legit still one of my absolute favorite throws, on the desert island list for certain, and I’ve played with A LOT of designs, haha.
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Jack is the freaking man! I wish I could hang out in his brain while he creates a trick. 
He comes up with the coolest stuff.
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All!
Today I am proud to present the world champ, Mir Kim!!!
What got you into throwing, how did you find the hobby?
Back in 2015, my father first bought me a yo-yo. It was a Modified shaped yo-yo for beginners. I soon began to like it and became totally absorbed in landing tricks and feeling the sense of accomplishment. That’s how I started yo-yoing.
What is your goal in 2025 for yourself? Yo-yo or not!
My goal is to do my best for World Yo-Yo Contest so that I will be satisfied with my performance. As for outside yo-yoing, I’d like to complete some short stories and novellas.
If you could only have one yo-yo for the rest of your life what would it be?
My answer is the Miracle 2025, my signature yo-yo:) It is the one that is most fit for me.
What trick are you working on currently?
I am making some new tricks inspired by literature. I will read books, and transform what I feel into physical movements.
What’s the trick that gives you the hardest time?
I think Horizontal tricks and Hooks are most difficult. Especially for Hooks, I have to practice over and over again everyday.
What’s the most meaningful or favorite throw you have?
The original Miracle. It’s my first signature yo-yo. I was very surprised by its quality when I first threw it. I owe a lot to that yo-yo.
What’s your worst habit with yo-yos?
Thinking of new tricks when I have to repeat what I have for a contest. I tend to make new tricks everytime when I get bored, and that can have a negative effect on my performance.
What’s kind of things are you into outside of yo-yos?
I really love reading books, especially history and fiction. I like reading works by classic authors, such as Virgil, Homer, Shakespeare, Goethe and so on. As for more modern authors, I like Hemingway and Charles ■■■■■■■■ Also I like writing fiction and visiting art museums. I am a huge fan of Renaissance paintings and sculptures. These are what I am into.
What song best fits your personality?
Songs that are exciting. I think songs with exciting mood are best for my yo-yo style.
Favorite restaurant and order?
My favorite is by far Italian restaurant. But I also like Chinese and Japanese restaurant. My favorite foods are Margherita Pizza, lasagna, and Bistecca alla Fiorentina(florentine beefsteak). As for Chinese and Japanese, I like Dumplings and Sushi.
Favorite movie and or Book?
My favorite movies are the Robert Langdon and the Jason Bourne series. Especially ‘Angels and Demons’ and ‘Inferno’, since Rome and Florence are my favorite cities and I am really into Renaisance.
My favorite books are The Iliad, The Aeneid, The Parallel Lives, the tragedies by Sophocles, The Divine Comedy, The Old Man and the Sea, Julius Caesar and some others. It is impossible for me to choose just one!
What does yo-yoing mean to you?
It means art. Many think yo-yoing is a mere hobby, but I think it can transcend that sphere. It can be heightened to art. And I want to make people know it as something above toys.
What’s your favorite memory from your time in the hobby ?
The most wonderful memory is when I first won the World Yo-Yo Contest in 2023. I achieved it after 8 years’ yo-yoing, and it was the most fantastic moment.
What’s your biggest accomplishment yo-yo or not?
I think it’s Two World Yo-Yo Champion titles.
How has the community changed since you started? Where do you want it to go?
I think yo-yoing has become more difficult over the years. People upgrade their tricks everyday. Many new tricks are already out, so it adds to the difficulty of becoming creative. But, unfortunately, yo-yo populations has declined. Also, there seems to be a little bit of less creativity among yoyo players now. I hope more and more people will engage in this community and there will come out more innovative tricks.
If you never picked up a yo-yo - what would things look like now?
Yo-yoing is helpful to me in various fields. To love and do well at something is a great experience for the next step. I became more confident in making other attempts.
Advice/ words of wisdom to new players?
My advice is different according to their aim.
If you want to enjoy yo-yoing, and have no desire for competition, you can play from time to time, make new tricks and get ideas from other yo-yo players. Yo-yoing is also good as a refreshment.
But if you aim to win competitions, set records, and be an unique player, I would tell you a lot of endeavor is necessary. You should sometimes say to yourself, “The fault is not in the stars but in ourselves”, and push on. But, as eric hoffer wrote, “it is the stretched soul that makes music.” If there is no conflict within you, there will be no music, that is, no great performance. Through your endeavor, you make an art of you. And later, you will deeply rejoice at what you have achieved.
Whats you want to tell the world?
If you want to fulfill yourself, if you are bored with television, SNS, games and other virtual hobbies, if you would like to explore a new field, yo-yo is for you. One of the unique aspects of yo-yoing is that spectators and players are one. There is no definite distinction between them. You can applaud players’ performances and be one of them at the same time. You are in for a treat!
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Hot damn! Great interview!
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Happy Friday!!
Great profile with Marc Zuno from team Enzo!! I believe a lot of what they say will really resonate with us all!!
What got you into throwing, how did you find the hobby?
Way back around 2008 or 2009 - I don’t remember exactly when - my grandparents bought me a brain type, light up yoyo and I thought it was just kinda cool. My uncle showed me a few tricks on it like around the world and rock the baby and such. Learning the absolute basic tricks made me more interested, but what really got me hooked was what I did next. I searched “yoyo god” on YouTube. The video that I clicked on from that search was of the winning routine from the 2006 world yoyo contest in the 1A division, Hiroyuki Suzuki. I watched that routine just, mesmerized. I swore right then and there that I was going to reach that level of yoyoing.
What is your goal in 2025 for yourself? Yo-yo or not!
My goal for myself in 2025 in yoyo, higher placements for sure. I want to win contests. I made finals at the World Yoyo Contest before I had won a pro contest. I got my first professional contest win in November of 2024 at the Colorado State Yoyo contest. I also want to push my competitive abilities even further and I want to make routines that don’t just score and present well, but feel like they fit me and express a message. I want to surpass my ceiling and push myself even further. I want there to be a noticeable, big improvement. I also want to continue supporting everyone and I want to be a lot more social, as I have a bit of a hard time with that. For anyone who meets me, I know I can be somewhat awkward, but I really do appreciate everyone that comes up to me.
If you could only have one yo-yo for the rest of your life what would it be?
Assuming I’d still be competing, it’d be the Gear 5. The Gear 5 is able to handle everything I throw at it and it fits me like a glove. Assuming I was retired from competing, it’d be the UI. The UI is just too fun and still holds up with my trickset.
What trick are you working on currently?
Rather than a specific trick, I’m working on making my tricks look more presentable. What I mean by that, is rather than just doing trickshots - not that I plan to stop doing trickshots of course - I want my tricks to transition to each other more smoothly. I want my tricks to look like they blend together, rather than being lots of separate elements being done quickly and incoherently.
What’s the trick that gives you the hardest time?
Double green triangle ninja vanish. Even after many attempts, I can get it right once every 30 tries or so. It’s not a trick I especially need anyway.
What’s your favorite trick?
I can’t think of a specific one because I know quite a few that are about as amazing as each other. I would say I really enjoy seeing dynamic body tricks and trickshot type tricks. What’s really cool is seeing a trick and getting chills or being crazy impressed. I hope I have tricks that can get that kind of reaction out of other people and hopefully provide inspiration.
What’s your favorite yo-yo of all time?
The UI by my amazing sponsor, Enso. It’s the first yoyo of theirs I ever tried and it is always such a fun throw to go back to. The way it rings as I just casually do tricks makes me feel so cool. Close second would be the Metatron’s Cube.
What’s the most meaningful throw you have?
The most meaningful throw I have is probably my half swapped UI. It was the first yoyo Enso ever sent me. I half swapped it with my teammate Cisco, shortly after I joined Team Enso. To me, it represents my welcoming into team Enso and also the bond that I’m able to share with this amazing company that took a chance on me at a time when I really needed it.
What’s your worst habit with yo-yos?
It used to be accidentally poking myself trying to deshield bearings. I haven’t had to worry about that since I only use NSK bearings for competition now. My bad habit now is not cleaning my bearings until it actually becomes a problem. I also have a habit of not pacing my practice sessions. Often I’ll just do a full burst of practice until I’m wiped, rather than doing a few runs at different times of the day.
What kind of things are you into outside of yo-yos?
Yoyo has kind of taken priority over my other hobbies to be honest. I like to play video games sometimes. I used to play a lot of Rainbow Six Siege and Osu! I watch a lot of anime, mostly random anime that aren’t usually brought up in conversation with others though. Same deal with manga, literally whatever catches my attention I’ll look into. I also really enjoy hanging out with my friends when I get the chance to.
What song best fits your personality?
The song “Blue Light” by Ike Eveland. I heavily resonated with this song before I finally started seeing results in yoyo. It summed up my exact feelings that I had even before the song had been released. “Blue Light” is about feeling like you’re wasting time and not really seeing any significant progress. It’s about feeling afraid to take a step forward despite really wanting to. Feeling inadequate and like no matter what you do, it’s never enough to satisfy yourself. Near the end of the song, there’s a mention of being reborn as somebody new and I feel as though I was finally able to take a step in that direction once I put in more effort than I ever had before and proved what I was capable of - not just to everyone else, but to myself - at the 2023 US National Yoyo Contest. It was more than yoyo to me. I was finally making my mark in a way and not just existing without purpose. This song is a reminder that having no goal makes me feel empty and leads to just being sad and lonely. I took a step away from my comfort zone and from my solitude. I am very lucky to have the friends and support system that I do. I’m glad that I can acknowledge my abilities, even if not fully yet.
Favorite restaurant and order?
Buffalo Wild Wings. My favorite order is Mango Habanero boneless wings with a root beer(or margarita) and a side of fries.
Favorite movie and or Book?
I actually don’t watch too many movies. My favorite movie that I can think of is “A Silent Voice.” My favorite shows are “Code Geass,” “That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime,” and “Violet Evergarden.”
What does yo-yo’ing mean to you?
Yoyoing to me, is proof that I’m capable of achieving what I want through dedication. Yoyoing gives me self confidence, something to look forward to, courage and purpose. It has given me amazing friends and a place of belonging in a community that is so supportive.
What’s your favorite memory from your time in the hobby?
My favorite memory is when I heard my name called during the results announcement for the semi final round at the 2024 world yoyo contest. It determined who was making finals. I still remember the pressure in the room as everyone there was on the absolute edge of their seats waiting to hear the names of either themselves or of those they wanted to make it through. I could feel and hear my heartbeat as I stood there listening closely in anticipation of my name potentially being called. One by one, the country and the name until I heard: “United States, Marc Zuno,” and then just a wave of emotion washed over me. Mostly happiness and excitement. I was flooded by my friends in a big celebratory circle. All my friends and acquaintances cheered loudly. I was hugged, patted on the back, high fived, everything. I got a picture with my sponsor as well and it is one of my favorite pictures because I look and am genuinely happy in the photo. I called my mom after the announcements were finished. All the relief set in at that moment on the phone call with my mother and I just cried tears of joy. I was officially - placement wise - in the world’s top 20 1A yoyoers.
How has the community changed since you started? Where do you want it to go?
It’s hard to say. I wasn’t heavily into the community until I started getting results in competitions recently. If I think really hard about it - to me it seems - people seem to value the scoring system more now than they did in the past. Especially the new generation of up and coming yoyoers. They seem especially interested in how clicking works. Clicking isn’t all there is to a routine of course, but it is essential knowledge for throwers looking to get real results. I don’t think it’s a bad thing at all for them to learn that either. Honestly, I would have loved to know how clicking worked way earlier on. I wonder if I would have had a lot of success if I had that knowledge back when I was competing in 2015-2018. Information on how clicking works is way more accessible now compared to back then. I also want to note that not everyone wants to compete and they just like to yoyo. That is completely fine. At the end of the day, yoyo is for fun. If you’re not having fun with it, then there’s no point in doing it.
If you never picked up a yo-yo - what would things look like now?
I actually have no idea. Since I grew up yoyoing, it shaped so much about me and created relationships/dynamics that I just would not have had if I weren’t a yoyoer. I made many acquaintances(that didn’t yoyo) when I was younger simply because I knew how to yoyo and was pretty alright at it. They’d take interest and ask questions. I was able to make a few genuine connections outside of yoyo because of it. I think it would have been a lot harder for me to socialize if I didn’t have yoyo in my life. I’ve always been a pretty shy person. Yoyo opened opportunities for me to talk to more people, and especially more now that I’m legitimately in the community. If I didn’t yoyo, I can’t say with confidence that I’d have another hobby that I would have gone pro in. I stuck with yoyo because I felt I had a talent for it. After sticking with it for so long, I can’t find it in me to stop, and I genuinely don’t want to stop.
Advice/words of wisdom to new players?
Do not be afraid to ask for help. I was in a rut for years because I was too nervous/scared to just reach out and ask for help.
What do you want to tell the world?
No matter your ethnicity, background, orientation, identity or physical appearance. You are valid. You are capable of achieving what you want to. As long as what you are after - or who you want to be - is not causing harm to anyone, it is not a problem. Anyone who doesn’t support you, will just have to deal with it. Do not be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Be tolerant, be respectful and do not be afraid to be your authentic self. And for any hobby out there - yoyo or not - have fun with it. Stay safe everyone. If you read this far, I truly appreciate it. Thank you.
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Happy Monday!!!
Excited to present the one, the only, Kris Toledo!!!
What got you into throwing, how did you find the hobby?
Back in Middle school one of my friends had a magic yoyo and he was just doing a simple bind but at the time I thought it was the coolest thing Ive ever seen. So about a month later I went to Downtown Disney in LA and this was when they had a Duncan booth, my mom got me one and now here I am yoyoing 11 years later!
What is your goal in 2025 for yourself? Yo-yo or not!
I want to make worlds finals! Also to show what I have learned since worlds
What trick are you working on currently?
Lots of competition type tricks but also working on more the flow of all the tricks.
What’s the trick that gives you the hardest time?
Anything with a whip to double GT or a slap to double GT
What’s the most meaningful or favorite throw you have?
I have a few but I have my gsquared Eilte that I used to make my first Nationals finals that I will keep forever.
What’s your worst habit with yo-yos?
Dinging them lol
What’s kind of things are you into outside of yo-yos?
I love to go running, taking photography and I’m currently learning some other skill toys
What song best fits your personality?
It has nothing to do with the title of the song or anything i really like the song and it’s a calm one and I believe I am more of a calmer person.
Favorite restaurant and order?
Any restaurant with tamales is my favorite
What does yo-yo’ing mean to you?
Means the most to me! Been with me through the past 11 years
If you could start over again, what would you do differently?
I don’t think id change a thing other than start earlier
What’s your biggest accomplishment yo-yo or not?
Probably winning NER or getting 2nd at PNWR
How has the community changed since you started and where do you want it to go?
Lots of changed, I feel like its more mainstream than it use to be, Id love for yoyo to go in a direction where not just competing is common but shows for the public, such as concerts or dance recitals
If you never picked up a yo-yo - what would things look like now?
I think id probably be more into video games
Advice/ words of wisdom to new players?
Enjoy the process of getting better, its the most fun stages of yoyo in my opinion and you leave it before you even realize it
Whats you want to tell the world?
Thanks for the support for the past 11 years! This community has been super welcoming and im happy to have a small part in it!
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Back with another Company Profile!! Hope you all enjoy!!
How did the idea for Yoyofriends come about?
Hi, This is Yiyang Wang (Philip) from yoyofriends. I joined yoyofriends in 2018 and since then the idea of yoyofriends changed a lot. Right now yoyofriends has the manufacturing side located in ShenZhen,China. The player side is located all around the world, with me being the leader based in Texas, USA. Since yoyofriends was created before I joined, I asked manufacturing side about the origin.
Yoyofriends started in 2016. The boss/founder back in the days personally talked to the OEM customers about yoyos and various products. Once he met a customer refusing to work with him/the company because the customer thinks the products made in China are of very low quality and just not up to par. He then took that to heart and decided to found yoyofriends, aiming at high quality products and designs.
Now my side of the story. I was a competitive yoyoer till 2018. My favorite yoyoer is Marcus Koh and I follow his journey closely from turning point to Auldey then starting his own company, ThrowRevolution. I am also heavily inspired by the show Blazing Teens when I was little, and I think it would be so cool to run a yoyo team. I actually decided to retire from the yoyoing scene in 2018 after my 3rd place finish at the South Central Regional yoyo contest. One of my friends who designs yoyos, Danny Yu, contacted me about fpm wanting yoyo players on their team. I have no idea what fpm is back in the days, but after a couple months, I stumbled on the video of Brandon Vu using the yoyofriends Hummingbird.
I then realized it was actually yoyofriends! I then got in contact with them. This began a long journey of partnership to where we are now. I first started helping them test yoyos. Then sponsoring players. I remember the first player who joined after me, I drove about an hour to meet with him and his parents at a Panera bread. I then learned more about designs and ideas and now fully oversee most of yoyofriends’ operations. I think it is in 2019/2020 when I changed the motto for yoyofriends to manufacturer and players united. Changing how yoyofriends is now a collaboration of sponsored yoyo players all around the world, valuing every player’s input. Everything design, name and colorways goes through the players combined with one of the best yoyo manufacturers in the world.
What does a day in the life look like for you running Yoyofriends?
Everyday for me is pretty different. I set up a rule about posting every other day on the yoyofriends instagram page, (I think yoyofriends facebook and twitter are similar). I would contact the manu teams and the player what to post, whether it’s a promotional photo or a trick circle from one of our players. I directly run the yoyofriends instagram. I am also the main contact for yoyofriends on reddit and discord, so I would see if there are stories I need to share, and customers that need to be helped. I always think about more yoyo ideas all the time, that will probably become a yoyofriends yoyo eventually. I write the yoyofriends story on most of the yoyofriends’ yoyo. I keep a lookout on potential yoyo players that would be a good fit for team yoyofriends. I also am always thinking of logo and name ideas for the yoyos greenlit for production. I also talk to the yoyofriends players if they need yoyos or accessories. Testing out prototypes and working along with the players and manu team on what to change and finalize if the yoyo is good for production.
Walk me through your creative process
My creative process is different all the time. I think Peregrine and the Overclock was some ideas I thought of back in 2018 when I was in a car with my friend talking about yoyo designs. Most yoyos now start with an idea, purpose and goal. I think of what is missing in our lineup, a fingerspin yoyo? A yoyo for speed or acceleration? An all out comp yoyo that would benefit our yoyo players on stage? I then think of a general shape and construction and present it to the manu team. The manu team will then contact me to have a rough draft of the yoyo. I then send every design and idea to the yoyofriends player team and ask about opinions and changes. I look at our player performance and input as well. I think Yahoo wants a wider yoyo, so we immediately started the 53mm monometal comp yoyo project just for him. When a player gets a signature yoyo, I would interview them and use my expertise and knowledge to guide them to make the perfect yoyo for them. As for naming, I take a lot of inspiration from everyday stuff like shows and video games. The particle series started with Naruto going Baryon mode. We named some of yoyos taking inspiration from video games like Destiny 2 and Horizon Forbidden West and many more.
What’s your favorite memory of running Yoyofriends?
I have a lot of great memories for yoyofriends, there are too many to choose a favorite. I would say one of my favorites on the retail side is getting into yoyoexpert. I am a long time yoyoexpert fan and it was really awesome to talk to Andre at Nats and write stories to finally get into yoyoexpert. For yoyo side, I would say the peregrine. Back in the days some yoyofriends designs are not made in house and hummingbird was so great, we cannot stand up nor surpass it for a very long time. Peregrine was the first time I think with me being the lead designer and the boss being the main designer to finally have a product that stand up to the hummingbird. It also set up the high standards and quality we have today. For the player side, I would say watching James Heder placing 2nd in the Florida State yoyo contest.
I am sure my favorite yoyofriends memories is yet to come.
What’s your favorite release to date?
I would say the Peregrine series and the Ultracut. Peregrine as I mentioned above finally stood up to the performance of the Hummingbird coming from in house yoyo designs. The ultracut is one of my favorite monometal and can comfortably do well on the modern competitive stage. I am super proud we can achieve this unprecedented performance at this price.
What’s your next release and what makes it so exciting?
Our next release will be a high performance budget plastic yoyo called Rio. Named after the 2011 musical adventure comedy film. It is our highest performing plastic yoyo yet. The shape is based on the yoyofriends Dove and AoE, we then increased the width, weight and weight distribution by changing the metal spacer to plastic seating. Then moving the saved weight to the rims. The result is by far our best performing plastic in just about every aspect. It plays almost like a competitive mono metal yoyo. On top of that it can fingerspin well too, because we based the center cup loosely on the yoyofriends Strand. I seriously think it is one of the best plastic in terms of performance and quality, all at a low cost of around 25 dollars.
What’s in store for Yoyofriends in the future?
Tons of new releases. We have about 10-15 ongoing projects. A lot of player signatures are coming to suit their specific needs on the competitive stage. The players are also preparing for the upcoming PNWR and US National yoyo contest, we hope some players will reach 1A finals at US nats.
If you could go back and do one thing differently what would that be?
I would say to be more open minded. I sometimes have a lot of ideological differences with the manu team in the earlier days. I think eventually we all sorted it out as the chemistry got better. I wish I am more open to what they say and their decisions earlier and respect what they are coming from as well.
What do you think sets your company apart from others?
First, I think fpm plays a huge role. Since yoyofriends is based on fpm, all our yoyos are manufactured there. I think fpm is one of the best yoyo manufacture quality wise. I actually have OCD in terms of yoyo vibe and smoothness and I am so glad yoyofriends yoyos have one of the best, if not the best quality in the scene. They really use yoyofriends as a platform to push the limit on weight distributions and materials, ranging from crazy SS rim designs to Damascus, Copper, Magnesium, Brass and even tungsten. We can also keep the price fairly low as well while providing the highest quality. I also think the manu team really listens to us players. Every single design, naming, etc are double checked by the entire yoyofriends’ play members. Around 80 percent of our lineup are ideas from the sponsored yoyo player. The manu team really let me, the players run the show and give us so much power. Especially signature yoyo where players have basically full control on the design, construction, naming, colorways etc. Even if it is not a signature, we will take feedback from the players and make yoyos that suit them better on stage. We will do whatever it takes to make the player’s dream yoyo and ideas come true. I am also very fluent in both Chinese and English, so I can communicate perfectly with the players and the manu team, ironing out every single detail for a smooth operation. The boss also treats me with the utmost respect and is very open in terms of ideas, what to do and even criticisms. I also want to give a special shout out to the contacts I communicate with everyday on the manu team, they are some of the nicest people to work with ever.
Any advice to aspiring companies/creators?
I don’t have much to say as I know companies are run differently and I respect that. The only thing I want to highlight is to find a couple anchor players that really care about the company. For yoyofriends I think that would be me, Tony Sung and Tomoki Toyama. We together help yoyofriends reach new heights around the world, whether it’s promoting, designing etc
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Excited to present Seth McNeeley of Turner Return Tops today!! An incredible thrower, and overall great guy!!
Enjoy!!!
What got you into throwing, how did you find the hobby?
A family friend gifted me a Yomega Brain for Christmas in 1998. Up until that point, I thought yoyos just went up and down. I had no idea they could “sleep”. The family friend showed me how the brain could not only sleep, but it came back automatically. I became obsessed. I threw sleeper after sleeper, trying my hardest to make each one longer than the last. Then I scoured the “trick book” that came with the brain and learned every trick in it, except brain twister. That was a trick for the pros. There was no way I would EVER be able to do it, and I was totally cool with that. Completely content with my rock-the-babies and around-the-worlds.
Then, in 7th grade (1999/2000), we had a skill toy demonstration come to our school. They showed us juggling, hacky sack, and of course, yoyo. I was enthralled. The demonstrators were incredible. And they did this amazing trick that I knew I had to master, “the man on the flying trapeze”. By now, I had accumulated a couple more yoyos, so I ran home and dug out my best one, a glow in the dark Fireball with translucent red caps. I spent HOURS trying to get trapeze. I had no concept of a breakaway, so I was attempting it from a forward pass. I finally got it to land on the string once or twice, enough that I was able to show my mom. I was stoked, to say the least.
This was all back before the internet was in everyone’s pocket. You had to learn tricks from the books that came with your yoyos or from friends. Eventually, I lost my yoyos and other hobbies like skateboarding and video games took priority.
20 years later, in March 2020, the very beginning of the pandemic, I’m watching Pewdiepie with my girl, and he pulls out none other than his childhood fireball. I had just received a call that work would be closed for at least 2 weeks (it ended up being like 3 months) due to Covid. Knowing we’d need some entertainment, I asked my girl to order us both a fireball.
The fireballs came. I was beyond stoked to find that I could still perform every single trick from my childhood. What I was even more stoked to discover, was how every problem I had that day seemed nonexistent when I threw the yoyo. I had rediscovered my favorite meditation, although, I didn’t realize it was meditation.
I knew if I wanted to get better, I was going to need a better yoyo. So I got online and ordered a nice “butterfly” shaped yoyo with a slim bearing and a wide bearing, and started watching tutorials. That’s when I knew, for sure, that this was something I wanted to commit some serious time and energy to.
What is your goal in 2025 for yourself? Yo-yo or not
Man, I have so many… To keep posting videos. To get more people interested in the hobby. I’m really hoping to start a local yoyo club, if I can get enough interest.
If you could only have one yo-yo for the rest of your life what would it be?
That’s an impossible question to answer! If I had to pick just one, it would have to be something that plays well in different setups. I really need something that can do unresponsive and responsive/fixie. I think the G2xYYBC Workhorse fits the bill. It is genuinely my favorite responsive throw at the moment, and it plays well with a blank, if you’re feeling fixie, or add a wide bearing and some weight rings and you got yourself a fantastic little slimline unresponsive.
I shudder to imagine being stuck with only one yoyo, but yeah, if I HAD to, Workhorse is the one.
What trick are you working on currently?
I’m not working on any specific trick, but I’m always trying to figure out new ways to incorporate fixie tricks into my unresponsive play. I’ve really been enjoying varials lately and how to do them from different mounts/stalls.
What’s the trick that gives you the hardest time?
Rancid milk. I really need to take the time to learn it all the way through
What’s your favorite trick?
I don’t know if I have a single favorite trick. Picking favorites was never my strong suit, as it changes all the time. I really enjoy towers and triangles though. And stalls and flips. And whips and slacks…
Oh! Wait! Yuuki slack! Yuuki slack is my favorite trick. I can’t do it very well, but it is just the coolest looking trick, imo.
What’s your favorite yo-yo of all time?
My favorite yoyo of all time is The End II, Flying lemon, Cenote, Isthmus, Bathysphere, Operator, Workhorse, Blood Cell, Bolt XP, Duncan Wheel (fixed axle)… the list goes on
What’s the most meaningful throw you have?
Right now, I think I would call my Spinworthy purple heart unresponsive my most meaningful throw.
What’s your worst habit with yo-yos?
Not learning other people’s tricks. I used to watch tutorials and learn other peoples tricks, but once I had enough base knowledge and skill to start discovering tricks on my own, tutorials became tedious and difficult to give my attention to. Hence why I can’t do rancid milk lol.
What’s kind of things are you into outside of yo-yos?
Most of my free time outside of yoyo goes to dadding these days, but I really enjoy playing music (guitar and drums, mostly) and writing songs, bushcraft, skateboarding, wood carving, art in general, mountain biking, bmx, target shooting, throwing knives…. There’s probably more that I can’t think of.
What song best fits your personality?
Favorite restaurant and order?
Hmmmm I can’t remember the name of the restaurant, but it’s a little Italian place in Burlington, Wisconsin. They have the best lasagna I have ever tried in my life. I’d have to say that’s my favorite restaurant and order.
Of course, you can’t go wrong with pizza
Favorite movie and or Book?
Movie: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles- the first one
Book: Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
What does yo-yo’ing mean to you?
One word: Community
Yoyoing is fun, but the community is what makes it really special to me.
What’s your favorite memory from your time in the hobby ?
Right now? Probably when I got the message from Bruce that they wanted me to join Team TRT.
There are many other great memories and I can’t wait to see the ones I have yet to make!
How has the community changed since you started? Where do you want it to go?
I’ve only been a part of the community for a few years, so I wouldn’t say it’s changed much in that time. It seems like the community is growing though, and obviously, we all want that. I’d like to see more people discover their love for this wonderful little toy.
If you never picked up a yo-yo - what would things look like now?
Bleak-I can’t picture life without yoyo. I’ve found so many amazing friends and learned so much about myself through this hobby. I like to think I would pick up a yoyo in every possible timeline.
Advice/ words of wisdom to new players?
Don’t compare yourself to anyone except yourself. If you’re worried about who is better than you, you’ll drive yourself crazy. If you just try to get better than you were yesterday, progress comes naturally.
Whats you want to tell the world?
You’re perfect. Every “mistake” is just a lesson to be learned. There are no mistakes. Everything you do, every choice you make, leads you to where you’re going. Treat everyone with respect and kindness. We’re all struggling in one way or another, so give each other a break. The world will be a better place when we all realize that.
I love you ALL and I’m here for anyone that needs me. Just reach out. I will always do everything I can to help anyone I can
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Hell yeah!
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Seth is an absolute G and one of the most approachable guys. glad to see such awesome happening for ya buddy! 
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Sethy M’s Makin da Vids
For tha Mums back home
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He’s alright. 
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love you too, Steve!
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The mums do be loving me, what can I say 
well my kids mum at least 
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That Seth guy is a pretty rad fella. One time he “stole” my gerbil and took it to ride roller coasters… It hasn’t been the same
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Good taste in film too. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turles is such a good film.
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It’s Wednesday my dudes - and we have Randy Shreeves to get us through the day!
What got you into throwing, how did you find the hobby?
Yoyoing was introduced to me by my friend Jake Bullock. We went to school together from grades 1-5, and after I moved away I made periodic returns to Kutztown to hang out. I remember one summer I went to visit Jake, and he showed me some videos of then world champ Johnnie DelValle, and I almost couldn’t believe the things he was doing were possible.
The most complex yoyo trick I’d ever seen before that was “rock the baby.” I thought he must be some sort of child prodigy, but then Jake showed me a few tricks and I realized anyone can learn. Jake had a YoYoJam Hitman that he let me try, but it was unresponsive, so I spent the rest of the afternoon practicing binding the yoyo just so I could get it to return to my hand. After that, I was hooked.
What is your goal in 2025 for yourself? Yo-yo or not!
I plan to learn a couple of basic looping tricks with my dominant hand. Even just being able to consistently do 5-10 repetitions of hop the fence and inside loops would be a solid achievement. Although 3A, 4A, and 5A are all unique styles of yoyoing, I can do a bit of each because they’re still string tricks. Looping feels entirely strange to me.
If you could only have one yo-yo for the rest of your life what would it be?
I’m not too picky. I’d probably pick the Anti-Yo “Bapezilla.” I love the color combination, and I have small hands, so I find small yo-yos more comfortable. Smaller yo-yos also fit better in my pocket, so it’s more convenient to bring them with me if I want.
What trick are you working on currently?
I’ve been working on learning some old chopsticks repeater tricks by Jason Lee. If you’ve never seen his video The Fidget then I highly recommend you check it out on YouTube. The video quality is absolutely terrible compared to what we have now, but the tricks are still impressive, especially when you take into consideration the yoyo he’s using.
What’s the trick that gives you the hardest time?
It definitely has to be “seasick.” I find the motion uncomfortable, and I’m always paranoid that the yoyo will hit me in the head. That tense feeling prevents me from executing the trick how I’d really like it to look.
What’s the most meaningful or favorite throw you have?
I started yoyoing in early 2004 and stopped around 2010. I still stayed in touch with Jake though, and last Fall he sent me a white & silver prototype of the newest yoyo he was making, the “Dunk LX.”
Even though I hadn’t been yoyoing for nearly 15 years, once I threw it down, it felt like almost no time had passed at all. I hadn’t really planned to start yoyoing again, but I’ve been doing it every day since I got that yoyo.
What’s your worst habit with yo-yos?
I leave them laying around the house. Usually when I untie a yoyo from my finger, I place it on the nearest horizontal surface. In a way it’s nice, because then when I want to pick up a yoyo, there’s almost always one within arm’s reach. It does make the house look a bit messy though.
What’s kind of things are you into outside of yo-yos?
Anything that’s entertainment. Movies, music, video games, etc. I’m a big fan of NFL football. When the weather is nice, my family and I like to go hiking at one of the nearby state or national parks.
What song best fits your personality?
I can’t think of a singular song that fits my personality, but I love the punk rock genre as a whole. I find it calming, ironically, because any feelings of frustration that I have are channeled through the fast-paced music. It’s very cathartic.
Favorite restaurant and order?
I don’t have a favorite restaurant, but I do have a favorite order. Every time I eat at a new Mexican restaurant, I always order carne asada tacos. If I visit a second time, then I’ll usually order tacos al pastor. I love getting classic taco recipes and comparing them from one restaurant to another.
Favorite movie and or Book?
My favorite movie is Goodfellas(1990), and accordingly, my favorite book is “Wiseguy” which is the book the movie was based on. I’ve always had an affinity for gangster movies. They offer an interesting insight into the minds and lifestyles of people that I will (hopefully) never interact with.
What does yo-yo’ing mean to you?
Different things at different times. When I was younger, yoyoing mostly meant hanging out with friends. It provided a central reason for all of us to meet up. Now that I’m older, it’s more about serenity. I’m prone to ruminating on the past and planning for the future, but yoyoing grounds me in the present moment, which gives me feelings of peace and calm. Something about watching and controlling so much physics happening in such a small area makes it very compelling.
What’s your favorite memory from your time in the hobby ?
There are so many that it’s really hard to choose a favorite. All of them center around one contest or another. I won’t expand upon a specific memory, but going to the world yoyo contest in Orlando for the first time was an unforgettable experience.
I remember the Rosen Plaza Hotel being the biggest building I’d ever seen in person at the time, hanging around the hotel for 3 days, seeing yoyoers on every floor, attending various events and workshops, watching people take the stage, staying up into the early hours of the morning to see what shenanigans would take place…it was great.
If you could start over again, what would you do differently?
I had such a good time that I’m not sure I’d do anything differently. I suppose that I wish I’d been a little more outgoing back then. I was a very introverted person, so I usually only hung out with the same group of people at every contest.
What’s your biggest accomplishment yo-yo or not?
My biggest yoyo related accomplishment is simply sticking with it for so long. I’ve always had a tendency to start new hobbies and then put them down after a couple weeks or months, before I ever actually get good at them. Yoyoing is the only hobby I can think of that I consistently did for years.
How has the community changed since you started and where do you want it to go?
I’ve been away from yoyoing for so long and only just recently started again, so I don’t feel qualified to say much about the community. It looks like people are a lot more competitive now.
Competitions were always a part of yoyoing, but back in the early 2000’s it felt to me like the contests were almost just designed as a reason for everyone to get together. People went on stage and did their tricks, and the score almost seemed like an after thought. Now when I see people compete, I can tell they’ve put a lot of thought into how they can maximize points scored.
If you never picked up a yo-yo - what would things look like now?
I think I would have a much smaller world view. I went to so many different states to attend yoyo contests, which helped shape my views on traveling and made me more self reliant.
Also, despite being an introvert, I still met a lot of new people from all over the country and even other parts of the world. Those are experiences most people don’t get until they’re much older.
Advice/ words of wisdom to new players?
Just do whatever is fun for you. Don’t feel like you have to do what everyone else is doing.
Whats you want to tell the world?
It sounds cheesy, and it’s not only related to yoyoing, but be kind to each other. The world would be a much better place if everyone was a bit more compassionate.
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This reminds me of one of the most selcouth things that ever happened to me.
I had a friend a few years ago who was into writing. (Stories, Poems, etc.) and I was kind of interested in this myself, so I asked him: “How can I write well, like you do?”
and his response was: “Gee whiz, quit worrying about how I do it, and just start writing.” now, I’m not sure if he thought of this himself or if he heard it somewhere, but this is possibly the greatest response to that question.
not only is it some amazing advice, but it has a tendency to immediately shut you up. what do you say to that? there is no need to elaborate, there are not likely to be any follow-up questions, it’s just some dang good advice.
Now I’m not much of a writer, I rarely write, and when I do, it’s pretty awful (notice the absence of an “e” in that “awful?”) But I still think of that advice–it’s serviced me very well, and it applies to much more than just writing.
I hope he is doing well.
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