Steve was one of the first ppl i connected with in the community and showed me kindness and generosity before knowing anything about me. he set the tone for my amazing experience among all these fine ppl so far. thanks buddy and always wish you the best 
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No one does it better!
@Slestak75 You have an amazing Soul Brother.
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What a good read! Steve is the best!
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I think Steve is just some dude on a forum. 
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That looks familiar!
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Great profile. And a cool guy all around.
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Happy Monday everyone- excited to present Alexander Noot aka @LX_Emergency today!!!
What got you into throwing, how did you find the hobby?
So I’m kind of an older dude. And I actually picked up my first “trick” yoyo all the way back in '98. The Mars Company under their Skittles and Twix brands partnered with the Russell Yoyo company and did a MASSIVE campaign in the Netherlands (where I live). I just looked it up and they sold 500,000 yoyos in 2 months time in my country alone. I was 17/18 years old at a time and bought one for…maybe $3.50.
Played it just learning basic tricks like sleepers, pocket rocker, Rock the Baby, simple Braintwister looping, hop the fence and a host of other stuff. Played it until on a hard thow the string broke (wooden axle and starburst burned through it)…it shattered on the floor, bought a new one. Must’ve gone 5-6 yoyos like that in a period of a couple of months.
Played those until I got my hands on a steel fixed axle one, which massively improved spintime and made tricks so much easier. Bought a bearing Yomega later.. (it recently died sadly…) and that was even better.
I played those doing the tricks I could think of for a couple of years…never got my hands on good tutorials so I was kind of stuck. Picked it up every now and then but never really progressed. Didn’t really play much for something like 19 years.
Then one day my middle child found my Yomega in a drawer somewhere and went “what’s this dad? Can you do anything with it?”. Did my usual tricks and then thought “I might deserve a new yoyo after all these years. Wonder what’s out there?” Bought a MagicYoyo T9 and V3 and totally fell down the rabbit hole again.
What is your goal in 2025 for yourself? Yo-yo or not!
Couple of thing, Yoyo related I want to participate in the WYYC in Prague again if I can. I entered the 40+ open division last year and it was a great experience. I am also helping some local people organise the first ever BeNeLux (Belgium Netherland Luxemburg) championships. I will obviously compete in those.
Non Yoyo wise I have a Judo Teacher exam to pass so that I can be not just a Judo Teacher but a certified one. Besides that I really want to do some knife making again. Kind of let that slide for the past 3 years…but I’d like to start making some cool sharp objects again.
If you could only have one yo-yo for the rest of your life what would it be?
I’ve actually thought about this before. And my answer would be the Lathed Back Design Bangarang with selection of Rims. It’s not the best competitive yoyo or the most stable or anything, but the modular way it’s set up means it can function in virtually any style (apart from 2 and 3a obviously). I’ve played it in 0a, 1a, 4a and 5a setups…and it’s versatile and durable.
I get that this feels like I’m talking up my sponsor (Shoutout Joël from LBD) but I decided that WAY before he decided to honor me by incorporating me in the team. Also, I bought that one with my own money to celebrate the moment I got my Judo Black Belt. It’s got practical and sentimental value that way.
What trick are you working on currently?
Not really 1 specific trick per sé. I did just learn a cool Hook 1.5 to 1.5 mount transition that I’m trying to get smooth and consistent right now. But I’m also spending a lot of time learning 5a because it’s fun. And I want to learn more 4a.
What’s the trick that gives you the hardest time?
Beefhook has been one of those things that if I try too hard will drive me crazy…I can land it…I just have a problem with consistency.
What’s your favorite trick?
Probably Figure 8. I really love the feeling of the weave and the way I can do pops with it to transition in to other mounts and tricks. It just feels so much fun to do.
What’s your favorite yo-yo of all time?
Probably my Yomega Saber Raider still. I can’t play it anymore because it’s broken now. But the transition from fixed axle to bearing was such a freaking revelation. Modern yoyo wise probably my MagicYoyo Z01 focus. It was my first bimetal and it just so comfortable and capable whilst being super affordable.
What’s the most meaningful throw you have?
The one I mentioned before probably, my LBD Bangarang. I ordered it in anticipation of my Black Belt (1st Dan grade) judo exam. And it arrived at the house while I was away. So I got to unpack it as a celebration of passing.
It would be either that or the Golden (also broken) Skittles Twix russell yoyo with the steel fixed axle. in '99 I was walking through the city centre of my hometown. And at the candy shop there were some "yoyo pro"players. They did tricks I was blown away by. They then did a little trick ladder which I won. The prizes were a Skittles Twix Yoyo t shirt and a golden Russell yoyo wich upgraded stainless axle. The shirt is long gone, but the yoyo I still have (even though the axle isn’t solid anymore and one of the caps keeps popping off.
What’s your worst habit with yo-yos?
I ding my yoyos on the ground WAY more than I should.
What’s kind of things are you into outside of yo-yos?
Obviously Judo, I teach 2 classes a week to kids and I train/take lessons once or twice a week as well. I do some stuff with knife making. I do some community Theater some times. I play guitar and piano. I love reading.
What song best fits your personality?
Asking the hard questions. Honestly hard to say. I listen to a lot of different genres and styles and my personality can be all over the place. If I had to choose one…maybe [The Distance by Cake](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_HoMkkRHv8 ) It goes HARD in a mellow way. It’s relaxed while still feeling intense.
Favorite restaurant and order?
Sit down meal, probably a local restaurant called Bistro Louis. It’s pretty fancy and my order is then the 7 course tasting menu. Took my wife there a few months back and it’s super on my list to go back again. It’s very gourmet, Michelin adjacent level food and I know that whatever they’ll serve me there will surprise me and blow me away.
For a quick cheap meal, one of the local Turkish Shawarma/Pizza places where I’ll get a Calzone pizza. Folder up dough with loads of veggies, cheese and meat.
Favorite movie and or Book?
Movie is easy, The Truman Show. I’ve loved that movie ever since I first saw it all the way back in the 90’s. Book is more difficult since I read a fair amount. But if I had to choose an absolute favorite I’d pick the children’s book by Astrid Lindgren called “The Brothers Lionheart”. That book emotionally killed me when I was a kid and still made me feel ALL the feelings when I read it to my kids decades later.
What does yo-yo’ing mean to you?
Fun, learning, progress, emptying my mind and just focussing on that ONE thing in my hands. It’s one of the few things that completely makes me clear my mind and quiet down my brain.
What’s your favorite memory from your time in the hobby?
Has to be last summer’s trip to the WYYC in Cleveland. Not a single moment but the whole trip. Hanging out with my buddy Phil Q, meeting so many cool people, participating. Everything about it was just plain awesome. Memory of a lifetime.
What’s your best advice for people to get better at yo-yoing?
Couple of things:
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don’t only pick things you think you can do. Try more difficult stuff every now and then that you like but think might not be able to do. You’ll surprise yourself. You can learn much more than you think you can.
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Isolate elements, don’t try to learn the whole trick. Learn the first step until you’re comfortable with it and can do it without much thinking, then move on to the next step. It’s all about building muscle memory.
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Film yourself every now and then, it’ll help you pick up where you go wrong or are having trouble
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never hesitate to ask others for help. People with more experience than you will see things you don’t and will be able to give you pointers and…in my experience…they WANT to help.
How has the community changed since you started? Where do you want it to go?
I kind of had 2 different starting moments so I’ll look at both of those.
From back in the 90’s to now. There’s actual worldwide community. Back in the early days I felt like I was on my own. Resources on learning were scarce. Now there’s the forums, discord servers, Reddit, Instagram, Tiktok, FB groups, so many ways for people to be in touch with and get support from other throwers and it’s amazing.
From back in 2021 when I rebooted to now the change is mostly on the local level. For the first 2 years or so of playing I never met another thrower. But I really wanted to. And under the banner of “be the change you want to see” I organised a meetup. Not many people showed, it was outside, it was cold. But we had a great time. We started doing similar meetups every couple of months. And now we’re at the point where I’m not involved in organising anymore. Other people organise meetups locally to them and I just kind of show up. But people are meeting each other in real life and it’s so much fun.
What are you most proud of from your time in the hobby?
At the second meet up I organised someone came up to me and went “Oh man this is so much fun. I’d been playing for 3 years and never met another player in real life!” and that is probably my proudest moment. I’ve had some moderate lower level competition success but honestly nothing like that will probably ever stick out as much in my brain as when he told me that and I felt like putting in effort in to local organising actually meant something to someone else as well.
What’s your most controversial yo-yo take?
I’m not really a controversial dude. The only thing that comes close to it is how I don’t like the higher hook tricks in competition. I always feel like they kind of break the flow that most player have going when they’re in the zone. but at the same time I can recognise skill when I see it and competition is a showcase of skill…so I don’t know if I’d actually change anything to do with scoring or rewarding them either.
Also, different strokes for different folks, I can dislike it whilst at the same time accepting and understanding that someone else does like them.
Variety is the spice of life after all.
If you never picked up a yo-yo - what would things look like now?
Probably pretty similar except without a yoyo. I’d still be in to judo, knifemaking, reading etc. But I probably would’ve found some other skill thing to obsess about.
Advice/ words of wisdom to new players?
Play how you like, don’t let anyone else tell you what’s cool. You do you.
What do you want to tell the world?
Please be kind. There is not enough kindness, understanding and empathy in this world.
Also, play more 5a…it’s cool.
Also also, if anyone has a spare Yomega Raider or Russell Skittles/Twix yoyo they can spare me, hit me up.
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Another worthy candidate interviewed. I’ve really benefitted from Mr. Noot’s reviews, and I know he’s contributed a lot to the community at both the local and global level.
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Alex is the man!
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Thanks for letting me ramble on your platform.
And seriously…hit me up if you wanna part with a Russel or a Yomega Saber Raider!
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What a fantastic read. This is such a nice way to learn about others in the Yo-Yo community.
Thank you, Alex, for sharing your story!
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