I learned to yo-yo when I was 11 … Usually around Christmas time every year my relatives call and ask my mom what kind of stuff we’re looking for … For some reason I just thought, ‘you know, a yo-yo’ and so I got a yoyo and then saved up some money and got a better one.

When did it go from a hobby to a serious passion?

Actually about six months ago, I was living in South Carolina at the time and the Southeast Regional Yo-yo Contest was coming up and I was just sort of like ‘You know what? I would really like to compete in that,’ so I just started practicing more and more.

What was life in South Carolina like?

I didn’t fit in because my family, we’re atheists, and we’re also vegan, and so everyone there is huge, Jesus-loving meat eaters, which, there’s nothing wrong with Jesus-loving meat eaters, except that they all hated me for not being a Jesus-loving meat eater, so I fit in more here.

Why did you choose to come to Portland? 

That is the reason. I mean, it was pretty neat. Our family, we like to make an adventure out of life, whereas most families might move for their job or something like that, we literally moved here because it was a better place, and we wanted to live here.

What do your parents think about your yo-yoing?

My mom, she doesn’t go crazy like people sometimes do when people see me yoyoing in school or in public. She’s used to it because, you know, I do it an hour a day usually right in front of her.

Why do you dedicate so much of your time to it?

I enjoy doing it. It’s not like doing homework for an hour every night because it’s something that impresses people … There’s no disadvantages to it. Most things, to get good at, you have to sacrifice time but I don’t really consider it sacrificing because … you’re having fun.

Is it a long process to learn new tricks? 

Nailing down a routine and getting it perfect – that can take months of hard work just to make it so that every single string land and every single bind is carefully coordinated with the music. I mean, usually in study hall I will sit there for a half hour at least just playing it to the music.

Do you like having people react? 

Oh yeah, that’s the best part … that’s sort of a greedy way to think, but that’s one of the most enjoyable parts. Another enjoyable part is— this is sort of a stereotype— but it’s a good one: the yoyo community is really nice … Everyone in the yo-yo community just trusts each other.

Outside of yo-yoing, do you have any other interests? 

I play saxophone for the Grant Jazz Lab and I also have a smaller jazz group that I play with at home … My little brother, he plays saxophone as well, he’s newer though.

Does your brother yo-yo too?

He yo-yos too but not as much as I do. He doesn’t go to competitions. He just sort of does it to impress his friends.

Given you’ve been at this hobby for a while now, what’s it like seeing your progress?

It’s crazy. I recently watched the contest video from my first ever yo-yo contest and that was only a few months ago, but the amount of improvement I’ve made is so great. Back then, I was literally doing a bunch of tricks I found on the internet and now all of my tricks … they’re all original. No one’s seen them before.

Where do you see yourself in the future?

I’d love to be a computer programmer … I’d still be yo-yoing on the side but I don’t think I’d ever be good enough to go pro with that. It’ll just be one of those things I do for fun. ◆