Not your Mother's Yoyo--World 2010 Yoyo Contest

Remember those yoyos you'd get as part of the birthday favor bag, your departing gift after playing musical chairs and pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey? Back then I thought the object was to throw the yoyo down and return it to my hand. That, I thought, was talent. If you could do it.

Oh, how wrong I was.

I spent the weekend at the World 2010 Yoyo Contest in Orlando. For those of you in the know, I met Patrick Mitchell, Mateusz Ganc, Andre Boulay, Paul Han, Jensen Kimmitt, Jon Martin, Will Neimier, Zach Gormley, many more--all talented guys (very few female yoyoers).

This competition was to yoyers what a weekend conference is to writers. My son was among his own as soon as we stepped into the ballroom. Black clothes, busy fingers, yoyos of every shape, size, and color everywhere. Incredible talent. Three days of yoyo excellence.

For those of you who think "Walk the Dog" is the height of yoyo tricks (as I once did), I give you Paul Han (from CA).