Happy Friday everyone!!
Great profile of Daniel Garrett – hope you enjoy!!
What got you into throwing, how did you find the hobby?
When I was in middle school, a couple of my neighbors brought yoyos to a church youth camp, and I thought it was super cool! So, after we got home, my friend told me he got a yoyo from Walmart, and I went and got one too. We’d spend hours after school learning new tricks and just having a blast. After a little while, I stumbled on YYE when my neighbors got YYF Protostars, and I saw the video of Jensen Kimmit winning the world yoyo contest with a Northstar. It was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen, and I was hooked! Picked up a Northstar, found a local yoyo club, and here we are 16 years later!
What is your goal in 2025 for yourself? Yo-yo or not!
I have a lot of goals, but I think the most important one right now is to learn to give myself grace and be there for myself even if I don’t meet my own expectations or falter.
If you could only have one yo-yo for the rest of your life what would it be?
Dude that’s so hard! I really enjoy all the styles so it would be so hard to narrow it to one. If it were for unresponsive it would have to be either the Duncan Grasshopper GTX 2 or the Etcetera Capriccio. For 4a, the W1LD Boundless. 2a would be the YYJ Unleashed. I know that’s not one, but I guess if it had to be only 1 then it would probably be the Grasshopper because I love the flowy vibe of throwing it. It matches my pacing and preferences really well and it’s super solid.
What trick are you working on currently?
I’m working on a bunch, but mostly on 4a slack tricks and soloham.
What’s the trick that gives you the hardest time?
For 1a that would be any hook over 1.5. For 2a that would be left hand loops. 3a would be literally any trick lol. 4a would be antispin or feed the sun. 5a would be just overall control.
What’s your favorite trick?
Seasick or follow combos
What’s your favorite yo-yo of all time?
SPYY Dynamo. No contest
What’s the most meaningful throw you have?
There’s so many that mean a lot to me, but I’d have to say the SPYY Dynamo because it reminds me of fond memories going to Colorado with my family on my Dad’s work trips. It was my favorite yoyo throughout high school, and was the yoyo I used in my first yoyo contest back in 2013. Plus it has a sick design in the cup of a fox and a hare.
What’s your worst habit with yo-yos?
Not changing out the strings. I’ll let those strings go for weeks when I really should have changed them a long time ago. I really only change them when I absolutely have to like for contests or if they’re borderline unusable.
What’s kind of things are you into outside of yo-yos?
I do way too many things but I love music and I sing in a few professional level chamber choirs. I’ve been singing for way longer than I’ve been throwing and it’s a huge part of my life. Also love playing piano and viola. I enjoy running and yoga but I don’t consistently do either. I dabble in a bunch of skill toys like diabolo, spinning poi, Kendama, and juggling and I enjoy playing video games with friends. I love the Korean language and food, and enjoy cooking and baking.
What song best fits your personality?
I don’t know if it necessarily fits my personality best, but some of my all-time favorite songs are Miserere Mei, Deus and O vos omnes sung by Tenebrae.
They are a legendary group and I could listen to them for the rest of my life.
Favorite restaurant and order?
I love Korean food so I’d say a restaurant in my area called 무봉리 or Seoul Garden and I love the 제육볶음 and 김치전!
Favorite movie and or Book?
I haven’t really read books for fun in a long time and I’m not a huge movie person either, but I do really enjoy How to Train Your Dragon, Soul, and the Super Mario Bros Movie.
What does yo-yo’ing mean to you?
It means a lot man. It’s a form of creativity, flow, dance, performance. It helps me connect with other people. It helps me process my emotions better. It’s a huge part of my life and I would be in a pretty dark place without it.
What’s your favorite memory from your time in the hobby ?
Probably going to worlds for the first time last year and seeing how supportive everyone was of each other and feeling the energy and excitement we all have for the hobby. Meeting and hanging out with so many cool people, it was awesome man!
What’s your best advice for people to get better at yo-yoing?
I’d say rather than focusing on getting better at yoyoing, focus on enjoying the hobby. Sure there are ways to get better at it, but you will likely feel a lot more motivated to improve and learn if you approach the hobby from the mindset of it being fun and learning things you actually want to learn. If you focus on what other people expect you to learn or what you perceive you “should” do, it can become more of a chore than a joy. I’m all for effective practice, getting feedback, etc., just do so in a way that allows you to enjoy the hobby rather than using it as an outlet to beat up on yourself for not meeting unrealistic expectations.
How has the community changed since you started? Where do you want it to go?
A lot of it feels very similar to when I started a long time ago, but it feels like there’s a much stronger focus now on social media and tricks only being relevant if they are high scoring.
While there are pros to this for sure, I hope that we can go in a direction that balances originality and personality in yoyoing with difficulty/scoring.
What are you most proud of from your time in the hobby?
Probably learning soloham and competing in the world yoyo contest.
If you never picked up a yo-yo – what would things look like now?
I would probably be even more involved in music than I am now. That said, having taken a break from yoyoing for several years I can say with confidence that my mental health is far worse when I’m not yoyoing, so I likely would be in a much darker place than I already am without it.
I’m sure I would have found something else to fill that hole, but I honestly don’t know where I’d be.
Advice/ words of wisdom to new players?
Kinda like what I mentioned in the section on getting better, focus on what you enjoy about the hobby! Explore new styles, new mounts, whacky ideas, and just have fun. Competition is exciting and worth doing, but it isn’t the end all be all. Don’t let this hobby become a prison by putting unrealistic expectations on yourself. You don’t need to seek others’ approval for your yoyo tricks, and your tricks are your own and matter whether they score or not, and whether people like it on social media or not.
What do you want to tell the world?
There are many things outside our control in this life and that is okay. Be there for yourself whether you measure up to your own expectations or those of others or not. At the end of the line, you are your main support system and will spend every minute of your life with yourself, so there’s no reason to be your own worst enemy. You may have aspects you don’t like about yourself, but that does not make you unlovable or worthless. You have infinite worth whether you see it or not. Be kind. Share your light. Your life is worth living no matter how messy it has been or will be
Player Profiles is a series of articles/interviews dedicated to spotlighting the vibrant and diverse community of yo-yo enthusiasts. Each article delves into the unique stories of players from different backgrounds, showcasing their journeys, skills, and contributions to the yo-yo world. The series aims to highlight the passion and creativity that drive these individuals, offering readers an inside look at their personal experiences, favorite tricks, and the impact yo-yoing has had on their lives. Whether they’re seasoned competitors or inspiring newcomers, these profiles celebrate the people who make the yo-yo community so dynamic and inclusive.