Don Hodgkinson didn’t pick up a yo-yo expecting it to change his life. But nearly two decades after his third-grade fascination with the spinning toy began, he’s now a national champion, bringing the title home to Brooklyn.
“I feel really proud to bring it back to Brooklyn,” Hodgkinson told Brooklyn Paper. “Brooklyn’s been my home for almost eight years, so it means a lot — not only sharing the victory with myself, but the place I call home now.”
Hodgkinson recently won first place in the U.S. National Yo-Yo Contest’s 3A division, where competitors use dual yo-yos. He has been competing professionally for 13 years and described the sport as part art, part athleticism — and deeply misunderstood.
“It’s a much more ephemeral, creative outlet, other than ‘I learned this thing and I learned this other thing,’” he said. “It’s more like painting and dancing than learning a list of tricks.”
From building original routines to entering a meditative “flow state” on stage, Hodgkinson views yo-yoing as a form of self-expression. His approach this year was more calculated than ever, shaped intentionally by everything from his day job in advertising to advice from his mother, a trained pianist.
“I spent a lot more time working on my routine, showing it to other people to get feedback, filming myself, taking notes and tracking my practice a lot more in depth,” he said. “I definitely stepped up my approach.”
Hodgkinson also acknowledged that the absence of long-time competitor Alex Hattori — who has won every year since 2014 — opened a rare window of opportunity. He said his stronger approach and Hattori’s absence were entirely “coincidental.”
Preparation included physical rehearsals and mental focus. Hodgkinson carefully created a playlist to get in the zone, practiced meditation techniques to manage nerves and even followed his mother’s advice to “be selfish” the weekend of the contest, focusing only on what he needed to perform his best.
“The day before or that morning [of the competition], I wasn’t really nervous, so like, I remember thinking to myself, ‘Don’t get too comfortable,’” he said. “Just be like, ‘Oh, the nerves aren’t here yet,’ and just kind of wait for them to come. So when they come, you’re like, ‘I knew you would be here.’”
His earliest yo-yo memories stretch back to his upbringing in Massachusetts. A few basic tricks caught his eye, and the spark was instant. He asked for a yo-yo-themed birthday party, which led him to Alicia “Yo-Yo Mama” Ameur — his first instructor — and eventually the national stage.
“When I started doing it, it was just something I couldn’t put down,” he said.
But even now, with a national title under his belt, Hodgkinson finds himself in a transitional period. He’s not sure whether he’ll compete again — and for him, that’s okay.
“There’s this weird aftermath of having this big accomplishment where part of me says I’m going to continue doing this because I love yo-yo,” he said. “But another part of me thinks about the pressure to win again versus the enjoyment of competing.”
He’s also preparing for another major milestone: his wedding.
“I’m getting married next year,” he said, “so other responsibilities are coming in. I’m so aware of how much effort went into winning and to start that again feels a bit daunting.”
While he hasn’t ruled out competing again, Hodgkinson said he may shift his focus to new creative pursuits, potentially blending yo-yoing with business or other forms of expression.
“I’m going to find what feels most authentic to me,” he said.
One place that’s helped him stay grounded is the Brooklyn Art Haus in Williamsburg, which he praised as the best spot to practice.
“It’s very difficult to find an open space, until I started going there,” he said. “They knowingly have the best place.”
And if he could perform anywhere in the borough?
“I love being in Cooper Park,” he said without hesitation, mid-stroll through the East Williamsburg neighborhood. “It has a very special place in my heart, so I would definitely do something there.”
With a yo-yo in one hand and new possibilities in the other, Hodgkinson isn’t closing a chapter — he’s winding up for the next one.
“I’m going to find what feels most authentic to me,” he said. “I’m making sure I don’t just feel the pressure of continuing to compete if that’s not what I think is best for me right now.”
