***EDIT: I posted my scholarship entry above but the original post is below***
I am so exhausted. I judged, performed, and taught all weekend long starting from the moment I arrived in Mexico city. Once I was off the plane, we were heading straight to a cafe where 2 yoyoers were hanging out. Since then, it was nonstop teaching and learning tricks.
On Saturday, the yoyo contest was held at the park. Then it moved to the mall where the stage was somewhat in the center of everything. The contest was great and there were amazing yoyo perofermances all around. I was particularly impressed with the several girl yoyo players because they went up on stage and FREESTYLED! I have no idea how much experience they have in the performing arts but that was VERY impressive to me.
I finished that day with my freestyle. Isaac mentioned this later that evening, "did you see the audiences´ faces? They never saw anything like that before!" That is one thing I absolutely miss about going on tour; THE CHANCE TO CHANGE SOMEONE´S LIFE
As corny as that may sound, all it took was a professional yoyo player to come to my school. Now look what I´m doing...I am doing exactly what that professional did 10 years ago; touring the world and changing people´s lives one at a time with the greatest toy of the 21st century.
As for today, after a LONG day we wrapped it up and awareded Paul 1st place in the 1A division and Javier won the Combined division. Judging is tough when it comes to 3 minutes because there are so many elements it´s frustrating to give points to a trick you think you´ve seen but not sure of. Or you should have given more/less points to a particular trick. Nonetheless, the results were accurate. We agreed on who the winner was and who placed top 5.
After I performed, after the awards were given, after the pictures were taken, I remembered what it was like to be on tour again as a professional yoyo demonstrator. All the kids lined up for my signature. They all lined up to take pictures with me. They all admired me. That´s when I knew I was changing people´s lives. It´s one thing to teach someone to do a trick and hope they retain what we tell them. It´s another thing when you make an impact in their lives. It´s another thing when they place their winning trophy for decoration, and they remember your signature because you inspired them to continue to play.
It´s amazing how people can underestimate how a yoyo changes lives. Mine has been forever changed because of it. I am forever in debt to the yoyo. How do I start to pay back what the yoyo has given to me? I spread my love and passion for the yoyo to OTHER´S in hopes that they do the same. Today proved that my mission has been accomplished. When more and more yoyo players come out of Mexico, I know I helped. Whenever I see the trick I taught them in their freestyle, I know I inspired them.
I guess that´s why I won the 2006 most inspirational player award. I INSPIRE people. That should be the story of my life. Not just my yoyo life. ^_^
