42 DECEMBER 2021 producing 300,000 yoyos, transcending it to the “wonder toy” with yoyo contests and events popping up all over the country. We took a trip on the Arizona highways to the YoYoFactory in Chandler to see just how popular the toy is today. We chatted with Hans Van Dan Elzen, the owner and a professional yoyo instructor. He’s been in the Guinness Book of Records twice for the number of minutes he could spin and for the number of tricks he mastered. Hans, or “Yohans,” as he likes to refer to himself, picked up his first yoyo at age 15 and with no instruction, he made a slipknot and put it on his middle finger. He then threw it down, turned his hand over, tugged and brought it back. It was as if he was a yoyo champion in a former life – and it happened in this life, too. By the time he was 26, he had been to over 25 countries, running demos and working with kids all over the world to teach them his skills. His motto is, “if you teach them all the tricks, they will stick with it for life.” When it comes to yoyos, Hans says there have been years when popularity spikes. During one global craze, the YoYoFactory sold around 50 million yoyos. While we were there, we also met the next generation of unstrung heroes. Hunter Feersteen is a four-time Arizona state yoyo champion, and currently, he’s 15 th in the world. In 2017, Hunter went to Iceland for the World Yoyo Championship and, in 2018, competed in China. He says what he loves about the yoyo is that it’s a highly creative outlet. There are infinite amounts of tricks people can learn, and there’s always a challenge to learn more. There’s a small store inside the factory where folks can buy a yoyo for $5-$10 and, in less than thirty minutes, can also learn how to play. “You’ll learn ten basic tricks that every generation has learned in the last one hundred years,” Hans said. Sounds like a gift that just keeps on giving! Stick with a classic gift for the holiday season Host and executive producer of Arizona Highways Television , Saturdays and Sundays on CBS. BY ROBIN SEWELL Robins Adventures I t’s that time of year – everyone is searching for the latest and greatest gadget to gift – whether for kids, parents or spouses. It’s also the time of year when that quest often turns into a frenzy because the toy at the top of everyone’s wish list is often out of stock or on backorder until next year, and by then, the allure of that elusive gift will have faded, and the new “it” toy will be top of mind. So, why not give a gift that’s fun for everyone, a gift you can play anywhere and will never go out of style? The yoyo is still considered one of the greatest toys of all time. It can be traced back to 500 B.C., but it didn’t find mainstream success until the 1920s when a young immigrant from the Philippines came to the U.S. and founded a yoyo manufacturing company. Within a year, the company was Hans Van Dan Elzen At Xavier College Preparatory Young Women Always Take Center Stage. They learn there are no limits to their possibilities in life. In a girls’ school, their voices are always heard. All are Welcome! Xavier College Preparatory is a Catholic community that strives to prepare young women of faith with knowledge, skills, and integrity to meet the challenges of a changing global society in a positive and productive manner celebrating unity. Xavier Entrance Exam Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022 or Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022 at 7:30 a.m. Registration for exam and application information at xcp.org. 9th Grade applications are due Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. Affording a Xavier Education Financial Aid Workshops available to interested parents during the Entrance Exam Testing, Jan. 8, 2022 and Jan. 22, 2022. T H E XAVIER EFFECT Young Women Always Take Center Stage For More Information Visit xcp.org Contact Roni@Arcadianews.com today to fi nd out how you can save up to 46% on your ad investment! Reach 50,000 potential patients or clients... The Arcadia News Health & Wellness Guide is the perfect way to promote your practice or business to the af fl uent, educated and health-minded readers of the Arcadia News . A Directory of local providers JANUARY 2022 DEADLINE: FRIDAY 12/17

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