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Championship Yo-Yo Players Show Off Their Skills To Kids

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The ancient skill of yo-yo seems to get more modern every year, and it's all thanks to players like former World Champion Tyler Severance and former North American Champ and Squirrel Hill native Ky Zizan.

Falk Laboratory School in Oakland is one of several schools the pair will visit this week, for SW Randall Toyes and Gifts.

Tyler adds a touch of science to his yo-yo demonstration.

"If I threw this for a whole minute, it'll spin 6,000 times around. That's about how fast the inside of your car engines work," he said.

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He explains the growing popularity of the yo-yo.

"You can buy a decent yo-yo and go home and learn advanced tricks. So it's become a lot more acceptable for people to buy an advanced yo-yo, compared with where it was 10 years ago," Tyler says.

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Zizan says they like to put their own spin on things.

"Whenever I make up a new trick, or find a new element that I haven't seen anyone do yet, or I haven't seen on Instagram or anything like that, I feel pretty fantastic. I can't lie," Zizan said.

The yo-yo champions and other pros will appear at SW Randall Toyes and Gifts on Smithfield Street Saturday from noon to 3 p.m.

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