By Sara Jones
At first glance, yo-yoing might seem like a mundane activity, but at Raleigh Charter High School, a small group of students is proving it can be something much more. The RCHS Yo-Yo Club, founded two years ago by senior Derrick Lee, is turning a simple activity into a competitive and creative outlet that is quickly gaining attention around campus.
What started as a casual interest has grown into a dedicated club where students meet regularly to practice tricks, share techniques, and prepare for upcoming competitions. For Lee, the idea to start the club came from his own passion for yo-yoing and a desire to build a community around it.
“I had been practicing on my own for a while,” Lee said. “But I realized there wasn’t really a space at school for people who were interested in it, even casually. I thought it would be fun to bring people together and see how far we could take it.”
That idea quickly took off. The club now includes a mix of beginners and more experienced players, all working toward improving their skills. Meetings often involve focused information sessions along with members repeating tricks over and over, offering each other feedback and encouragement.
Senior Andrew Tai, a member of the club, said he joined in support of the club but stayed because of the community.
“I had already been yo-yoing for a while before joining the club,” Tai said. “But being around other people who are just as interested pushed me to take it more seriously. It’s cool to practice together and see everyone improve, including myself.”
Preparing for competition has added a new level of intensity to the club. Members are not just learning tricks, but refining them to be cleaner, faster, and more creative. Competitions often involve choreographed routines set to music, requiring both technical skill and performance ability.
“It’s not just about landing a trick,” Lee explained. “You have to think about presentation, timing, and how everything flows together. That’s what makes it challenging, but also really fun.”
Practices can be repetitive and sometimes frustrating especially when trying to master more advanced techniques. Still, club members say the process is part of what makes competing rewarding.
“There are definitely moments where you feel stuck,” Tai said. “But when you finally get something right after working on it for a while, it’s worth it.”
Beyond outside competition, the club has created a space for students to connect over a shared interest that is not typically seen as a high school activity. In a school environment where sports and traditional extracurriculars often take center stage, the Yo-Yo Club offers something different.
“It’s a little unconventional,” Lee said. “But I think that’s why people are drawn to it. It’s something new, and it gives people a chance to try something they might not have considered before.”
For a club that began with just an idea, the RCHS Yo-Yo Club has quickly become a unique part of campus life. With competitions on the horizon and a strong sense of community behind it, the group is showing that even something as simple as a yo-yo can bring people together and turn into something worth taking seriously.
