They do what!? Hobbies of our Yooyuball stars

     Ditan Colb of Kiko Lake

     After a surprising win this year, not many people would be quick to call Ditan chicken. Many Neopians assume Ditan would be ready to party 70’s style. However, after a big tournament, his priorities lay with his littlest fans. To wind down, Ditan enjoys his hobby farm. He is surprisingly dedicated to raising his Peadackle.

     ‘Out of all the many things, why Peadackle?’ Asked Ebo.

     ‘They’re surprisingly friendly, and good company’ Responded Ditan, as one of his favourite Peadackle prunes his singular hair. ‘They’re also very caring, and I can tell they’ve been missing me. It breaks my heart to leave them during the Yooyuball season’.

     It all started after his third tournament, after all the partying had settled and he found himself to be quite lonely. He bought one, then three, then decided, what the heck, let's make a hobby farm! His friends and family were originally quite concerned as it seemed sudden and unplanned, but as they observed how happy it made him they decided that there was no need for concern.

     He now has over fifty of these underrated petpets and has had to buy them their own neohome in Kikolake to ensure that they are as comfortable as they can be. He also ensures us that they are actually very clean, and with a little help, can usually clean up most of their mess themselves.

     He offered to take Ebo to see his prized petpets, but unfortunately, Ebo had to decline due to allergies.

     If you’re in the market for one of these petpets, he breeds pedigree Peadackle and sells them once a year. He might even sign your Altador Cup merchandise!

     Nitri Cassale of Krawk Island

     Still frustrated due to finishing much lower than expected (seventh place), Nitri has had to turn to her artistic talent in calligraphy. It’s something she seldom talks about, but during periods of injury it has helped keep her mind active and focus on other goals.

     ‘It’s just really calming, being able to concentrate on something else’ Nitri told us. ‘People think that being able to hold the pen with hooves would be difficult, but if you try really hard you can make anything work!’

     Her artistic talents are virtually unknown in the general population of Neopia, but in Shenkuu her work is greatly appreciated. She is often commissioned to write for the Emperor and his daughters, Princess’s Lunara and Terrana.

     She began this hobby as a child before her parents made the move to Krawk Island for more excitement and adventure.

     ‘My first school really valued artistic talents in students’ Nitri reminisced, ‘Unlike a lot of schools, my sporting abilities weren’t as prized as my artistic talents’.

     Despite her unparalleled dedication to the Yooyuball sport, calligraphy will always hold a special place in Nitri’s heart and she will continue to further her artistic writing talents. To our surprise she gave Ebo a signed jersey upon our departure, and words can’t describe the beauty of her writing.

     Gordo Gunnels of Brightvale

     This year Gordo and the team trained harder than ever, and it really paid off for Brightvale who ended the season with a podium finish. Gordo might not seem like the kind of Grarrl that would be interested in fine cuisine, but indeed he is!

     ‘Grarrls are known for gobbling anything, and for some it’s true’ He says, ‘but many of us that enjoy planning meals, baking sourdough bread and really putting the time aside to enjoy a beautiful meal’.

     He is often sighed at Kelp and has a wonderful rapport with the staff there. He also told us that latte art is one of his favourite pastimes, even though it can be a bit tricky given his arms are on the shorter side.

     ‘It’s kind of like a game of Yooyuball in a way’ He told us, ‘You have about four things going on at once, and there’s a lot of pressure to get it right if you’ve got other people watching you make their food’. ‘You’ve got to be so precise to get the artwork juusst right so that it is recognisable, otherwise your beautiful clover will turn to a blop’.

     He offered to show us his skills, and being us we were not about to turn down any coffee, let alone a coffee from Gordo! The art was of a beautiful Weewoo, very fitting and extremely recognisable. The coffee itself was one of the best coffee we had ever had! If Gordo ever branches out of Yooyuball and into hospitality, he’ll be very warmly received.

     We asked him if he had any intentions of furthering any of his culinary hobbies.

     ‘Yooyuball takes up most of my time, even in the off-season. We do rigorous training to ensure that we play at our best. I don’t think I could ever find the time. If I were to retire it could be an option, but I don’t plan on that for a very long time so there’s no need to worry about that’.

     That’s good to know, because Brightvale couldn’t have progressed so far without him!

     Well, there you have it! Three very unexpected hobbies from three wonderful athletes. We’d like to extend a big thank you to each of these three wonderful players for taking the time out to welcome us into their homes and talk to us about what happens in their life, behind the scenes of one of the most popular games in Neopia! We look forward to seeing them at their very best next year and supporting them through another exciting season.