"Pokemon GO in Canada" ft. Pokemon GO Community London Ontario | TRAINER'S EYE #170

He lost his best friend but every time he taps a PokéStop, it’s like they’re walking together again. 

We meet Shiny King, the Pokémon GO Community Ambassador in London, Ontario, Canada, whose journey from nostalgic fan to local leader is rooted in love, loss, and legacy. From rediscovering Pokémon through his child to honoring a best friend lost too soon, Shiny King shares how Pokémon GO helped him rebuild connection, purpose, and community after everything felt silent. You’ll hear how one man turned downtown meetups into something closer to a Pokémon festival, all powered by empathy, grief, and the desire to make others feel welcome. 

🎧 Experience Pokémon from the north with heartfelt Canadian stories.
Listen now to the Canadian Pokémon Trainers playlist! 

Sources
Opening Song: "Forget You" by Alex_MakeMusic from Pixabay 

Transcript

Pokemon GO Canada: 0:00

I'm the community ambassador the Pokemon Go in Ontario, and this is my Pokemon story.

0:05

Oh I like the way you walk Oh I like the way you hold your hands Oh I like the way you pull your legs

David Hernandez: 0:44

Welcome to As The Pokeball Turns where every voice, every journey and every memory brings us closer to the world of Pokemon. I'm David Hernandez and I'm joined by Shiny King, the community ambassador from Pokemon Go Community in London, here to share their experience with being the community ambassador, how they built the community, and how Pokemon GO affected their lives. Shiny King, welcome to As The Pokeball Turns Thank you for having me! Absolutely. And before we were talking, I told you, I always like having the community ambassadors on the podcast because a lot of people feel like they can't do it, especially when it comes to Pokemon Go, that they feel like they're not equipped to do it. They don't know how to do it. That's only specific people. But whenever I talk with you guys and just, not you, but anybody, y'all are just normal folk most of the time. I want to ask, Why did you want to build up your community? Why did you want to become a community ambassador?

Pokemon GO Canada: 1:30

Well, because I felt somebody had, I noticed, especially after COVID, that the Community in my city just kind of lackluster and basically dead. Like nobody interacted with with each other. if you you didn't make it to rate as soon as it started, you wouldn't You wouldn't get in. you know, people didn't make eye contact with each other. Walk through a a park. to me, that's just not what Pokemon Go is supposed to be. So when the Ambassador program to my attention. I was like, you know what, I'm gonna go for this.

David Hernandez: 2:02

Now you mentioned how you know people wouldn't talk or they would just do the raid, then you're kind of at a look if you don't show up. Did you try to make any changes when you started the group to kind of change that dynamic? Or is that just something that naturally changed over time?

Pokemon GO Canada: 2:16

so so I. created a, a Facebook group. Before COVID and all that just trying to connect people, like have a central location for information. you know, connecting. Right. and then you know, people not not talking to. it, it, it seemed, it became almost Clicking, Like, you you know, be be those three people who knew each other over there, but they wouldn't interact with the three people staying over there, you you know, and it was, I uh, it just seemed a little almost toxic in a way.

David Hernandez: 2:45

Mm. Sounds like it was very exclusive to where unless you were part of this group, you didn't really have a place almost, and you kind of wanted to change it to where everybody was included. Exactly. Now, before Pokemon Go. Did you have any experience with Pokemon or was Pokemon Go, your first experience with the franchise?

Pokemon GO Canada: 3:02

I'm a Pokemon lifer.

David Hernandez: 3:04

Ooh, tell me about it. Start with, start from the beginning. Where does this all begin?

Pokemon GO Canada: 3:07

Generation 1, 19 99, third grade, I was uh on the school bus and, this kid in front of me, he turned around, he like, oh, what I got? I got got Pokemon? And like, what's a the Pokemon? He held open his hand. He He had, Charmander and Charmeleon and Charizard action figure is the one that came with the Little Nintendo. game boy that you'd shoot at him. I was like, well, what's that? He's like Oh, it's cartoon on after school. He is like, you should watch it. I'm like, okay. So I Went home and watched first episode I think it was, When Ash was fighting Brock, I think it was the first episode I watched and I'm just watching this and I'm like, this is amazing. Like, This like is like the coolest show I've ever seen. And yeah, from from that point on, I was hooked, I was watching it every day to have the toys. to have the cards. Rest is history.

David Hernandez: 3:55

Now you mentioned how it was specifically around the Brock episode where Ash was trying to get the first gym badge. Do you what part specifically, stuck to you compared to. anything else like the cards, because you specifically mentioned how Pikachu was just trying to get the badge from Brock. What do you remember from that time period?

Pokemon GO Canada: 4:10

Just like the fact that these, like the creatures were were just so Unique and and interesting and then like the fact that Ash was a kid who was like trying to, achieve all these things, right? And it was just, it was so different from anything I'd ever seen before. then, you you know, watching Ash actually overcome and, beat Brock and it was just, it was so like cool.

David Hernandez: 4:36

So you said like, you know, you start with the anime, you were very into it, you got the cards and the games. Tell me about, I guess, the different ways at the time, like were you just mostly collector of the cards or were you more interested in the game site after that?

Pokemon GO Canada: 4:48

mostly the cards. I was really into the cards at that point. My first game was actually Pokemon Silver, was actually the first one I was able to get. And actually sad story about that, I didn't even know what a Shiny Pokemon was back then. I don't think most of us did and I now have a vivid memory of encountering a Shiny Lugia and not even knowing. Oh no, really. Yeah, because I seen the flash of it. I was just like, oh, that might be like Glitched. glitched. But But no, now that that I'm an I'm adult, I've I it in realize I encountered that before,

David Hernandez: 5:22

so when did you realize that you had encountered, was it because of Pokemon Go or a different, time period or a different reason?

Pokemon GO Canada: 5:28

Um, yeah, just different time period seeing it on YouTube and I was just like, wait a second.

David Hernandez: 5:32

But I mean, it was so different, right? Because. They don't explain shiny Pokemon in the game. And especially when you're going back to those years, 1999, 2000, I think Yeah. see the little stars and you're like, this is kind of different. And you don't know why. Especially at that young age, you know?

Pokemon GO Canada: 5:48

Yep. exactly. So, it was, it was, uh, but but like I would play that game for hours. had the original game boy, the big gray one with the green screen. And, uh, Know, I I'd spend hours playing that game on road trips or family trailer vacations for for the weekend. I was in the trailer playing my game board.

David Hernandez: 6:06

Now everybody have asked, whenever they say they're in the cards, there's always like a sad Charizard story. I gotta ask, do you have any like sad story of cards you wish you had kept like what happened to those cards early on? Do you know?

Pokemon GO Canada: 6:17

Well, I was about 20 years old. I thought my Pokemon journey was over and then I sold them. For very little money.

David Hernandez: 6:26

So they're basically in somebody else's hands? Probably.

Pokemon GO Canada: 6:29

Yeah.

David Hernandez: 6:30

You said at 20 years old, what made you think that you weren't gonna pick up Pokemon at the time again?

Pokemon GO Canada: 6:34

I was a dad and I was, focusing on. I was like trying to figure out what my adult life was looking like and it was just, it was something in my closet, so I didn't think needed to be there anymore.

David Hernandez: 6:46

So you're just trying to make room.'cause you know, you're a new dad, you're trying to figure out life, especially at a young age. That's a very huge transition.

Pokemon GO Canada: 6:53

Yeah.

David Hernandez: 6:54

obviously you have regrets, I assume. Do you wish you had kept those cards?

Pokemon GO Canada: 6:57

Oh, Oh. Hundred percent. I've, uh, I've spent the last few years trying to collect as many original original cards as I can, but I I don't, I I don't care. PS Forsa 10 because I don't, I I just want the card. I don't care what condition they're in. I binder and look at,

David Hernandez: 7:14

what about your, child, do you all still have any connection with Pokemon, or have you kind of brought them up to Pokemon Trainer ways? What does that dynamic look like for you?

Pokemon GO Canada: 7:22

So both my kids came with, and, my oldest, he discovered it on his own. And, when that happened, when I dove head in again Really? Oh, you, you, you want. You you wanna wanna know about Pokemon? We'll let go.

David Hernandez: 7:39

That must have been pretty kind of touching, right?'cause they touch So they, okay, hold on. So you say that the oldest got to it by accident. So it wasn't nothing you did and because you saw them, him do, or him or her do it, that, you decided to kind of get back into it. Yep. Dude, that must have been kind of. I don't know how to describe that. What does that feel like when your own child is interested in something that you were interested? They didn't even know about it.

Pokemon GO Canada: 8:06

was such a, like a a proud and like a real moment where it's just like we we have something that we are about to bond over. It's like you don't even, you don't even understand at this moment.

David Hernandez: 8:20

I'm sure it must have meant a lot to you as a dad.

Pokemon GO Canada: 8:22

It It did. It really did.

David Hernandez: 8:24

Do you remember what the first thing y'all did? Like, how did y'all kind of bond at that initial stage?

Pokemon GO Canada: 8:28

so he first started watching the show and this, Sun and Moon era, the start of Sun and Moon. So So he started watching the show and I was I was like, Hey, do you want, you you wanna card car? He's like, there's a card game. I'm like, yeah, there's a card game. So, So, uh, I I went and bought a learning deck. It was, the, uh, Alolan Raichu, Alolan, Sand slash it was some sort of training deck that came with like promo hollows and I And I bought thought that it came with was like a step by step, like this is how you do it. And it was like, you play play the cards in a specific order, and and then, that point's like, yeah. Then he had, his next birthday party was a Pokemon birthday birthday party and It was, he was hooked too!

David Hernandez: 9:09

Now I'm sure that birthday party might have been for him, but deep down it's like, I wish I got that birthday party. I'm gonna make it something that I wanted. I'm pretty sure. Right? Oh yeah. Oh yeah.

Pokemon GO Canada: 9:17

Oh yeah, we went crazy.

David Hernandez: 9:18

outta curiosity, because, your son brought you back into Pokemon and, you know, you had been out at, I guess, were you out of Pokemon for a while?'cause after the cards given up, like what does that, I guess, time skip look like? What was your last experience before you took a break?

Pokemon GO Canada: 9:31

Yeah, it was around, you know, 2021, when I sold the cards. And then, So I guess I got back into it around Yeah, about 2016. So I said I was out of it for about five, five five or six years. Okay. And And then, yeah.

David Hernandez: 9:47

when it came to just Pokemon, because you were into the cards and the games for a bit. Do you have a particular favorite generation of, Pokemon that you really enjoyed at the time before you kind of gave it up? Or did your favorite generation come afterwards?

Pokemon GO Canada: 9:58

My favorite generation is and always will be Gen one. Mm.

David Hernandez: 10:02

Why Gen one? Just'cause of the memories behind it.

Pokemon GO Canada: 10:05

memories behind it and just they're Pokemon are most attached to Even in Pokemon Go. The a Gen Gen one Pokemon card pops up. up, I I have to touch it. I don't even I just have to,

David Hernandez: 10:15

it's like an instinct, like, oh, I see a Magnemite or I see an Exeggcute,, I gotta get it, kind of thing.

Pokemon GO Canada: 10:21

Yeah, Because like, you know, in Gen two, Gen one is my favorite, Gen two is my my second,obviously, and you know all the Generations after that. I love them all. There's great Pokemon among all of them, but Gen one especially is that gotta catch'em all mindset. Where I think later generation don't have that as much. Where it's like, you know the of of gen one, right right where you like had to have everything Pokemon.

David Hernandez: 10:45

I can kind of see that.'cause back in those days you like you have to get'em all, then you have to get'em all again, and then it kind of died out. Or that whole idea of gotta catch'em all probably died out. I would say probably, if not gen three is for sure gen four, and it was never the same after that. You know, they brought the catch phrase back, of course, but that whole mindset of all the, I'll say marketing that they did to where you need to catch'em all. You need to complete the whole. Pokedex and all that went to the wayside a bit.

Pokemon GO Canada: 11:12

Yeah. It became more about like the stats of the Pokemon. gotta catch the best Pokemon, and it was, you know, Gen one was just, you gotta catch em. That's all matters.

David Hernandez: 11:21

Now what's your favorite Pokemon? Do you have one?

Pokemon GO Canada: 11:24

Mewtwo.

David Hernandez: 11:25

Oh, why Mewtwo

Pokemon GO Canada: 11:26

He was just so badass. Yeah, I was watching the The first movie as a kid, um, I wasn't able to go see the theater, but I got it with out on VHS. I but there had to be a

David Hernandez: 11:37

Oh wow. You still kept it?

Pokemon GO Canada: 11:39

Yeah, Okay. One thing I never liked, for some reason.

David Hernandez: 11:42

Hey, smart man. Yeah.

Pokemon GO Canada: 11:44

And, just watching that movie and just watching how badass he was, I was just like, this is like coolest, coolest Pokemon ever. And And then nothing has has. to it since to.

David Hernandez: 11:54

for me, I loved how they connected the anime at the time. it was something you just saw in the anime to where you just saw this huge explosion in Viridian City and it's like a blue line basically, and you don't know why until you watch the movie and then you realize, oh, that was Mewtwo that had escaped. I liked how they kind of connected both the movie and the anime for the first, and I'll say probably only time. I don't feel like we've ever really gotten that connection ever since. But just seeing how they kind of all played together, it felt like it was actually the same universe for the first time.

Pokemon GO Canada: 12:22

Yeah. Yeah. No, that was, that That was, that was cool. And then, you you know, when all all the trainers show up to the island and then he reveals himself the first time, you you know, coming down being light and it's just like, what is is that? That is That is cool.

David Hernandez: 12:38

You got a, what was it? I think Nurse Joy, we didn't know at the time was brainwashed the ultimate Pokemon master. And then one of them says. Yeah, Pokemon can't be a Pokemon master then Mewtwo just throws them into the water. I believe he just raises them up and just tosses them like it's nothing. It's great.

Pokemon GO Canada: 12:52

Yeah. And then Ash like obviously way, in the movie, but but Ash's famous line, when he when he gets all the original Pokemon to to the the ground, I, I you can this. I I, let you. I was just oh, my

David Hernandez: 13:03

oh my God. Oh, that was such a powerful line. And he just comes out from the smoke and. You get all the Pokemon. Yeah.

Pokemon GO Canada: 13:12

to And being a 10-year-old, a watching a 10-year-old do that, you're just like, yeah.

David Hernandez: 13:17

Yeah. You tell him Ash. Yeah. Yeah. Then you see him run up and try to punch Mewtwo. I'm like, no, Ash. That's not what I was hoping you'd do. But I like the attitude. Yeah.

13:26

Hey you. Yes, you with the ears. Don't go anywhere. We'll be right back. Love hearing real stories from real trainers. Help As The Pokeball turns become the best Pokemon interview podcast like no one ever was. By joining our Patreon, you're not just supporting the show. You're helping more fans share their journeys with the world. As a thank you, you'll get accustomed Pokemon Wristband each month themed after a featured Pokemon. Head on over to patreon.com/ As The Pokeball Turns and join our community today.

David Hernandez: 13:59

so you know, they come through Sun and Moon. That's around the time of Pokemon Go. Were you already playing Pokemon Go when they started getting interested into it? Or was that come a little bit afterwards?

Pokemon GO Canada: 14:08

So, yeah, actually Pokemon Go was confusing me from my best friend. he started playing, and he he came over to my house. He was like, oh, I'm Pokemon. I'm I'm like, no. I'm like, I, heard of it, but I haven't, tried it. And I was I was like, even have dad on on my. So I'm like, I can't even leave my house. He's like, He's, I called Tether. I'm I'm like, what's tethering? He's like, it's where my data goes on life. I'm like, Okay. I'm like, let's go. Oh. So So went down to a local park. like, like, this is crazy. I'm like, putting on AR mode. and I'm I. there's a fricking squirrel right there. Like, what? That's nuts.

David Hernandez: 14:48

It felt like the Pokemon, iconic, visually came into your a region really kind of thing, right?

Pokemon GO Canada: 14:52

Yeah. And then, uh, We we played that for a couple weeks and then, unfortunately he died in a car accident shortly after that.

David Hernandez: 15:01

Oh, geez. That must been rough.

Pokemon GO Canada: 15:03

Yeah. so that's that's one thing that I've continued to find kind kind of like, because it was the thing time him and I came together. there's an emotional attachment, guess you'd say.

David Hernandez: 15:13

It sounds like you kinda live his Pokemon journey with. Him, even though he's gone, Pokemon Go, is kind of your way for you to kind of still spend time together in, I guess in an odd way, if that makes sense. Yeah. was it kind of rough to pick up the game after he passed? I mean, that's gotta be kind of a traumatic experience to play Pokemon Go with your friend one day and then all of a sudden he passes. And I've find it very difficult sometimes to even play the game.

Pokemon GO Canada: 15:35

I did stop playing for Couple couple months. Um, so I think down in August of of 2016, and and then I I picked it back up in January 27.

David Hernandez: 15:45

Yeah. What made you want to pick it back up?

Pokemon GO Canada: 15:47

because I I enjoyed it and it was just, it was like, you know, I can't stop playing this. Just because he's gone. And like, like I'm like, if he if he was still here, we'd still be flying

David Hernandez: 15:58

do you treat your journey with Pokemon Go kind of the memory for him? In a way?

Pokemon GO Canada: 16:01

in In a way, yeah. Yeah. It's, It's, you know, some of the things, um, you know, especially with the ambassador stuff, all the things, and doing, it's like, you know, it'd be cool if he was here to see this, a part of this.

David Hernandez: 16:13

what do you think he would say? If he knew what you were doing now compared to back then what I do. Why would you think that? Like, is it just because of all the work you do as a community ambassador or like what is it about the, what you're doing as an, what is it about what you decide to do makes it insane?

Pokemon GO Canada: 16:37

so I I work a. hour a week job. You know, I have a have a wife, I have two kids, and and I still put in countless hours in being ambassador. Right. And I'm I'm at, I I do every rain hour, I do every, Tuesday day, every raid day, every the shadow rain day,

David Hernandez: 16:56

Oh my gosh. That's some dedication.

Pokemon GO Canada: 16:59

Yeah. And I like, you you know. hours Six. o'clock. I'm done work at four I'm done Work at four 30. So like,

David Hernandez: 17:05

You,

Pokemon GO Canada: 17:05

you

David Hernandez: 17:05

you barely, you barely have time to change. Really?

Pokemon GO Canada: 17:08

yeah. Yeah. home, have a

David Hernandez: 17:09

have a bite to eat. I'm out. I'm surprised you even get the bite to eat. so what makes you want to try to be out there every day? Because it'd be easier for you just to say like, oh, I'm not gonna do this day, or just pick those days. But you are literally out there every day. What makes you want to consistently be out there? Especially'cause you're also a husband and a dad, which is basically full-time jobs on top of full-time jobs, let's be honest.

Pokemon GO Canada: 17:30

Yeah. what what drives is me is ability for everyone to participate and. you know, everybody getting the cool reward, being able to check into, you know, coming. to my meetups and such. Right? Mm-hmm. And And like, you know, not everybody's buy passes. So coming out and doing two raids at at my event and then getting a third race you get gets free rate pass. You know, like, and then giving them a code card, know, you know, all those things. So So it's just like 99% of the events. I don't, because I I have, I I have, I have. these raid bosses have been out numerous times, but there's people people who have never done it and and they don't have friends, they don't have, they they don't have anybody in the neighborhood. So it's, this is the only opportunity for them. Mm-hmm. So out out there so that they can go

David Hernandez: 18:16

So that way they can have the same experience that you had growing up with the Pokemon Go.

Pokemon GO Canada: 18:20

Yeah.

David Hernandez: 18:20

Yeah. What kind of responses do you get from the community, for the leadership that you have and the work you've done?

Pokemon GO Canada: 18:26

Like a lot of times, which is, which is nice. it's, it's It's good to know people appreciate it. you know, I've made a lot of new friends and a lot of connections from doing as well. which is nice. and And just seeing the joy that people have, is, is like the best part for being the best part I get. But yeah, I, it's, it's it's good. There's a lot of, it's a a very positive space, but created. so, you you. make it It very clear. Everyone is welcome. I don't don't care Who you you you do, what what you do, what your background is, what you sexual orientation is. I don't care if you're welcome. and it's, it's received fairly well, you know, we get a couple bad apples here, there that we kind of have cut out, The that's just the world, you know, can't avoid that, but no, it's a lot fun, honestly. honestly,

David Hernandez: 19:09

Were you always somebody who had leadership even before the community ambassador, or was the community ambassador your first time ever stepping into kind of a leadership type mindset or role for Pokemon Go?

Pokemon GO Canada: 19:18

So So. I I had the Facebook group that that I ran, but I I wasn't really A leader. I was just a, a a person in the city who wanted, you know, create a space for everyone to connect. so the ambassadorship is, is is my introduction to to leadership. And, I only I became an ambassador the end the end of September last year.

David Hernandez: 19:41

Oh, wow. Very fresh.

Pokemon GO Canada: 19:42

Yeah. yeah, When when I went into the program, um, because you gotta go through all the steps, that. so so my campfire at had had about 300 members when I when I became an ambassador. We are We're now about 200 members away from 2000.

David Hernandez: 19:57

Geez. That much, engagement from just being the community ambassador. did you ever feel kind of overwhelmed that you had that many people, I don't wanna say looking up to you, but that many people in your group at some point?'cause that's, that's a lot. 3000. It's almost a small city, really.

Pokemon GO Canada: 20:09

Yeah. And it's, it was it was mind blowing at first. especially, when the first check to Max came out in October. and we we had Over a hundred people over a hundred people there, and they're they're all just following wherever I go.

David Hernandez: 20:24

Really? So you had like an army following you?

Pokemon GO Canada: 20:27

Yeah. Yeah. Like we're walking down streets of of my, of downtown London and people people were just following me, we're like, across the street, cars are stopping, like, what is going on? Like, And like, I look at look at my wife and she's like, with two and I'm just like, this is crazy what happening. You. But now, now I'm here. She,

David Hernandez: 20:46

That's kind of cool though, to have that many people kind of look up to you for a Pokemon Go experience though.'cause you know, for you, you know, you and your friend at the time, y'all just happened to run into each other. Not having, y'all happened to just experience Pokemon Go, but now you're kind of bringing that experience to them. That's in a way, humbling to me.

Pokemon GO Canada: 21:02

Yeah, it It's, and, and, you you know, it, it it's great. And like I said, gives everybody the opportunity. Like every, every meeting I have, there are a few people showing up And they're they're like, oh, I, I wouldn't able to do this. You know, like, thanks for hosting. And Like, well, thanks. Coming. You know, like it's, it's, It's great.

David Hernandez: 21:18

Now you said you and your wife play together. Do y'all usually do it like a date night or is she kind of helps you out when it comes to doing the community ambassador at all?

Pokemon GO Canada: 21:25

Uh, she helps You know, she she organizes all my merch and stuff I take slash I guess how Scopely sends me me. Mm-hmm. Okay. Um, whenever the boxes come in, she goes through through it and organizes so it's all, you know, separated, and, you know, handy. with with the game itself, she's more of a, laid back player. She's not hardcore with me, so so she doesn't come out to every or anything. But you know, she's out there with me for the most part.

David Hernandez: 21:51

How has your wife been able to kind of help you as a community ambassador? Like what does that kind of support mean for you?

Pokemon GO Canada: 21:55

it's it's fantastic. because, you you know, I I. it's like a full-time job on top of the other full-time jobs I already have. so just knowing her I have her support is very, very very helpful. I. And, you know, sometimes it's a little overwhelming because like I said, she's more of a laidback So with the, you you know, know, like next week after she's like, I don't, I don't want go home.

David Hernandez: 22:19

It's like she has, I don't wanna say she has a choice, she, in a way'cause you feel like you need, you're obligated to be out there. And, you know, that's, you know, that's okay obviously.'cause that's your, that's your belief. You want to be out there for the community. But for her, she doesn't have the leadership or she doesn't feel the pressure, I guess, that you do. Is that kind of fair way to say it kind of way?

Pokemon GO Canada: 22:38

Yeah. Yeah. yeah.

David Hernandez: 22:41

Now when it comes to like doing these events, you know, you're talking about Go Fest, you're talking about, Go Tours and stuff like that. How much work goes into it for you for those big events like Community Days? Think of like the Go Fest, the Go Tours, like I'm talking like those are what I'm talking about.

Pokemon GO Canada: 22:54

Well, this being my first go fest as an ambassador, is actually gone crazier than I could I could have ever imagined. so the park we claim it's is called Park. It's um, in the in the middle of our downtown area. I. have booked the the park for Go Gold Fest weekend in the city. Really? So that no no other festival will that will happen just be just be public on gold players. I've, I I got sponsored by our downtown, BSA, they they gave me some funding so that I could get get houses and do do some things. I've I've connected with with my local Comic Con and they're and they're helping me out. I I got food trucks, like like, it's a whole thing.

David Hernandez: 23:35

Wow. So it's not just like you posting up with just some free items. You've really made it almost like a festival in a way.

Pokemon GO Canada: 23:41

yeah. And then being being the first year, I'm, I'm kind of keeping it smaller. not not small to town.

David Hernandez: 23:47

I was gonna say, that's small. Wow. I, I would love to see what you do when it's big. That's like you're bringing talk, you're bringing, um, food trucks. You got some prizes and you got the C collaborations. That's man. So

Pokemon GO Canada: 23:58

So I'm, I'm, I'm hoping for like next year have like, vendors and just be a whole Pokemon festival. festival.

David Hernandez: 24:06

Oh, okay. Hey, I might need to go to Canada. I might be down for this.

Pokemon GO Canada: 24:12

Yeah, that's, that's Yeah, that's, that's my hope for next year.

David Hernandez: 24:14

Well, I want to kind of also ask, so do you have any like notable people who help you within the community? Like, what's your community like? Like. Is there anybody who kind of helps you on the side or maybe takes the reins over when you're not there?

Pokemon GO Canada: 24:25

so I'm always there. Of course, Rain shine, know, you know my plan, 28. I'm I'm still there. but I do have, some some fins that that help me out. Um, they're fantastic. so so they help. We run our our Facebook because I have a Facebook group, a a Facebook chat that everyone can talk in. I have a a Discord. I have I have my own Instagram, like a like a Shining King Instagram. all all that stuff. So they So they help me out with those things. And then then they also come out to the meetups and, you know, they help me make sure everyone checks in connecting with with the new people. and, you know. like that. they They helped me with, getting prizes and and organizing, like we had a quote unquote staff meeting a few weeks ago where we where we talked about what we're gonna do at Go Fest and like gonna do do what? We got shirts made for ourselves.

David Hernandez: 25:15

you got some people who really, I guess, believe in your vision and what you're doing. That's amazing.

Pokemon GO Canada: 25:20

Yeah, they they really see where I'm trying to it. take it and like, you know, you know, we do charitable things as well. we've we've done a food drive, we've done a toy drive, Uh, uh, we did a park cleanup for Earth Play. I'm planning on creating like a not through this. mm-hmm. And having, you you know, the ability to raise money and do things for the the community, like, you you know, maybe send somebody to go fest like, you know, in New York or whatever. You You know, just different things, like, I have a lot of ideas and and ambitions, they're, or they're down for the whole thing, or, my or my support team was having for my wife.

David Hernandez: 25:56

You got some big things going for you. You know, this one year. Yeah. You got, I'm excited to see what you come up with.

Pokemon GO Canada: 26:02

We

David Hernandez: 26:02

I might have to do this again here. See where I'm at. I know, right? I might have to invite you back. You might be the first guest I ever invite back on, I wanna finish on this note because you know, there's a lot of people, there's more people outside looking in. You know, a lot of people don't feel like they're called to be leaders or they don't know where to begin. Say somebody is trying to build up their community in Pokemon Go, what advice would you give them from your experience on how to start, where to begin?

Pokemon GO Canada: 26:27

Well, the the first thing you have to do is you have to ask yourself if you have the love for it, And if and you have the love for it, then and you can do it. You just have to apply yourself. If you don't, you don't have to scale to what I'm trying to achieve. You can be fine with 30 people in your city. Mm-hmm. have. Right, but but you just have to have the love, You you have to put put in the the effort and the work and the the rest just kind of goes with the flow with the flow on its own once you have the community supporting you.

David Hernandez: 27:00

that's so true.'cause a lot of people, they see the like. All these like giant crowds, right? They see hundreds, maybe thousands, you know, all the pictures and everything. And I think in their head they want that. But like you said, they don't have the love for the community. They have the love for the recognition that they see. And unless you have that love for the game, the love to where, like for you, for your example. Your love comes like you want to be able to give people the experience that you had through Pokemon Go that you experienced when you first started playing the game. And that's such a powerful, what I call why of why you show up every day.'cause you, like I told you, you could easily just not, you could just phone it in and be like, nah, this ain't, I'm not gonna do every single day. But you decide not to because your why is you want them to have the experience. That's what motivates you and you've got a deep whatever, whoever's listening, you've gotta figure out what's your reason to show up. When say one person shows up or a hundred, because both are intimidating for different reasons, and it's hard for people to kind of figure that out. It's like a journey itself in a way.

Pokemon GO Canada: 28:05

Absolutely. Absolutely. And you can't do it for selfish reasons. you you can't be an ambassador because you want, you you can't be an ambassador because you want people to to look up to you. follow you. That's not what it's for, and you're not Not gonna succeed that way. You have to do it for the love that's best way to do it. So if the love is there for the, Pokemon, for the. you

David Hernandez: 28:32

do, it doesn't matter who you're, well, Julian, I want to finish on this final fun question. Okay. Yeah. I want you to give me your dream Pokemon team. I want you to gimme six Pokemon you would have in a Pokemon battle.

Pokemon GO Canada: 28:45

Well Mewtwo, Blastoise. Golum

David Hernandez: 28:48

Golum. Ooh, nobody shows golum yet. All right. I like this.

Pokemon GO Canada: 28:52

Vile plume, Shiny Gyarados. Gyarados has to be red, of course..

David Hernandez: 28:58

Of course. Yeah.

Pokemon GO Canada: 28:59

It's gotta be. Charizard. The king himself, I'm assuming Shiny Charizard. Oh

David Hernandez: 29:06

Oh yeah. Oh, okay. Or are we doing all shins for your team?

Pokemon GO Canada: 29:09

Oh, my

David Hernandez: 29:10

Oh, my finger is shiny. There you go. All shiny Pokemon. I love it.

Pokemon GO Canada: 29:14

Yeah.

David Hernandez: 29:14

Pokemon Go. I'm a perfect 5,000 shiny. Oh my god. 5,000. You keep'em all.

Pokemon GO Canada: 29:20

I I transfer a lot of them to home.

David Hernandez: 29:22

What's your, uh, white whale? What's shiny Pokemon? Are you trying to go after that You haven't caught yet?

Pokemon GO Canada: 29:27

so far nothing.

David Hernandez: 29:28

damn.

Pokemon GO Canada: 29:28

there's ones, There's one that'll that elude lose me for, you know, a you know, a few months to like a year, but I eventually did it like, Sandy was was one and I just got them over with. week.

David Hernandez: 29:40

You really are the shiny king.

Pokemon GO Canada: 29:42

Yeah.

David Hernandez: 29:43

Yeah. Well, thank y'all for listening to another episode of As The Poke Ball Turns, if this story resonated with you, share the podcast with a fellow trainer and don't forget to follow. Oh, and don't forget to follow us for more voices, more journeys, and more memories. I'm David Hernandez. And remember, your next Pokemon Adventure begins here.