Watched TheKillerNacho play DPP wifi matches on YouTube. I left a comment asking how Poison Heal / Toxic Orb Breloom was discovered and a long time smogoner aragornbird (anyone remember his current name??) sent me a very friendly PM and linked me to Smogon's analyses. I made an account in 2008 that I accidentally logged into a few years ago (same as my email address). A year later, I was learning RNG abuse on DPP and Emerald, and had just graduated college so I had a bunch of free time on my hands. I forgot about the old account (or maybe forgot the credentials, I can't remember) so I made this account. The rest is history.
The actual reason I got into competitive Pokemon was that most of the YT wifi matches had terrible background music, and I wanted to put cool music to my own battles.
Pokemon Laboratory (Shoddy 2) required a Smogon account? This I don't remember. That was a good sim, I wish its programmer didn't go nuts and leave us high and dry (twice, I should add). PO and aeo saved our butts though.