If you started playing Smash, and you thought... "hmmm, which character do I think will fare the best in tournies?" I doubt the young lad in the skirt with the puny sword came immediately to mind (though tiara's rarely scream pwnzering either). I played Y. Link because I enjoyed playing as him the most quite frankly, granted, now that I go to tourneys, my results aren't that as if I had applied this much effort into falco, or marth (I don't think I could have picked sheik, even if I knew how cheap he/she/it/potato would be...) All the same, his playstyle suits me, I enjoy playing friendlies immensely, and it's not like I finish last either, getting some success here and there there. I've put a great deal of time into my character and that's because I wanted too.
..though perhaps a little falco on the side...