Rub's class is extremely good. Since you are in the Tampa Bay area you might also check out Big Papa's cooking school down in Naples. I've taken both and I recommend both. In fact, I was in Dana's (Big Papa) very first class. I consider both good friends and I won't rate one over the other. Dana's next class is in December. I don't see a date for Rub's next one, but he usually does one in the spring.
If you care to go the judging route, there are FBA judging seminars (required to judge) coming up in December in Perry and one in January in Fort Pierce. Go to the FBA website to sign up. Lot's of fun.
Almost forgot to answer your original question. Really the only reasons I've ever seen to do backyard is if you're only going to do one or two comps a year or you're going to enter less than all four meat categories. If you don't enter all four categories, you aren't eligible for grand or reserve in pro division. If you're just getting started and you want to see what it's all about without dumping a lot of money and time, enter backyard, and do one or two categories. Better yet, go to a comp (on Friday), meet some teams and ask to shadow along during a comp. That way you get the full 'flavor' of competing, get some tips, and don't spend hardly anything. That's how I started out.
Russ