Although quidditch started out as a fictional sport, involving wizards and witches flying on broomsticks 60 feet above the ground, it has been transformed into a real sport that people can easily play without a fear of falling from the sky. Xander Manshel founded the game of quidditch at Middlebury College in 2005, during his freshman year. The sport was played within the school, and received a lot of attention that motivated other colleges to learn how to play and organize tournaments. Today, quidditch is most popular in the United States, as well as having its own association, called US Quidditch, which published its ninth edition of its rulebook. This source claims that the sport of quidditch is completely separate and does not reserve the rights from J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers Pictures, since the concept and the rules of the game is completely different from the game described in the Harry Potter franchise.
Many people wonder how this sport is played. It is very difficult to accept it as a sport because people mainly think about it as, if not an impossible game, a very goofy and silly adaptation of the Harry Potter sport. However, the game that is played by hundreds of people worldwide is much more intense, dynamic, and strategic than what most people assume. The rulebook describes the game as a combination of dodgeball, football, rugby, and even wresting. One should take the time to see a game of quidditch in order to understand it and be impressed by its physical intensity. An upcoming quidditch tournament will be held at Skidmore on April 9th, and all are welcome to come.
For those who have never seen a quidditch match, the game has at least seven players on each team: three chasers, two beaters, one keeper, and one seeker. A team earns points when the chasers pass the quaffle (a deflated volleyball) through one of three hoops that the keeper has to guard. Throughout the game, the beaters “knock out” the chasers with bludgers (deflated dodgeballs) and as a result, the player who is “knocked out” has to drop his/her broomstick, run back to his/her own field, touch one of the hoops and get back in the game. After approximately twenty minutes into the game, a neutral runner enters the game carrying the snitch around his/her waistband. The seekers have to remove the snitch from the snitch runner while this player avoids getting captured as much as possible. Of course all of this involves running with a broomstick between all of the players’ legs.
Little by little, this game continues to gain attention and awareness. The biggest quidditch tournament is called the World Cup, which will take place this year in Frankfurt, Germany from July 23 to July 24. Twenty five teams will play against each other, such as Canada, the United States, Argentina, Norway, the United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, Slovakia, and so on. The sport is gaining recognition; it was even represented in the 2012 London Olympics when quidditch players were present during the torch ceremony. Perhaps in ten years, this sport will be played in someone’s backyard, just as one would play soccer or basketball. It is currently being played at Skidmore with approximately fifteen committed members. During Spring Break, our team played in a tournament and won a game. More tournaments are coming up including one for charity. The world of Harry Potter truly comes to life in this fun, invigorating game, and each match proves to be an exciting time. As you watch out for those deflated dodgeballs, you should definitely go check it out!
