If you’ve ever read Harry Potter books or watched the movies, you know that one of the most magical and fun parts of it is the wizarding sport of Quidditch. Two teams of 7 players each (3 Chasers, 2 Beaters, 1 Keeper, 1 Seeker) fly around on brooms, trying to score points with the Quaffle before the game ends when the Snitch is caught; All the while they are trying to avoid getting knocked off their brooms with a Bludger. The game gets very intense at times and is played in all kinds of weather conditions. It is also mixed gender, meaning girls and boys can play on the same team. Quidditch was one of my favorite parts of the Harry Potter universe because when it was written or displayed on screen, it felt like you were there! I could finally understand how others felt about football or hockey; The intensity, the togetherness that rooting for your home team brought, etc. I never would have thought that it could ever be anything more than writing in a book or a scene in a movie! But now? It has become something of a phenomenon.

Quidditch in the “muggle” (non-magic people) world has become so popular, there is a whole association dedicated to the sport, complete with an official rulebook, history, and international contingent called the IQA (International Quidditch Assosciation) Now I’m sure there are questions; how has the magical game practically leaped off the pages and screen onto the sports field and gotten so much of a following it needs its own association? How is the game actually played without flying broomsticks and magical flying balls? Where can I see this game being played? Well, here’s the scoop!

I would say that a large part of the popularity is linked to the Harry Potter community. The community is so large and so diverse, it was only a matter of time before someone figured out how to make Quidditch a reality for us “muggles”. It started at Middlebury College in Vermont in 2005, by 2007 it had grown enough for the first intercollegiate match and in 2008, there was a 12 team World Cup championship, complete with the first non US team from McGill University in Quebec, Canada. The media started picking it up and the following grew to what it is today, the IQA serving about 20 quidditch playing organizations and nations on six continents; not to mention the thousands of players and fans that part of these groups.

The basic gist of the game is similar to that of its magical counterpart, the 3 Chasers use the Quaffle to score points, the Keeper defends the hoops against the Chasers, the Beaters use the Bludgers to hinder the other players, and the Seeker has the one job of catching the Snitch. Each player is distinguished by a different colored headband and must run around the field with a broomstick between their legs with one hand on the broom at all times. The Quaffle is a volleyball and only the Chasers and the Keeper can hold this ball. Each successful throw or kick through the goalposts is 10 poinys. The Bludgers are usually playground/dodgeball ball; If a person is hit by a Bludger, they must drop any ball they are holding, run to their side of the field and touch a goalpost before coming back into play. The Snitch is by far the most interesting adaptation. The Snitch itself is a tennis ball inside of a long sock. It is tucked inside the waistband or pocket of the athlete who is acting as the Snitch. Usually dressed in a bright yellow to make them visible from all the other players, the Snitch is “released” after 18 minutes of gameplay. He or she can play pranks on players to avoid getting caught and can even run off the field to make it that much harder to be caught. In order to “catch the snitch”, the Seeker must catch up the Snitch and grab the sock out of their waistband or pocket without physically touching them, tackling them to the ground, etc. It has to be a clean grab. When the Snitch is caught, the game is over and catching the Snitch is worth 30 points.

Now that you know the basics of the game, you want to know where you can watch it being played right? On October 22^nd, Chestnut Hill College will host the 7^th annual Brotherly Love Cup Quidditch tournament in conjunction with Harry Potter Weekend happening October 20-22. There will be tons of Harry Potter fun for the whole family so definitely come out for a great day. For more information, check outchc.edu/broomstick, and I hope to see you there!