While the last Harry Potter film was released over a year ago, the spirit of the books and the impact that author J.K. Rowling has had on the world is far from finished. There are yearly Harry Potter conventions, the Wizarding World theme park at Universal Studios, and the developing phenomenon of Quidditch, the sport played by Harry and his friends throughout the series. Yes, you heard correctly- people all around the world have adapted Rowling’s game, and created a version of the sport for us Muggles, or non-magical people, who cannot fly on broomsticks.
The Game
Understanding how Quidditch works in the books is vital to understanding our adaptation of the game. There are seven players on a Quidditch team, each with a particular position and job. Three goal hoops stand at the end of each side of the field, and are protected by the Keeper. The Keeper tries to stop the Quaffle, the largest ball, from being thrown into the hoops by three Chasers, the offensive players. Each time the Quaffle goes through a hoop, the opposing team scores ten points.
On defense, there are two beaters, who carry wooden clubs and hit Bludgers, balls that have been bewitched to fly any which way, away from their teammates and towards the opposing team. Finally, there is a Seeker, who chases the Golden Snitch, a small golden ball that is bewitched to fly anyway in the playing area. The Seeker must find the Snitch before the other team’s Seeker and catch it. The game does not end until the Snitch is caught, and 150 points are awarded for this feat.
Quidditch, Muggle Style
Seem impossible to translate to our world? Muggle Quidditch players today would be quick to say not so fast. The sport was created in 2005 at Middlebury College in Vermont, and follows the basic outline of the game from the books. There are still three goal hoops, which are often hula hoops, seven players, and the requirement of each player to carry a broom between their legs. Volleyballs serve as Quaffles, and Dodgeballs as Bludgers.
The Snitch is a tennis ball in a sock placed in the waistband of the “Snitch runner,” a player associated with neither team who dresses entirely in yellow. The Snitch usually is allowed to run around the entire college campus as the Seekers chase him/her to try and grab the ball, similar to flag football.
Colleges across the globe have formed teams, including Bentley’s close neighbors Boston University, Emerson College, Harvard University, and Tuft’s University, four of the top local teams that qualified for the Intercollegiate Quidditch Association’s World Cup.
Currently, there are more than 1000 teams affiliated with the International Quidditch Association, which coordinates popular tournaments and pits different colleges and groups against each other. The first and most popular tournament, the World Cup, debuted in 2007 at Middlebury College, and saw Middlebury take Vassar College from Poughkeepsie, New York.
Today, this event has expanded into a weekend spectacular, including bands, food and butterbeer, Quidditch gear for sale, live commentary, and thousands of athletes fighting for their respective teams’ glory.
This craze is currently taking our world, as people of all ages have come together to play a game some would never believe possible. Muggles far and wide have shown their determination to make the most popular Wizarding game of comparable merit in the Muggle World, and are having a fun time doing so!
To learn more, check out this website.