MONTHLY SEER VOLUME 1 ISSUE 7

The

April 2011 ď„­

Swamp Cup & Western Cup Funding your way to the World Cup

Quidditch in New Zealand Off the Pitch: Successful Clubs

Monthly Seer April 2011 Volume 1 • Issue 7

EDITOR IN CHIEF Alicia Radford COVER PHOTO Gregg Pachkowski CONTRIBUTORS Laurie Beckoff, Alex Benepe, Nick Burk, Rob Ciano, Melissa DeVarney, Zara Fishkin, Will Hack, Dan Hanson, Andrea Hill, Harrison Homel, Christopher Kostick, Katie Mercurio, Kristina Moy, Wes Moyer, Kathryn Mudgway, Laurie Rabin, Alicia Radford, Abbie Rickard, Molly St. Clair, Katie Stack, Troy Stanford, Leah Vogel, Luke Zak ART DIRECTOR Alicia Radford LAYOUT DESIGN Alicia Radford Andrea Hill ADVERTISING Alicia Radford

To advertise in the Monthly Seer, contact alicia.radford@internationalquidditch.org

The Monthly Seer is published electronically by the International Quidditch Association. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the IQA. The International Quidditch Association is a magical nonprofit that governs the sport of Quidditch and inspires young people to lead physically active and socially engaged lives. www. internationalquidditch.org

Contents 1 3 5 6 7 9 10

Letter from the editor Upcoming events Welcome to the league!

World Cup VIP pass winner Recent Games Quidditch at Staples Center Magic is Might: News from the Ministry of Magic

The Road to the Cup 13 21 25 26 31

IQA Southern Regionals: Swamp Cup Report Surf. Sand. Snitches. Western Cup Report West Coast Offensive Western Cup to the World Cup Upcoming Regionals

Team Spotlights 32 33 34

Canadian-style Quidditch takes off at Acadia University Kiwis form national Quidditch league Quidditch thrives at Emerson

Off the Pitch 35 37 38

Developing Quidditch How to succeed in business The kids are all right: Youth empowerment in the IQA

Lifestyles 39 41 43 44 45

Quidditch Down Under The man behind the magic: Xander Manshel Why I Love Quidditch The Quidditch Comic How to tell your parents you play Quidditch

Players' Corner 47 49 51 52

Enough is Enough.

Essay: the future of Quidditch Dear Luke, on fundraising to the World Cup Two Rulebook Myths

Letter from the editor Last weekend I had the pleasure and honor of attending the Western Cup, the IQA's Western Region championships. With eleven teams it was the largest tournament west of the Mississippi, and I definitely felt a strong sense of hometown pride, being from Seattle. When I first started volunteering for the IQA I was as a regional organizer, trying to keep track of all the teams in the West (we were the Northwest back then) and bring Quidditch to as many schools as possible. I "met" (through email, then slightly nerve-wracking phone calls) Harrison Homel, Tom Marks, Kathryn Mudgway, and Aaron Sladek in the beginning of winter, 2009. The IQA was poised to become a nonprofit and institute its first real Regional Director / correspondent program wholly thought out by Alex Benepe, and those four people had emailed Alex looking to volunteer.

If you don't recognize these names yet, you will by the end of this issue. Harrison organized the Western Cup - a huge undertaking - with the help of Tom and Kathryn. Aaron spent the entire weekend intrepidly manning the IQA merchandise booth.

I still have the notebook somewhere where we sketched out all the ideas we had for our region, from Google docs to keep track of the roster to a big spring regional tournament. I'm so proud, because we did it. One thing that continues to impress and inspire me about the IQA - everywhere, not just in the West - is the dedication and love of what we do. We not only make goals, we reach them. We exceed them. And in the process of advancing this great sport we meet the best people and make great friendships, often with people we've never personally met or just met.

Last weekend was the first time I met Tom, Kathryn and Aaron in person, after more than a year of working together. They felt like old friends. So did so many of the great players I was able to get to know.

The best part of the IQA is our community: the players, fans, and volunteers who make every event magical and keep my facebook feed hilarious. Thank you for making our lives awesome. Play on.

Alicia

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April 2011 • The Monthly Seer

Makers of the Favorite Broom of the IA

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UP C OMING EVENT S

April

April 8, 2011

World Cup Registration

On April 8, World Cup 2011 open registration will begin, and any high school, college, or adult-aged team will be eligible to reserve a spot at the tournament. We expect a tentative cap of 80 teams at the World Cup this year, and after official member-only advance registration, already nearly 60 teams have signed up, so hurry and reserve your team's spot!

This pre-registration is not binding, so there is no obligation to attend the tournament until final registration, which will not begin until early fall.

— Alicia Radford

April 9, 2011

Texas Southwest Classic

Five teams from throughout the Southwest will compete on Saturdayat the IQA's third sponsored regional tournament hosted by Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.

— Alicia Radford

Ball State & Purdue Spring Invitational

As a warm-up to their fall IQA regional tournament, Ball State and Purdue will host Webster, ISU, Miami of Ohio, Grand Valley State, Saint Mary's College, and Michigan State with many more schools invited to their spring invitational from 10am - 6pm on Saturday.

— Alicia Radford

April 9-10, 2011

Tri-State Tournament

On April 9-10, Transylvania Quidditch will be hosting the 1st Annual Tri-State Quidditch Tournament in Lexington, Kentucky. The tournament will consist of pool play on Saturday afternoon followed by a Yule Ball-style tournament ball that evening. On Sunday morning, the actual bracketed tournament will be held. Six teams have already confirmed their intent to compete for the title of Tri-State Champion!

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— Kristin Grenier

April 2011 • The Monthly Seer

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April 16, 2011

Hog's Head Invitational

Quidditch teams from the southern United States are flying into Arkansas for the first Hog’s Head Invitational tournament this April, hosted by the University of Arkansas The team is little over a year old but members are excited to organize the group’s biggest event yet. The tournament will begin with a captains' breakfast where team members can mingle and discuss the rules of the game.

Games will take place on two fields laid out on Gulley Park, a flat expanse of green space surrounded by stands of trees and a small creek. These offer promising hiding places for cunning snitches. Members of University of Arkansas’ band, choir and juggling club may mingle among players and spectators, providing on-site entertainment.

— Andrea Hill

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UP C O M I NG E V E NT S

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April 23, 2011

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April 17, 2011

JHU vs. UMD

The University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University will face off in exhibition matches at the UMD campus. The event is open to the public and the teams hope to use the matches to build awareness of Quidditch in Maryland.

— Alicia Radford

Utah Youngster Tourney

Are you between six and twelve? Do you want to play Quidditch without waiting until high school or college? Then your patience has paid off. The UQO is proud to announce our first ever Youngster Tourney!

Boys and girls elementary school age all across the state are invited to come and play Quidditch at South Ridge Park in Taylorsville on Saturday, April 23. High school and college age Quidditch players are asked to invite their younger siblings, nieces and nephews, and everyone else who can make it. Youngsters will be sorted into two teams via a sorting hat, and will play a couple of games before being resorted creating entirely new teams for the last games, each estimated to last about 15 minutes. The IQA rules regarding physical contact will be modified to ensure safety, and additional referees will be appointed to promote fair play. Don’t forget to tell youngsters you know, and we’ll see you there!

— Nick Burk

April 28-30, 2011

Butterbeer Classic

The Vassar College Butterbeer Broooers will host their third annual Butterbeer Classic on Sunday from 11am-4pm.

Geneseo, NYU, Stony Brook and Amherst are confirmed attendees, with the possibility of the Badassilisks and Villanova joining the fun.

— Alicia Radford

Ohio State Tournament

Quidditch at Aeternitas

Aeternitas, a new Harry Potter convention in Laconia, NH, is proud to have IQA Quidditch presenting a one hour panel on How to Create and Manage Your Own Quidditch Team, followed by a 90-minute Wizarding class, Introduction to Flying. The Wizarding class will include an exhibition match between two IQA teams, followed by scrimmages where players can teach the game to attendees and coach scrimmage teams in open matches.

— Kristina Moy

Ohio-area teams will travel to OSU for an evening tournament, the first one hosted by OSU. — Alicia Radford

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N EW S

News Welcome to the League!

New March team sign-ups

West Potomac High School (Alexandria, VA) Hendrick Hudson High School (Montrose, NY) Woodgrove High School (Purcellville, VA) King High School (Tampa, FL) Little Miami High School Panthers (Maineville, OH) Scarsdale High School (Scarsdale, NY) Eagle High School (Eagle, ID) T.L. Hanna Quidditch (Anderson, SC) Amherst Animagi Quidditch Team (Amherst, MA) East Brunswick (East Brunswick, NJ) Lake Superior State University (Sault Ste Marie, MI) The Pelicans (Petersburg, VA) Winnacunnet High School (Hampton, NH) Emergency Ambulance Service (Long Island, NY) Twinfield Quidditch Team (Plainfield, VT) The Sage Colleges (Troy/Albany, NY) Team Formerly Known As Cape Coral (Cape Coral, FL) URI Rhody Ridgebacks (Kingston, RI)

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The Hun School Horcruxes (Princeton, NJ) San Pedro High School (San Pedro, CA) The Ministry Officials (Portsmouth, Hampshire) Needham Rockets (Needham, MA) Emerson (Emerson, NJ) Lake Travis Quidditch (Austin, TX) Milton High School Quidditch Club (Milton, GA) Washington College (Chestertown, MD) McGill-Toolen Quidditch Club (Mobile, AL) Univeristy of Maine Farmington (Farmington, ME) Hudson High School (Hudson, MA) University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill, NC) Name Pending (Ann Arbor, Michigan) WeHo Team (West Hollywood, CA) Qatarockz (Philippines City, Zamboanga City) Anthena Association (Lesparre Médoc, France) Fleet Town (Fleet, Hampshire) Hippogriff Heroes (Holmes Chapel, Cheshire)

NE W S

World Cup VIP pass winner: L

Jessica is a 19-year old TAMIU student. || Provided

$11.99

Jessica Leija

ast month, to celebrate the IQA's first birthday as a nonprofit company, the IQA held a contest: anyone who donated $10 or more in honor of the IQA's birthday was entered into a drawing for a VIP pass to the 2011 World Cup, which includes VIP seating at every match and access to the exclusive VIP area with free food and beverages. Nineteen year old Jessica Leija from Eagle Pass, Texas, is the winner. " Quidditch is a childhood dream come true," Jessica said. "Since I first read about Quidditch becoming a real sport for muggles to play, I was ecstatic. Not only was my favorite book series coming to life through motion picture films, it was also to be active at the university level as a sport. Quidditch is a hot topic to discuss with fellow Harry Potter fans, and a fantastic way to make new friends!

And as one of the fastest growing sports among colleges, the world appears to get smaller as we interact even more."

What is Jessica most excited about for the 2011 Quidditch World Cup? "Seeing all the action: the many teams competing for victory, the spirited fans going wild for their favorite team, and the wonderful, magical atmosphere that will engulf Randall’ s Island that weekend. Winning the VIP Pass has me super excited and anxious to fly out to NY for the cup! Since I’ m currently forming the Texas A&M International University Quidditch Team, most players and members haven’ t seen a game of Quidditch. When word got around campus that I won the VIP Pass, the news even encouraged more people to become interested in Quidditch and signing up for the team. I really can’ t wait to see all the teams that make it to NY, see all the action, and hang out with Harry Potter fans who waited years for Quidditch come this far." Congratulations Jessica! n

$14.99

IQA & World Cup T-Shirts: Just because you can’t fly doesn’t mean you can’t look fly. Get yours.

The Monthly Seer • April 2011

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R ECENT GAME S

Recent Games With hundreds of Quidditch teams all over the world, there's no way we could cover all the recent games that have been going on. But here are a few highlights.

APRIL 3, 2011

River City Invitational The River City Invitational was the first tournament hosted by the Virgina Quidditch League. The VA Quidditch Champion is the VCU Wizengamot. The University of Richmond Acromantulas placed second and the JMU Mauraders placed third.

Virginia Tech is a new team and their first game against another school was at the RCI, which also made the RCI their first tournament! JMU has played a few games before but this was also

their first tournament. Both University of Richmond and VCU are seasoned teams and have played many games, against each other and other teams. They also both attended the 2010 Quidditch World Cup. VCU also attended the 2009 Quidditch World Cup. The Virginia Quidditch League plans on having a Virginia Quidditch Tournament every year.

— Troy Stanford

W L PT Scored PT Allowed PTDF Quaffle Points Snitch Points UofR 4 0 430 120 310 340 90 (3) CNU 2 2 200 250 -50 170 30 (1) JMU 1 3 190 230 -40 130 60 (2) VT 0 4 120 370 -250 60 60 (2) VCU 3 1 200 170 30 140 60 (2)

The Virginia Quidditch League River City Invitational in Richmond, VA. ||­

Wes Moyer

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R E C E NT GA ME S MARCH 5, 2011

Texas A&M Classic

A Texas Tech Chaser dives for the Quaffle. || Melissa DeVarney

Standings

W-L Goals Scored Goals Agnst. Differential Overtimes

Louisiana State University 5-0 490 180 310 2 Texas A&M University - Maroon 3-2 390 280 110 1 Texas A&M University - White 3-2 250 120 130 1 Texas Tech University 2-3 210 310 -100 1 University of Texas 1-3 220 240 -20 1 Sam Houston State University 0-4 60 530 -470 0

MARCH 5, 2011

Utah Snow Cup

Utah's Quidditch teams converged on March 5 for the Snow Cup, the tournament that would decide which team Utah would send to represent the state in the first annual Western Cup. The Utah Quidditch Organization tracks points all season and the team with the most points at the end of the season wins. The University of Utah Crimson Fliers won the tournament and the Cup with a point lead of over 300 to their closes competition. Left: A Crimson Fliers player jumps through a hoop - really. No photoshop here.

Below: the Crimson Fliers attempt to score.

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R ECENT GAME S

Quidditch at Staples Center The University of Southern California played the Los Angeles Kings mascots in the first match in a professional sports arena

By Harrison Homel

M

arch 5th is a day for the annals of Quidditch lore. Quidditch took a great leap forward, and entered, for the first time, a national sports arena.

In the bowels of Staples Center, the University of Southern California Quidditch team waited nervously to walk onto the ice.

A lion, flanked by an eagle and a wolf, stood nearby, clutching their brooms. Wait, what?

This singular scene took place just before the halftime show during a Los Angeles Kings hockey game. How does one reach the Staples Center on a broomstick? It was the King’s mascot, Bailey (the aforementioned lion)’s birthday, and to celebrate he and his mascot friends decided, as one does, to play some ice Quidditch. USC was happy to oblige. In pads and helmets, listening to the roar of the crowd, the team couldn’t help but marvel at their surreal position.

The scene was streaked with normalcy: the team joked and talked. They explained the game to passing staff. They posed for pictures inevitably destined for Facebook.

The ensuing hockey game, the incessant concerns (“What if I fall on my ass in front of all those people?”), and the mascots who demonstrated their impressive ability to talk smack without actually talking, ensured that these respites were brief. Soon enough, the team marched out to meet their furry challengers before a packed house.

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For about five minutes, frozen in the minds of the players like their fingers to the brooms they gripped, USC made history before thousands of excited spectators.

And, perhaps most importantly, they didn’t fall. Blessedly, two periods in, the ice was cut up enough to run on in their athletic shoes. As you might have guessed, the rules were loosely enforced, but the mascots did seem relatively interested in playing by them. The knockout effect may have fallen by the wayside, but not one animal left his broom. The field of play had been narrowed, making for a fast-paced and crowded game.

April 2011 • The Monthly Seer

When USC scored the first and only goal, the crowd broke into cheers. Watching from the floor or from the nosebleeds via the jumbotron (the jumbotron!), the spectators seemed to enjoy themselves thoroughly. They weren’t the only ones.

USC’s grins seemed as permanent as those on the other team. Even when a whale took down the Snitch and brought his team the victory, not one human player seemed to care. Champions walked off that ice, with a bounce in their step that had nothing to do with the newfound traction below their feet. n

S P OT L I GH T O N T H E H AR R Y P OT T E R FA NDO M

By Kathryn Mudgway

O

nce any type of saga is introduced into pop culture, a fandom usually tags along with

it. In the Harry Potter fandom, a project called Wizarding Life Magazine (www.wizardinglife.com) was created by Xavier Austrone in 2010 (around the time of Halloween) and is completely run by a staff of volunteer writers and editors from all over the world. A truly international group of dedicated people, Wizarding Life publishes articles daily and is written from the point of view of the witches and wizards from JK Rowling’s beloved series. A magazine written by witches and wizards and for witches and wizards, articles cover every aspect from advice to Wrock (canon and non-canon)!

On March 1, 2011, Wizarding Life launched a project called "Magic is Might" in honor of the upcoming premiere of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2”—which is expected to hit theaters world-wide this July. A timeline strictly based on the events that happen in the seventh book (1997-1998), the interactive viral campaign event started out with a pamphlet written by early staffers (aka Dolores Umbridge) called “Mudbloods & the Dangers They Pose to a Perfect, Pureblood Society" and will finish off with the Battle at Hogwarts and Kingsley’s speech. Taking on Wizarding Life’s concept, articles for the campaign are published daily as well but differ because they are all from the point of view of the Ministry of Magic. Interested in finding out more? Please head over to www.magicismight.co.uk for more news from inside the Ministry.

I was recently able to catch up with Xavier about the project, and here was what he had to say: Kathryn Mudgway: What was the initial goal for creating this project?

Xaxier Austrone: A good friend, Andrew Bates, recommended that Wizarding Life launch a similar alternate-reality game to that of The Dark Knight's, which involved the use of posters, cellphones, bowilng balls and voicemails... but of course, a volunteer-powered 'free' effort would be entirely digital. And we wanted that for Harry Potter.

KM: What aspects of Magic is Might (MiM) do you think separates it from other viral campaigns?

XA: Magic is Might differs from other viral campaigns because it immerses you in the fictional environment.

Instead of advertising a product or service through viral channels, Magic is Might is more of an interactive experience, involving the fans themselves to complete certain tasks or figure things out in order to achieve new information.

KM: How can fans get involved? What other project

ideas (in regards for MiM) do you have in store for the future?

XA: Plans for MiM's future are under close guard, but I can release select keywords rather than a statement, such as "children's books," "potterwatch," and "the kidnapping of Luna Lovegood."

KM: What if one wants to become a staff member?

What is it like being a staff member and what expectations do they have to live up to?

XA: Magic is Might is no longer looking for staff, but we encourage the public to interact with our characters on Facebook, as well as keep watch for online events which require their participation.

KM: Do you have any favorite moments so far? Final thoughts?

XA: Our website server has crashed three times due to heavy amounts of traffic after publishing on MuggleNet and MTV Movies Blog. We're a few weeks away from reaching half a million hits. n The Monthly Seer • April 2011

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The Road to the Cup

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April 2011 • The Monthly Seer

THROUGHOUT 2011 THE IQA IS HOSTING SIX REGIONAL TOURNAMENTS IN NORTH AMERICA. TEAM SCORES WILL BE USED TO DETERMINE SEEDING AT THE WORLD CUP. The Monthly Seer • April 2011

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THE ROAD TO T HE CU P MARCH 18-20, 2011

IQA Southern Regionals: Swamp Cup Report

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By Alex Benepe

fter spending the last few months presiding over tournaments in the freezing northeastern cold (Harvard's February Finland Invitational takes that prize), it was a unique pleasure for me to watch players bludgeon each other in brilliantly sunny, eighty degree weather while I myself enjoyed the shade of a Southern Magnolia tree inundated with Spanish Moss. I'm talking about the Swamp Cup, of course. The IQA's first sponsored regional tournament was hosted by University of Florida, a 50,000 student school located in the flat but verdant college town of Gainesville, FL. The tournament itself broke the record for longest Quidditch tournament to date, boasting more than 21 hours of playing over three days (World Cup 2010, by comparison, was 18.5 hours over two days). But with just six teams in attendance, this meant playing time for the teams - serious playing time.

Facebook statuses in the days after the tournament, besides being extremely enthusiastic, followed a common thread of, "Swamp Cup is responsible for my inability to move today."

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S WAM P C U P RE PO RT

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THE ROAD TO T HE CU P

The Teams University of Florida

Hosts University of Florida not only broke their backs organizing the tournament but also performed extremely well, despite finishing fourth. Their most recognizable feature was Beater coordination, which gave them a very strong defense as well as knack for consistently catching the Snitch. How they managed to finish in any other position than first place is still a mystery.

EQUIPMENT AND GOODIES The UF team was well prepped for the tournament with several "Florida Gator" pop tents for shade, two massive sound systems, their modern, minimalist "brooms" (essentially PVC pipes, which were used on day three; Alivan's brooms dominated the other days), and enough food to feed an army. My top hat is completely off to Cristy Cruz who custom-designed dozens of Harry Potter cupcakes with characters' faces.

FUN IN THE SUN

University of Miami

University of Miami (also known as "The U") shrugged off a barrage of party school jokes from the announcers (who, me?) and stormed to the top of the pile to finish the tournament in first place and take home the trophy. Their team had a fantastic Seeker and intimidated the other teams with aggressive Chaser tactics.

Well at least I was intimidated.

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April 2011 • The Monthly Seer

While the games were highly competitive and thrilling to watch, the tournament stood out for many of its other qualities and events.

Hilarious Announcing - I was consistently joined in the announcers booth by a host of hilarious and entertaining people, mostly from the UF and CofC teams. Topics ranged from socialism and anarchism to design software, and occasionally, what was happening on the field. Top announcing moment was the blow-by-blow description of the LARPers sword fighting off-field on day three, and a wardrobe analysis of several small children taking turns shooting the Quaffle between games (who knew that L.L. Bean boots were designed for aerodynamics and have multiple heat settings?).

Pool Party - Gainesville is blessed by a never-ending sea of apartment complexes that each have their own massive swimming pool. UF hosted a pool party (which turned into a fifty-person hot-tub session) that turned perfectly rowdy by the end of the night.

S WAM P C U P RE PO RT

Univ. of South Florida

University of South Florida (The Bulls) looked like a clear favorite on day one. They had one of the cleanest passing games and universally stomped all comers in the early games of the tournament. I'm not sure what happened on days two and three but they somehow lost momentum and ended in third place. This did not in any way eclipse the fact that they had the largest on-team cheering section and some of the best posters around (including "We have Master Beaters" and something along the lines of "Quidditch: Better than Vampire Baseball").

Miniature Tanks - what happens when 60 people standing in a circle, get down on all fours, and crawl slowly to the other side of the circle, while chanting "miniature tanks," all at the same time?

Walks in the Woods - Kanapaha Park, the setting for the Swamp Cup, was a gorgeous park with natural swamp land and plenty of tree-line paths and deep woods. Several teams and groups of players took breaks between matches to enjoy the natural environment.

TOURNAMENT On day one USF dominated the tournament, beating many of their opponents by over 100 points, with UF in a close second. On day two Ringling entered the fray and performed well, staying solidly in the middle of the pack. UF began to do much better, especially when a few teams succeeded in beating USF's superior passing strategy. By the end of day two, Charleston had withdrawn, Cape Coral was eliminated, and UF moved up to first place. On day three everything went topsyturvy. UF lost one of their matches in an early Snitch grab while Ringling and Miami surged forward and passed USF. UF beat USF in their final game but their points differential was too low for UF to move into semi-finals. Finally, it came down to Ringling and the University of Miami in a best-of-three championship, which Umiami clinched in two games.

Unusually for a Quidditch tournament, Umiami was presented with a real trophy at the closing ceremony, along with trophies for the second through fourth place finishers. After speeches and a ceremonial soaking of tournament organizer Hannah Pohlmann, all teams went home happy with their performance.

College of Charleston

College of Charleston entered the tournament at a strong disadvantage due to nine players suddenly dropping out of their lineup the day before the Swamp Cup, and they had to withdraw early on Saturday when several players had an emergency and needed to head back to South Carolina. Nonetheless, they played with some of the best spirit, belting out Das Racist's "Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell" before each match, and they brought some real pizazz to the pool party Friday night.

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THE ROAD TO T HE CU P

TOP PICKS Everyone worked hard, played well, and had a great time, but keep your eye out for these stand-out players at World Cup 2011:

Sean Snipes, Sean Pagoada, Mike Fischer (USF)

Ringling College of Art + Design

Ringling College of Art and Design withstood an even more withering hail of jabs from the announcers for being an art school, particularly on day three when the talking heads discovered an endless supply of Photoshop jokes: "I think he's rendered a goal there, wouldn't you say Bob?" They took it in stride and played dominantly, no doubt helped by three towering players who took turns playing Keeper. Ringling made it all the way to the finals, where Miami defeated them in the first two matches of a best of three championship, but exhibited a much better game than at World Cup IV, which they left 0-3.

These three are at the top of the list because they not only distinguished themselves individually, but worked as a veritable triumvirate and exemplified the term "passing game." Sure, they tended to send one player far downfield to poach the hoops, but completing those long passes is no easy trick in Quidditch, and this isn't soccer so there are no offsides. Opposing teams would do well to keep a Beater back to hold them off. NB: Snipes also turned out to be an epically entertaining and hard-to-catch Snitch.

Jordan Utsman, Carly Batson, Hannah Pohlmann, Byron McCoy, Dre Clements (UF) UF Beaters Utsman, Batson and Pohlmann were the flip-side to USF's chaser triumvirate, continually frustrating their opponent's offensives and maintaining serious control of the Bludgers. They also fully committed to their shots, consistently putting their full force into it, a rarity among Beaters. Meanwhile McCoy (who made the cover of the Gainesville Sun being hoisted to the heavens by his team) stood out as one of the best Seekers in the tournament, catching the Snitch in close to 100% of the matches he played in. Clements, sporting "The Doctor" on the back of his jersey, played a distinguished Chaser game, no doubt supplemented by his experience as a rugby player. If UF continues to develop these assets along with the rest of their team, they'll be in a great position for World Cup 2011.

Bryan Bae, Tommy Eyester, Danielle Garone, Alex Terry (RC)

Cape Coral High School

Cape Coral High School was the only high school (although almost all of the players were seniors) and performed admirably well, especially considering several players learned the game the previous week. They were completely beloved by the rest of the teams (some of whom worked aggressively to recruit the young talent for their schools) and came very close to advancing to the final day of the tournament. They were disappointed but came out anyway to watch and help ref. Their chaperones seemed ready to go.

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April 2011 • The Monthly Seer

Bae demonstrated by far the best Chaser skills in the tournament. He was so nimble on his feet that his Bludger evasions often left him stranded in enemy territory while his fellow Chasers were sent packing. Check out the cover photo to see the massive air he got on each of his shots. As mentioned above, Ringling had some of the best keepers, including Eyester and Terry, who frequently took the ball coast-to-coast to score. Garone led the team well as a co-captain and dominated on the field as a Chaser, going toe-to-toe with opposing players twice her size.

Christina De Nicola, David Moyer, Hernan Martinez (UM) De Nicola established a reputation for ferocity early on in the tournament that clearly played to her advantage as an aggressive Chaser. Moyer played a Seeker game just as strong as UF's McCoy, making the winning snatch again and again. Captain Martinez gets recognition here for his strong playing and more importantly strong leadership in bringing his team to first place.

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THE ROAD TO T HE CU P

Arty Lis, Mitchell Irvin, Kristina Kraig (CCHS) Seeking ain't easy, but Lis and Irvin made it seem like it was (Lis even gave me a long discourse on why the Snitch should be worth 50 points). Kraigstood out as a skilled and brave Chaser, going up against college seniors like it was no big deal. But really it's not fair to just showcase three players here because the entire team was awesome. but to quote ze French, "such is life..."

Cullen Kavanagh, Keegan Smith (CofC) While the Charleston team had fewer games in which to distinguish themselves, Kavanagh stood out brilliantly for his unrivaled ability to launch the Quaffle consistently and with admirable accuracy (occasionally scoring) from half-field or farther. Nicknamed "the Cannon," Culler might just be the talk of the town again at World Cup if he can improve his accuracy, not an easy feat with a semi-deflated volleyball. Smith stunned players on all teams by periodically bodily diving through the hoop with the Quaffle to score. Unfortunately, the hoops tended not to remain standing. It will be interesting to see if this tactic remains when the hoops are made of titanium some day.

Zachary Cornett, Nicholas Wright, Ally Levy (Snitches) Wright, known around Gainesville as "Pretty Nick," played most of his games entirely nude save a pair of short shorts and kept the Seekers at more than arm's length with his distance runner endurance and track running acceleration. Levy surprised everyone with a late appearance as a Snitch in the tournament, utilizing a spinning technique that even the great Rainey Johnson would admire. Cornett, shirtless, with genuine wing tattoos on his shoulder blades, won the hearts and minds of all the teams for his spirited performances and caped banner waving.

Hannah Pohlmann, Nick Murado, Bridget Siegel, Paul Kraff, Rob Rankin, Ashley and Arien Pohlmann was a master artist in her ability to compel college students, particularly her friends, to action at early morning hours to organize the tournament. Murado spearheaded the best reffing I have ever seen at a tournament. The play remained rough and competitive but not a single serious injury or hospital trip ever occurred. He established a reputation for citing even the most minor violations, including substituting in an illegal manner, so watch out if he's your ref at World cup. Ashley and Arien deserve the medal of honor for scorekeeping every single match throughout the tournament (and keeping the hapless announcers informed as to what the score was...). Siegel provided invaluable reffing and logistics support and proved equally efficient as Pohlmann at rallying the troops, while Kraff and Rankin (USF and UM respectively) demonstrated reputable refereeing that earned them verbal accolades at the closing ceremony. n

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Scores PRELIMINARY ROUNDS UF 40 10 USF UF 110 30 UM UF 20 50 UM UF 60 30 R UF 70 0 R UF 20 30 CCH UF 90 30 CCH UF 80 50 COC

USF 60 70 UM USF 20 40 UM USF 20 40 UM USF 30 40 R USF 190 100 CCH USF 60 10 CCH USF 170 80 COC USF 160 30 COC

UM 60 0 R UM 60 70 R UM 10 30 CCH UM 160 0 COC

R 70 30 CCH R 70 50 CCH R 90 60 COC CCH 50 110 COC

FIRST PLAYOFFS UF 70 30 USF UF 0 40 UM UF 50 60 R

FINALS UM 90 20 R UM 60 20 R UM defeats R, 2-0

USF 50 70 UM USF 110 40 R UM 20 50 R

S WAM P C U P RE PO RT

Top Picks Clockwise: Carly Batson, UF Beater. Cape Coral's Kraig Lis. USF's vertiable triumvirate. Dre Clements drives the Quaffle downfield. || Provided

The Monthly Seer • April 2011

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Surf. Sand. Snitches.

Western Cup Report

C

By Alicia Radford and Alex Benepe

heviot Hills Park, just a ten-minute drive from UCLA’s sprawling campus in the heart of Los Angeles, bustled with hectic but energized pre-tournament activity on the warm, cloudy morning of April 2.

Tournament organizer (“Chief Emperor Mugwump Supreme Wizard God Son of God” as the announcers later dubbed him) Harrison Homel directed the proceedings from under his stylish bowler hat, running on twenty-five minutes’ sleep, as eleven college Quidditch teams from four states – California, Utah, Arizona, and Massachusetts (we’ll get to that later) ran warm up laps around the fields or stretched.

The two-day tournament was played on two fields, with day one devoted to round robin play and the results used to determine seeding for the single-elimination bracket on day two. The Western Cup was the largest Quidditch tournament west of the Mississippi, and although the Western Region gets much less press than the Northeast or South, it is definitely the next up-and-coming region. Every team played at a very high level with an emphasis on strategy, passing and Beater work over brute force and excessive tackling.

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W E S T E R N C UP RE PO RT

Brooms up for Western Cup champions Arizona State University. || R ­ ob Ciano

The Monthly Seer • April 2011

22

THE ROAD TO T HE CU P The opening ceremony consisted of each team running a victory relay lap, carrying a lumos-lit wand. Then teams gathered around the trophy, an aluminum foil and wine bottle creation topped with a pewter Quidditch-playing Harry Potter figurine, as Harrison led the teams in successive cheers until the magic of the morning released a live dove into the sky, which flew triumphantly off (and safely back home to its perch).

The tournament began in earnest, with two fields of play and teams split into round robin groups for day one. The results from day one were used to seed a single-elimination bracket for Sunday.

While tournament champions ASU dominated throughout day one, several other teams set themselves apart from the competition. At the end of Saturday UCLA led with points, scoring 350 with USC in close second (340) and Cal Berkeley third (270). Although ASU was the only team to finish the tournament undefeated, they won with fewer points than some of the other teams on day one (ASU finished the day with 210 points). UCLA won all four of their games on Saturday and beat the Silicon Valley Skrewts 140-10 in game three. Similarly, USC handled San Jose 110-0 and the Silicon Valley Skrewts 130-80, though they later lost to the Utah Crimson Fliers 110-50. USC made it all the way to the finals, where they were defeated by ASU.

IT'S CHILL That's how one Berkeley player described the atmosphere of the tournament. Over the course of the weekend nearly 500 spectators took in the action, many of them families who heard about the event in the LA Times or from an early-morning radio interview with tournament director Harrison Homel. While competition on the field was fierce, off-field teams got to know each other, enjoying the fine weather and browsing the Whimsic Alley and IQA merchandise tables. The Harry Potter Alliance was also in attendance taking books for a book drive. Hagrid even made a cameo appearance.

Los Angeles is famous for its food trucks, and although Saturday's food trucks pulled out at the last second, on Sunday players were treated to a Mediterranean food truck with a line stretching over fifty feet.

“We're here to have a good time and enjoy the festivities,” said Emerson player Jared Kowalczyk. He was part of the seven-player “Emerson West” team, made up of Emerson College players doing a work-study program in LA. “Emerson East” is a three-time World Cup team that always places well. The Emerson West team had a much different attitude. “Playing with seven people is a strategy most people don’t use because it’s really bad,” said Chaser Mike Gray, “but we stuck with it.” Emerson's enthusiasm was contagious. “There was so much love between all the players,” said spectator Katie Mercurio.

TAKING IT COAST TO COAST One tactic many of the best teams used to their advantage was sending their Keepers “coast-to-coast” to act as an extra offensive player – and very often those charges ended with a goal. These Keepers, included USC’s Number Number (so called because his jersey read ##), Emerson’s Dan Hanson, and ASU’s Willie Jackson.

“Having your Keeper be an offensive presence is a huge

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advantage,” Keeper Dan “Sheggings” Hanson said. His teammate Jared Kowalczyk added, “it’s a sneak attack. Making an offensive break catches the opposing team off guard – but now teams are starting to watch out for it.” While sending Keepers so far down field can leave your hoops in danger of a fast break by the opposing team, there are ways to minimize the risk. “I felt safe going all the way up because our Beaters controlled two Bludgers almost the whole game,” Hanson said.

“I remember a time when Keepers just didn’t do that,” said Emerson Chaser Mike Gray. “You’ve gotta be aware. Is it a trend?

Definitely.”

KIDDITCH .

On Saturday and Sunday afternoon the fields were cleared and shortened for an open game of “Kidditch” for anyone “dressed like a kid – or even kids dressed like adults.” On Saturday the Bruins faced off against the House Elves, who were playing for their freedom.

Most of the spectators at the Western Cup were families, so each team had a deep bench and a better-than-usual grasp of the rules.

The star athlete of Saturday’s game was the Snitch, a boy with so much stamina that no less than a dozen different Seekers cycled through to try and catch him, including one young boy who wasn’t on either team; he’d just found a broom on the ground. Sunday’s match ended in a tie, and though a very precocious Seeker argued that the game should go into overtime, in Kidditch everyone wins.

THE VICTORS: ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY ASU is probably the only competitive Qudiditch team in the world with a perfect record: they’re three for three in intercollegiate tournaments and have an overall record of 18-0. After driving seven hours they played a more physically aggressive game than most other teams and were impossible to shut out. Team captain Alexis Bristor was presented the trophy by her younger brother as the team posed for pictures. Even with a long drive home ahead of them and, for many players, 7:30am Monday classes, “just being here and playing Quidditch was amazing,” said Beater Shay Ryan. And of course, “the feeling of winning is glorious.”

THE FUTURE OF WESTERN QUIDDITCH With the 2011 Western Cup over twice as large as the 2010 Cup and new teams forming all the time, the future of Western Quidditch looks increasingly mobile. Harrison Homel closed the tournament by pledging that the profits from the Western Cup would be used to provide a sponsorship for one Western Region team to compete in the World Cup this fall. Look out, East Coast. “What the IQA should take away from this is that the West Coast is getting better,” UCLA player Saby Milla said. “Get ready for some West Coast style.”

With or without a sponsorship, ASU, UCLA, Berkeley and others are already planning how to make the cross-country trip. To date the first and only time a West Coast team competed on the East Coast was at the 2008 World Cup, when the University of Washington placed tenth out of twelve. 2011 should be a different story.

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The Teams

UCLA USC Arizona State UC Berkeley Moorpark Silicon Valley Skrewts San Jose State San Diego State Utah Crimson Fliers Emerson West Occidental College Top left: San Jose and USC fight for possession; by Rob Ciano. Top right: homemade UCLA posters; by Katie Mercurio. Middle: "Le Bron Weasley" charges San Diego's Keeper. Bottom: the back of Moorpark College's uniforms; by Katie Mercurio.

The Monthly Seer • April 2011

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West Coast Offensive An Eastern perspective on the Western Cup

Sheggings (n.) - shorts worn over leggings.

By Dan "Sheggings" Hanson

B

efore the Western Cup, I had lost four games in my year and a half long Quidditch career at Emerson. This past weekend alone, I lost five. And I couldn’t have had a better time.

The Western Cup was different than any tournament I’d been in before. And it wasn’t just the palm trees behind us as we lined up to start games. On the field, there was the usual high level of competitive intensity, and the familiar wave of Harry Potter references from the commentators. But off the field, it felt more like one big party among friends than an elimination tournament.

Camaraderie between Quidditch teams has always been a great thing about our sport, but the Western Cup took it to the next level. The tournament’s small size—eleven teams—allowed every team could get to know each other a little bit. After a physical and exhausting 60 – 0 loss against the Utah Crimson Fliers on Saturday, it could’ve been the start of a bitter rivalry. Instead, Emerson and Utah developed an alliance of sorts, cheering wildly for each other throughout the rest of the tournament, and when we were both eliminated, we hung around and swapped stories… and Mike’s Hard Lemonade. That was the spirit of the entire tournament. Losing teams and winning teams genuinely congratulated each other on spectacular matches. I couldn’t help but be more impressed than disappointed as San Diego stopped my own team’s momentum and turned it around for a sixtypoint comeback win.

I don’t believe that there’s been a single Quidditch tournament in history with such an even level of competition. Every team had

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the feeling that they could beat any other team out there. A trophy had never been so up for grabs. In fact, out of the thirty plus games played in the tournament, only four were within 30 points before the Snitch grab. That means about 90% of games were decided in the final second, a huge increase in close games from the World Cup. There were a handful of players that made a name for themselves with their play—or rather, a name chosen by the commentators from UCLA. But those of us at the tournament won’t soon forget the dominant speed of Berkeley’s Dwyane Wade… the full-field threat that was USC’s Keeper, Number Number… the unstoppable force that was Occidental’s Tony the Tiger… ASU’s Curly and his dunk from the ground… and my very own Sheggings. And then there was one name that in two short days rose above the rest to become the most famous of the tournament. Not Alex Benepe, not Alicia Radford, not even Harrison Homel, the distinguished gentleman in charge of the tournament… but Tom. Tom, wherever you are, you’re our hero!!

Okay, enough with the inside jokes—the point is that there was a palpable Quidditch culture in Los Angeles this weekend.

Any sports fan—no matter how judgmental they are of Quidditch—would appreciate the down-to-the-wire gameplay, the dramatic and triumphant Snitch grabs, and the hair-raising goals and saves. The Western Cup was a showcase of the best parts of Quidditch: great gameplay, and the shared culture of the players, the volunteers and the fans in this new sport of ours. n

W E S T E R N C U P RE PO RT

Western Cup to World Cup

By Dan Hanson

It would be a financial miracle if all eleven of these teams made it to the World Cup, but they all deserve to be there. Here’s my opinion as a wannabe Quidditch scout—unfortunately I didn’t get to see enough of every team to put together a scouting report, but there are the teams who I played and saw who should make the trip to New York, along with their Western Cup rank, record, strengths and weaknesses:

(1)Arizona State (8 – 0)

They have: Smarts, skills, size, balance, clutch play They need: Physicality I stand by my assertion that the tournament had an even playing field, but that’s not to say that ASU didn’t dominate. They proved they know how to win, and it felt like they controlled every game.

That will go a long way against the elite World Cup teams. With playmakers worthy of tournament MVP at every position and the best demonstration of communication at the tournament, they could join the World Cup elite. I say to ASU: get ready for a more strategic beating game, but most of all, World Cup offenses and defenses are much more physical. You will be taken down with clean tackles, and don’t look for a call.

bracket after winning 60 – 10 in their first meeting. Playing the Crimson Fliers, their offense felt unstoppable and their defense felt impenetrable. This is definitely World Cup caliber team. Maybe I’m just biased because the Utah team ended up being Emerson’s biggest fans, but seriously—they held the champs scoreless until they lost by ten on the Snitch grab, and they handled second-ranked USC 110 – 50. They were a very well-balanced team with skills at every position that could make some serious national noise with a bigger bench.

Occidental College (2 – 5)

They have: Balance, playmakers They need: Consistency USC looked like a different team between the semi-final and the final. They proved they can control a game with the Quaffle and Bludgers against an excellent Berkeley team, pulling off a huge win.

They are a better team than the score showed in the final. Their offense struggled to move down the field with more than one or two players, a credit to ASU’s Beaters and defense. USC gave up possessions with long-range shots. So, to USC: don’t depend of fast breaks. You have the athleticism to beat a defense with your passing.

They have: An unstoppable chaser They need: Bludger control Maybe it was just because I was Keeper, but pretty much all of my attention was focused on the giant readheaded dude charging down the field at me, cutting and spinning through our strong defense and shooting too hard for me to have any chance of making a save.

But Occidental was definitely stronger than one player, or else they wouldn’t have scored sixty points on us. The key seems to be shutting down their offense—UCLA and ASU held Oxy scoreless.

Bludger control is even more critical against Oxy than most other teams, to stop “Tony the Tiger” and force their offense into matchups so that defense is actually possible. A Snitch-switch fooled Oxy out of a Snitch grab that would’ve eliminated eventual champ ASU. Their 2 – 5 record is completely misleading. That’s how tough this tournament was.

(4)UC Berkeley (4 – 3)

Emerson (1 – 6)

(2)USC (6 – 1)

They have: Speed, depth They need: Time Berkeley could’ve taken it all. They had the biggest bench of any team at the cup, and a quality bench at that. A big team can make a big difference in the World Cup—Berkeley has the highest ceiling of any team at the Western Cup, and I expect them to be the most improved come November. Dwyane Wade (sorry, never got your real name) would get my vote as Western Cup MVP. Cal, Berkely, Golden Bears, whatever we call you… you belong on the World Cup stage.

Utah (3 – 3)

They have: Personality, the best uniforms… oh yeah, and a great team They need: Depth, luck I was pretty surprised when Utah lost to UCLA in the elimination

They have: Experience, wisdom, legal ability to drink They need: Sobriety?

Emerson College’s Los Angeles campus had just enough players to make a team. We seven seniors thought our careers were done, and we returned to try our luck against all these fancy new Western teams. Six games and three overtimes later, we were torn to pieces... so yeah, they’re good. But now Emerson East is out to avenge us!

So let’s see some Western Cup teams matched up against our parent team in World Cup 2011!

Will one of these teams open up a can of manifest destiny on Middlebury and finally dethrone them? Not without serious practice between now and November. But every one of these teams proved to me that they could have made last fall’s World Cup 24team elimination bracket. We’ll be lucky to get a chance to see them in November if they’re lucky enough to be able to make the crosscountry haul. n

The Monthly Seer • April 2011

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TOP PICKS Kirby Cool (UCLA) Kirby Cool – his real last name – was a powerhouse Seeker and Snitch. According to the announcers he trained by chasing greased gazelles. They went on about his training regimen, which involved running from Kenya to Ethiopia at six o’clock in the morning.

But really, how does he do it? “I eat my green eggs and ham in the morning,” Kirby said in an interview from the announcer’s booth.

“It’s all about preparation. You have to be as entertaining as possible, that’s the philosophy behind it.”

Charlie Capron (USC) USC Keeper Capron was a household name by the end of the event, but he wasn't known by his name - instead the announcers and the audience worshipped him as "Number Number," AKA ##, which was emblazoned on the back of his jersey. Capron, like a strangely disproportionate number of Keepers at the Western Cup, constantly took the Quaffle coast-to-coast, but unlike the others, he did it with a near 100% success rate. Watch for this West Coaster take it coast to coast on the East Coast in New York this fall.

Willie Jackson and Alexis Bristor (ASU) "This guy is the best player in the Western Cup," remarked Emerson coach and pinch player Mike Gray, a four-year veteran of the Quidditch World Cup. He was talking about Jackson, the Keeper for ASU, and one of the main factors behind their dominance. "I like to take players to the ground," said Jackson, who uses some serious muscle mass to overpower his opponents, but he plays a very clean game. He also moves with impressive speed, building so much momentum on his coast-to-coast runs that on at least one occasion the opposing Keeper simply "chose life" and dodged out of the way.

Captain Bristor distinguished her self as a very strong player as well, putting a solid level of points on the board as Chaser and also generally leading her team to victory.

Zombie Gorilla and Christman (SVS) Christman (that is his real last name) demonstrated some son-ofgod-like abilities in his passing and moving game, scoring major points and playing good defense as Chaser for the Skrewts. Zombie Gorilla (real identity unknown) was a ferocious Keeper, dominating his side of the field and holding off many attacks.

Viet Tran and Amanda (SD) Seeker Tran distinguished himself early on in the tournament for some serious speed and Snitch grabbing ability, allowing his newly formed team to upset many larger and more experienced teams. In

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an interview he swore by his diet as the secret to success and credited his team. Seeker Amanda demonstrated some excellent passing and ball running skills that helped the Devil Snares considerably.

Lillian McCleod and Heather Ranschau (CF) The Utah Crimson fliers had such an all around powerhouse team that it is hard to distinguish just one or two players. Their Chasers and Keeper demonstrated some of the best passing in the tournament and they excelled at alley oops, dunks, and moving coast to coast - and had some powerful Seekers to boot. To top this, their beaters, McCleod and Ranschau, consistently controlled two of the three Bludgers (a sign of good Beaters and the hallmark of a good team) and used them extremely effectively to keep their opponents' points low.

Dan Hanson, Jared Kowalczyk, Mike Gray (Emerson) Western Cup attendees might not recognize Hanson's name, but they will surely recognize the name bequeathed upon him by the announcers. "Sheggings," so named for his cunning (and admittedly, actually relatively normal) technique of wearing shorts OVER his underarmor leggings. Hanson was a superb player who excelled at receiving passes close to his opponents' hoops and slamming or sometimes even spiking the Quaffle in. Gray, also known as "Batman," was the other side of the coin, moving the Quaffle well and making lobbing passes to Hanson and other teammates. Kowalczyk stood out for making some superb snatches throughout the event, and attributed his success to God and his family during an interview.

Unfortunately all of these players will be graduating this year after a four-year career on the Emerson Quidditch team.

Michael Field (Occidental) A good head taller than the rest of his team and most opposing players on the pitch, Field, or "Tony the Tiger," used his height, speed, and ball handling to dominate the, well, field, as Chaser for Occidental.

Sean Robbins and "Dwayne Wade" (UC Berkeley) Sean Robbins, AKA "Sugar Feet," "Tiny Dancer" or "The Leprechaun" made waves on the field with some seriously fast footwork that allowed him to dominate both as a Chaser and Seeker (not to mention some superb cameos as a Snitch). "Dwayne Wade" tore up the field with the Quaffle, somehow managing to smash through every defense and get the ball through the hoops in even the most challenging and seemingly impossible circumstances. His trademark was to swing the Quaffle high above everyone's head and use his long wingspan to keep it out of the defense's reach.

W E S T E R N C U P RE PO RT

Standings Team W L PT Scored PT Allowed ASU 8 0 400 100 USC 6 2 510 390 UC Berkeley 3 4 400 400 UCLA 5 2 410 150 Utah Crimson Fliers 3 3 270 160 Occidental 2 5 220 350 Emerson 1 5 300 450 San Diego 4 2 390 370 San Jose 0 6 90 430 Silicon Valley Skrewts 2 5 260 530 Moorpark College 2 1 140 130

Legend "Number Number" makes his signature coast-to-coast sweep with a Utah Chaser hard at his heels. Below: Emerson Seeker Jared Kowalczyk snatches the Snitch. || Katie Mercurio.

The Monthly Seer • April 2011

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Harrison Homel, Tom Marks, Kathryn Mudgway, Cambria Wells, Aaron Sladek, Alexis Bristor, Caroline These are the people who truly made this tournament happen.

Harrison worked tirelessly for months, always enthusiastic, always pragmatic. Tom became the hero of the weekend: a UCLA player who never was able to play in the tournament, Tom became Harrison's right-hand man, handling administrative tasks and head reffing most games, where he showed an impressive command of the rulebook down to the minutiae. Kathryn spent the entirety of the tournament in the "death zone," at the table between the two fields as an official scorekeeper and sometimes-videographer. Cambria spent countless hours planning the event beforehand and was a knowledgeable and strict head referee. Aaron Sladek spent the whole weekend manning the IQA merchandise booth, leaving Alex and I free to wrangle with the webcast, keep score, and announce. Alexis Bristor of ASU helped with tournament planning and Caroline from UC Berkeley reffed most matches she wasn't playing in. n

Thank you!

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W E S T E R N C U P RE PO RT

Clockwise from left: Harrison Homel. Occidental versus Cal Berkeley. Tom Marks, the hero of the tournament, held up by Emerson. Zombie Gorilla of the Silicon Valley Skrewts shuts down San Jose. || Rob Ciano.

The Monthly Seer • April 2011

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Upcoming Regionals APRIL 9, 2011

Texas Tech Classic Texas Tech University will host the IQA Southwest Regionals. Competing teams are Texas Tech University, Texas A&M University, Hendrix College, and the University of Texas. The tournament will be swiss-style round robin with the scores used to determine seeding for a final single-elimination bracket during the second half of the day. Highlights of the event include free sandwiches for athletes and a real sports scoreboard.

MAY 1, 2011

Empire Classic The IQA Northeast Regionals are being hosted by Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, on Long Island. Confirmed teams so far include the Hofstra Flying Dutchmen, NYU Hipster Horcruxes, Stony Brook Bolts, Amherst HS Animagi, Lenox Memorial HS, Swarthmore College, and the Ursuline Flying Koalas. Any other northeastern teams who wish to register should follow the registration link at http://www.internationalquidditch.org/ northeasternregionals.html. Food is available on campus and overnight accommodations including camping are available.

Midwest Cup - Oct. 8-9, Hamilton County, IN Canadian Cup - Oct 22, McGill University, Montreal QC 31

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T E AM S P OT L IGHT S

Team Spotlights Canadian-style Quidditch takes off at Acadia University

By Andrea Hill

Acadia University students gathered on a snowy March afternoon to play the university’s first Quidditch match. || ­Provided

Q

uidditch has taken off in Wolfville, NS. On March 6, two Acadia University teams and a smattering of enthusiastic fans gathered for the university’s first Quidditch pick-up game.

Organizer Patrick Englehardt said the event was thoroughly enjoyed by all who gathered on the snowy pitch to be part of the action.

“It was great seeing all the smiles and everybody having a good time,” Englehardt said. “All in all it was a great day.”

Players raced across the field on dollarstore brooms, throwing the Quaffle through distinctly Canadian-style goal hoops.

Englehardt created these himself by securing cheap hula hoops to cross country skis, ski poles, a hockey stick and a lacrosse stick.

The two teams, dubbed Gryffindor and Slytherin, faced off in three matches.

The Gryffindors were victorious, winning all three matches with scores of 50-20, 80-10 and 60-0. Englehardt was Gryffindor’s top scorer with 60 points to his name.

It was the first time most players had ever mounted a broom but Englehardt said players caught on to the rules quickly. Snitch runner Connor Price was also fast to adapt to his role and, like all good Snitch runners, kept audience members in stitches.

He spent much of his time hiding behind snow banks, sauntering around the university’s residence buildings and making snow angels just out of reach of the Seekers.

“It was a surprisingly entertaining position,” Price said of his first snitching experience. “I

had a great time.”

Englehardt said he thinks the March game has generated enough interest in the sport for the university to form a regularly practicing team. Students have already expressed interest in playing a second game before the end of the school year.

“Everyone, when I told them about the event, they kind of snickered and laughed at me. But after people started playing it they really got into it,” he said.

The success of the first match was a dream come true for Englehardt. He has wanted to play Quidditch since learning about the muggle sport two years ago.

Englehardt said he hopes a team will travel to Montreal, Que. this fall the first Canadian Cup. n

The Monthly Seer • April 2011

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TE AM SPOTLIGH T S

Kiwis form national Quidditch league

By Andrea Hill

N

ew Zealand Quidditch has moved online.

The launch of a New Zealand Quidditch website this spring is giving team captains an opportunity to communicate with other teams and arrange matches.

Hugo Will, the New Zealand student who is overseeing the country’s Quidditch activities, said the website is the first step towards building a national league.

“It will be a central hub for Quidditch,” Will said. “In the past we’ve just used Facebook and that hasn’t given us the manipulability that we need.”

Will is a first-year student at Victoria University of Wellington. Last year he established a high school Quidditch league in Auckland but said this was not as successful as he hoped it would be.

Initially, 30 teams expressed interest in competing. Far fewer were able to commit to playing in the league.

On organized game weekends, only eight teams showed up regularly and half of these would show up with too few players. Even Will’s own school, Kristin High School, could not produce a full team.

The teams that did manage to form would meet on weekends to compete in scrimmages overseen by Will.

“We wanted something a bit more serious but it just wasn’t achievable with the lack of commitment we had,” Will said.

Now a university student, Will hopes to create and run a countrywide league.

He said he thinks a league of university teams is more realistic that one of high school teams because university students have more time than younger students.

The problem with a league of university teams lies in numbers: there are only eight major universities in the country. But Will said he is optimistic that up to 30 teams will register to compete this year. Though the league will

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High school students played Quidditch in Auckland, New Zealand last year. || ­Provided

target university teams, age-appropriate community teams and teams of high school seniors will also be invited to play.

Will aims to split New Zealand into three regions: upper North Island, lower North Island and South Island. Will is overseeing the lower North Island and one of his friends is taking charge of the upper North Island. There is nobody in place yet to manage Quidditch in South Island.

Will said he would like teams to compete against other teams in their region in set matches throughout the year. Directors will arrange matches and provide equipment so players will only need to worry about showing up.

The Quidditch season would wrap up in July with a national tournament.

Ideally, the winner of this tournament would represent the country in the 2011 Quidditch World Cup. Sending a team to the United States to play would not only be expensive, but would require careful scheduling.

The New Zealand school year works differently than what is found in America.

Will began his classes at the beginning of

April 2011 • The Monthly Seer

March. His classes end in October and his exams run until mid-November. Some schools in Christchurch that had the school year disrupted because of the city’s earthquakes will end even later. Because the World Cup is scheduled to be held the weekend of Nov. 12-13, students with late exams will not be able to attend.

But Will remains optimistic.

“I think you’ll be seeing New Zealand at the Quidditch World Cup,” Will said.

“It’s definitely my goal for this year.”

Will said having a team travel to the United States would be an important milestone not just for New Zealand Quidditch but for Quidditch as a whole.

“We’re on the other side of the Pacific Ocean,” Will said. “I think just having a team from Oceania in America would just emphasize the international status of the sport.” n

Join the movement Visit www.quidditch.co.nz to register a team in New Zealand.

T E AM S P OT L IGHT S

Quidditch thrives at Emerson

T

he Emerson College Quidditch League has finally become too large for the university’s athletics department to support it.

“It’s really grown,” said Emerson Quidditch Commissioner Emma Krause.

“We’ve got an organized sports league going on here every weekend.”

The growth of the league, though exciting, poses some challenges to the 19-member executive team that organizes it. With the athletics department revoking funding by the end of the semester, the league needs to apply for recognition from the student government association in the fall.

But Krause said she is not concerned and hopes the league will continue to grow. The team has money saved away from team fees and fundraisers and does not rely on the college for financial support.

Quidditch at the Boston school started in spring of 2008 when a residence student organized a fun game amongst his floor mates. The student, Jared Kowalczyk, now serves as the International Quidditch Association’s Gameplay Director.

The team was registered with the college’s athletics department the following fall. That year, over 50 students signed up to play Quidditch.

To accommodate the huge number of interested players, Emerson began a house league. Initially, four teams competed against each other throughout the fall and spring seasons. But this year there were more than 160 athletes who wanted to play and another team was formed.

The five teams meet on Boston Common every Sunday. Four teams face off with the fifth team providing referees and Snitches.

Teams are chosen each fall by a draft process. All students who want to play are put on a team. Besides competing

By Andrea Hill

The Emerson Quidditch League continues to grow every year. || ­Provided

on weekends, team members also meet during the week to practice. Teams typically consist of 20 to 30 players but attendance at each game and practice varies. Team captains often organize bonding activities and most team members become close friends.

“You become a little family,” said Lauren Milazzo, co-captain of one of the house league teams.

A World Cup team is chosen by the end of September after two rounds of tryouts. The team represents the college not only at the Quidditch World Cup but also at other tournaments and exhibition games. This team has had a history of placing well at the World Cup and finished fifth at the 2010 World Cup. “We’ve always had a really good group of athletes to represent us,” Milazzo said.

“I am very proud to say I’m a member of Emerson College Quidditch because of the success we have.”

Besides offering students a unique athletics experience, Krause said involvement with the Emerson

Quidditch league can help students develop leadership skills.

The 19 members of the executive team include house team captains, a treasurer, an equipment manager and heads of photography and video.

Krause, who served as marketing director before taking on the role of commissioner, said her involvement with the league has been an “amazingly great” leadership experience.

“I don’t think that many 20-year old people can say they’ve managed a 160-member organization,” Krause said.

“I feel like between managing this and managing our budget I feel like I could run a non-profit.”

Though Krause was appointed to her position of commissioner based on her dedication to the league, the league has since changed the way it selects administrative positions. Because of the huge pool of students involved, league executive members wrote a constitution this year that states positions are to be elected. The first elections will be held this spring. n

The Monthly Seer • April 2011

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OFF THE PITC H

Off the Pitch

Structures of successful clubs

By Abbie Rickard

"Being in a leadership position in a club like Quidditch, which (at a university as large as UMass), is incredibly challenging. We attract members of the school from all disciplines, and they all want something a little different from the club. Members need to juggle the priorities of classes and the sport. Being in a leadership role means one needs to be mindful of all these desires. At the same time, it is incredibly rewarding. Leadership is integral to the success of Quidditch, so more than leading the team it is important to inspire other members to take leadership roles as well."

— UMass Amherst President

M

uggle Quidditch was created just six years ago, with new teams popping up on college campuses, in high schools, and in communities all the time. Due to its relative newness and growing popularity, Quidditch has undergone massive growth and change since its inception at Middlebury College. The most obvious concerns are about the rules and gameplay, but for growing organizations, the administrative side of Quidditch has become more important to keeping their players on the pitch.

A good leader is invaluable, but the structure of the organization can sometimes be just as important. I sent out questionnaires to Quidditch organizations across the country to see how they run their clubs, how they elect their leaders, and to ask what it’s like to run a Quidditch club. I heard back from fourteen teams from various parts of the country—from the East Coast to the Midwest to the Southwest, and even Canada—whose teams ranged from just a few months old to three-year-old veterans. Most of them were university-based organizations, serving primarily undergrad students, but I also heard from a regional group who oversees play for all teams in the state of Utah, and another group representing a consortium of schools. Two schools boasted memberships of over one hundred active members,

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April 2011 • The Monthly Seer

while many others listed their membership between ten and fifty.

Because Quidditch isn’t a traditional “sport,” it is sometimes difficult to know where the club falls in the structure of a college or university. Emerson College, with around 160 active members, started off as a club sport within the athletics department, but has since become an independent organization and will apply for recognition from the student government organization next semester. Tufts University’s Quidditch team, with about 30 to 50 members, is a subset of the Harry Potter society, but hopes to establish themselves as an independent group. The Quidditch league from the University of Minnesota is a registered student organization, but legally they are considered a separate entity from the university and therefore cannot call themselves the “University of Minnesota Quidditch League.” The other leagues were student organizations, with many hoping to become club sports in the coming semesters. The choice to operate within an athletic department, student government organization, or independently is largely impacted by the nature of the club; purely athletic Quidditch clubs could run perfectly as a club sport, but if the club has fundraisers or hosts Harry Potter events, the athletic department might not be the best fit.

The young life of Muggle Quidditch, constantly expanding and

O F F T HE PIT C H

Quidditch club size

evolving, adds an ambiguity to those trying to form and run their own leagues. It is mostly an athletic organization, but certainly not in the traditional sense. It is also partially a fan club, and sometimes even a charity group. Additionally, because they are student-run groups or independent entities, the founders and members have to create their own administrative structures. This can be an overwhelming task because there is no model to go by, but at the same time, each group gets to decide what is the best way to govern their league based on their membership and needs. Every club except one had a student leader who acted as president, commissioner, captain, or some combination of the three. Most also had active constitutions with varying degrees of specificity. Some outlined in detail the mission of the club, the roles of all leaders, voting procedures, membership eligibility, and their role within the college or university (if applicable). Others merely stated their intent to play Quidditch within IQA guidelines, to demonstrate sportsmanship, and to have fun. Student government-affiliated clubs often had constitutions merely because it was required of them to become recognized.

The stark differences between the clubs who responded to my survey came down to their executive boards. McGill University took a more Rowling-esque twist with their eboard, with such titles as Chief Warlock (President), Gringotts Goblin (Treasurer), Sorcerer of Strategy and Performance (Coach), Quick Quiller (Secretary), Vice Warlock (Internal/External Affairs), and VP Qudicest and Corruption (an honorary title). Smaller and newer clubs have president/captains and a few volunteers, while larger and more established clubs have divisions between administration, usually consisting of a president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, and PR team; and field play, with the team coaches/captains, equipment managers, and referees. Emerson College even has a third branch specifically for media development. The other difference was whether the league had a single team representing the school or if there were also intramural teams within the school, each team with its own captains.

Once leadership positions have been established, the next step is to decide how new leaders will be elected. Seasoned teams

with constitutions hold elections at the end of each year—some for all positions available, some for only open positions. In newer organizations, however, the leader would appoint dedicated and interested members to positions of leadership due to a lack of widespread interest or a lack of applicants. Logan Anbinder of University of Maryland Quidditch said, “When our founder and then-President left the University, I became president mostly by default, as I was the only one at that time who’d expressed interest in the position. Since our team has grown greatly since then, we plan to have a competitive election for most of the board positions this spring. I think this is really exciting, because it’s the first time that our new members, especially this year’s freshmen, will be able to have the opportunity to lead the team.”

The transition of power can be an important stage in any organization, but for a group as unique as a Quidditch league, it is important that the leadership stay consistent and strong to perpetuate its existence. Emily Knight of the San Jose State Owls said, “I’ll be studying abroad next year…and I’ve been very anxious about the club continuing. I’ve been teaching all the officers how to do the things that are out of their job descriptions...It seems to be going really well; I’m pretty confident for our future.”

Whether your club is brand new or has been around since World Cup #1, if you have two hundred members or just enough to field a team, the most important part of running a Quidditch club is to be organized and have a plan for new leaders, so cries of “Brooms up!” will still be shouted on your campus long after you’re gone.

A special thanks to the leaders of Emerson College Quidditch, University of Maryland Quidditch, Tufts University Quidditch, McGill University Quidditch, Texas Tech Quidditch, Quidditch at Georgia Tech, Michigan Quidditch Team, Michigan State Quidditch, Utah Quidditch, University of Minnesota Quidditch League, UMass Quidditch, Theological Union Quidditch league, Carleton University Quidditch, San Jose State Owls, and Illinois State Quidditch for participating in this survey, and best of luck to all of you in your coming seasons. n

The Monthly Seer • April 2011

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OFF THE PITC H

How to Succeed in Business

By Zara Fishkin

I

t’s a common misconception that

Quidditch is all fun and games. Entertainment and enjoyment are no doubt dominant forces behind the activity, but Quidditch should also be regarded as an investment—an investment in future professional success. I am in no way suggesting that a person should pick up a broom solely motivated by the prospects of one day earning enough to qualify for tax breaks.

I’m just saying it’s something to consider. Be ashamed of your sport no longer, brave soldiers. It is now a topic of polite conversation at the boardroom table.

It would be imprudent to discuss the professional benefits of featuring Quidditch on your resume without first identifying the many merits of playing the sport purely for the honing of seeker-like business reflexes. As with any sports team, being able to carry out plays, communicate effectively with your teammates, and make split second decisions in high-pressure situations are skills that will help you get ahead and stay ahead. Alicia Radford, Editor in Chief of this fine publication, stressed that even if you are not an IQA volunteer, simply having a leadership position on your school team gives you “real world experience” that will foster leadership skills, cooperation, and strategic thinking.

Radford owes a lot to her work with the IQA. When she first put Quidditch on her resume, she was afraid that employers wouldn’t take her seriously. In reality, there was nothing to fear. Quidditch helped her get one of her first internships, which lead to another internship, which lead to her current job. If we were to apply the transitive property, Quidditch got Radford her job. We all know that the job market is changing, not always for the better, but the reputation of our sport is changing as well. As we have gotten more

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April 2011 • The Monthly Seer

media attention, due largely to the World Cup’s New York debut, more people will come to recognize the enormous amount of work and preparation that so many young adults pour into this sport and organization. “The work you do is legitimate,” Radford says.

Employers and students aren’t the only ones who have taken notice of Quidditch and its great potential for ushering in success.

Mary Federico of Tufts’ Career Services Department assists students every day, editing resumes, preparing them for interviews, and giving them the confidence they need to tackle the job search. When asked about her stance on Quidditch, she said, “We want things on our resume that make us feel good about ourselves.” She further explained that if you feel embarrassed or uncomfortable explaining your experiences with the sport in a serious setting, there’s no way it will help you. If, on the other hand, you are ready to launch into a ten-minute rant extolling the glory that is your sport, you are in the clear. Employers can tell when you are truly invested in something.

Federico advises to fully describe the role you had. “The Quidditch piece is simply a vehicle,” she said. The nontraditional nature of your experience does not mean that those experiences were any less important to your professional development.

And so, we have arrived. Baby boomers are retiring and the good men and women of the Quidditch community are here to take their places. We will graduate, say goodbye to our teammates, cry ourselves to sleep, get a job, and start an intramural team like our dads who play old man softball at the park on Fridays. Don’t be afraid to talk about Quidditch in interviews, put in on your resume, or discuss it in your cover letter. For you are a Quidditch player; you have no fear. Your future doesn’t need to be a rat race when you are flying over the competition. n

O F F T HE PIT C H

The kids are all right

Youth empowerment in the IA

W

By Laurie Beckoff

orking with the IQA is

not the first volunteer experience I’ve had.

It’s not the first time I’ve tried to get involved with an organization, event, or project. But it is without a doubt the most responsibility I’ve been given. When a teenager walks into a room full of adults, she’s often given busywork. It’s not out of disrespect or lack of trust—it’s just that she’s a kid and they’re adults. She’s in high school; they’ve been out of college for years with advanced degrees. They have training and experience, and no amount of passion, talent, or enthusiasm can be utilized in the same way. The teen doesn’t have to worry about screwing up because she’s given jobs that aren’t particularly important.

It’s not that I expected to be dismissed and ignored upon volunteering with the IQA, not at all. I just thought I’d be given a task that wasn’t too critical and sent on my merry way to do it. (Let it be noted that I don’t like easy tasks, especially when it comes to something in which I consider myself to be an expert, i.e.

Harry Potter, but that’s what I expected.) Even though the board of directors are fairly young themselves, they’re all at least in college, while I’m a high school junior, so I wasn’t preparing to get an assignment that would matter much.

I sincerely apologize for thinking that anyone in the IQA would judge someone based on age. As soon as I walked into that first volunteer meeting at Central Park, Alex Benepe and Max Kaplan were telling us about everything in the works for the upcoming World Cup and asking for volunteers to do anything and everything, from social media to fundraising to filming a promotional video.

Over the course of the next two months, not only was I allowed to do things, but I was also asked to help out. And it felt good. I was scouring the Internet for information, contributing to spreadsheets, and making calls. Along with other young volunteers, I was asked to research t-shirt packaging and shipping, printing brochures, and renting audio equipment; to contact schools to tell them about the World Cup, give them our press release, and record their information in a group-organized spreadsheet; and to ask sponsors for in-kind donations, all while writing articles for the website and Monthly Seer that ranged from my own ideas for editorials to assigned interviews with captains.

A week before the World Cup, I received an email from Alicia Radford asking my friend Rebecca Seidel (a high school senior) and me to serve as official IQA World Cup reporters. After a short bout of excited squealing over the phone, we both accepted the offer and wondered, “Why us?” We couldn’t believe we were being trusted

with this, and that Alicia had approached who we were pretty sure were the youngest members of the editorial staff. We were given press passes, Rebecca had her handy tape recorder, I had my notebook and prewritten questions, and we were running around all weekend, recording notable moments, interviewing players and fans, and competing for who had gotten the best information, all with a newfound sense of independence and responsibility.

Around the world, students are developing valuable skills and gaining experience and confidence because of the IQA. Those with no athletic experience, no knowledge of Harry Potter, and/ or no extracurricular activities can be found on Quidditch teams.

At a Quidditch practice at Ithaca College, one mother commented that she had never seen her daughter run before, but there she was, doing extra laps for her warm-up as a Seeker. People who didn’t consider themselves the type to start a club or team may suddenly decide to take on a leadership role for Quidditch. Youth who are less athletically inclined still organize and fundraise, even if they’ve never been particularly involved in a club.

“Age is not a measure of the amount of magic we can perform.”

The IQA encourages young people to defy the status quo. It doesn’t matter what their other interests are or to which clique they seem to belong; Quidditch is for anyone and everyone, and the IQA provides a place for all different sorts of kids to come together and have a good time. There are no outcasts and no one is insignificant.

The IQA encourages youth to become not only physically active, but socially active as well. Teams often do outreach projects, from teaching Quidditch to younger children to collecting canned food donations. Through the IQA’s connection with the HP Alliance and Book Aid International, adolescents and young adults learn about and show their support for human rights initiatives and literacy.

The nature of the youth empowerment of the IQA may lie in the origins of the organization itself. Since the creators of Quidditch were only college students, they realize the impact that age group can have. Even as the board of directors grow up and graduate college, they remember their roots as founders, captains, and players, and even extend the opportunities to younger students. All of the instances of Quidditch teams formed and run by high school and college students inspire us and remind us that age is not a measure of the amount of magic we can perform. n

The Monthly Seer • April 2011

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LI F ESTYLES

Lifestyles Quidditch Down Under

Pick-up Quidditch in Australia: fit for th whole family. || Provided

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April 2011 • The Monthly Seer

L I FE S T Y L E S

W W ❧ Molly St. Clair is a former captain of Vassar College’s Butterbeer Broooers Quidditch team.

She is currently studying abroad in Australia and despite being thousands of miles from her teammates she still found a way to play Quidditch.

hen asked to write a short letter to my then unknown homestay family about my community, school, interests, friends, and family, I of course chose to include a description of Vassar College's Butterbeer Broooers, as they are an important part of each of these. While the concept of Quidditch is certainly an intriguing one to even the most skeptical of muggles, I was lucky enough to be welcomed into a host family more than ready to embrace both myself and my off-beat sport with open arms. Liz, a life-long Rabbit-O's fan, took it upon herself to teach me the rules of every Australian sport throughout my two-week stay in Lismore. Sam is a member of the Lismore Roller Derby team and therefore related easily to the idea of participating in a relatively unfamiliar sport (after I tried derby practice one day, we hypothesized on the possibility of a derby-Quidditch hybrid).

I was terrified to meet my home-stay parents. When the 22 of us (20 girls, two boys) arrived on a bus at Heritage Park in Lismore, we knew nothing about the people with whom we would be living with for the next fortnight. We were like lost puffskeins wandering around until our newfound parents scooped us out of the unknown. Mine did so almost immediately, and at last my nerves were calmed - they were funny, friendly, and decidedly un-awkward people. Within minutes of meeting me, Sam brought up Quidditch. I gave her a brief run-down of the rules before she was pulling me over to the home-stay coordinator.

"We have to play Quidditch at our home-stay family picnic this weekend," Sam insisted. Our coordinator whipped out a piece of paper for a list - one soccer ball, three dodgeballs, six hula-hoops, brooms, wizard garb optional - and the date was set.

The fact that our Aussie Quidditch match actually took place was somewhat, well, magical. Our picnic day was rainy and despite the careful planning that had taken place the week before, we arrived at the dam with only a soccer ball and two volleyballs. Luckily, as a member of the previously un-funded Broooers, I was used to improvising equipment. After the rain died down, we rallied the troops. Families had done their best to bring along "brooms" (some rode mops, and a friend of mine proudly mounted a large palm branch), and some had gone all-out with the wizard garb, going as far as to sew superb capes. I went over the rules, and our first snitch volunteered - a younger home-stay brother. Two trees were to act as the goals, the smallest children were eager to seek, and teams (Ravenclaw vs. Hufflepuff) consisted of 10 or so players beating, chasing, or keeping as they wished. Rules were flexible, competitiveness was optional, and smiles were required. We played five or six games between five minutes (the time taken to catch our youngest snitch who was seven years old) and 25 minutes (the time it took to snatch Erica, the cross-country runner Snitch from Washington University).

Sweat was shed, a few bruises were formed, but blood and tears were absent from the whole afternoon. It was great, creative, international fun, and I wouldn't be surprised if a few college and community Quidditch teams start popping up around Lismore. And who knows - maybe someday derby-Quidditch will be the next big thing. n

By Molly St. Clair

The Monthly Seer • April 2011

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LI F ESTYLES

The man behind the magic Xander Manshel

T

By Andrea Hill

he concept of Muggle Quidditch – like many great ideas – was born from a lunchtime conversation. At least that’s how former Middlebury college student Xander Manshel describes it.

“It came out of a desire to play and an equal desire to be imaginative,” Manshel recalled. “More than anything it was about that good-natured fun of play and imagination.”

Manshel, now an English teacher at Phillips Andover Academy in Andover, MA, was the one to develop the game of Muggle Quidditch recognized by the International Quidditch Association.

The sport was born one fall afternoon in 2005 when Manshel began speculating ways to adapt J.K. Rowling’s magical sport.

Contrary to what some people might think about the creator of the game, he was not a Harry Potter fanatic. He was just a student trying to find something he and his friends could do on their Sunday afternoons. Now the game is played by thousands of people around the world and interest in the sport grows every day.

“It’s not surprising that something so good-natured and so imaginative and so physically challenging and playful would be so popular,” Manshel said. “However, I couldn’t have possibly imagined that it would be as popular as it is now or as widespread as it is now.”

Manshel describes the first Quidditch match he refereed as a scrappy affair. He and his friends encouraged a handful of students from residence to come out to play. Many players borrowed brooms from custodians. One brought a lamp. Though that match was a farthrow from the polished and well-organized games that are played today, Manshel said players still enjoyed themselves.

“They were thrilled,” Manshel said. “It was fun to play as part of the books that we had loved, but it was fun as a game itself.”

Adaptations of Quidditch have been around ever since the publication of the Harry Potter books in the 1990s, but none have become as widespread as that devised by Manshel. Manshel said he thinks this is because of his interpretation of the Snitch.

In the Harry Potter books, the Snitch is a small golden ball that’s difficult to see and even harder to catch. Some non-magical interpretations of the game substitute bouncy balls or hidden objects for the Snitch. But Manshel decided the only way to recreate the

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April 2011 • The Monthly Seer

Manshel (right) announces at the 2008 World Cup. || Stephen Mease

chaos caused by the Snitch was to have the ball portrayed by a fast and sassy runner.

“There’s an element of theatre in the Snitch,” Manshel said.

“There’s this moment in the height of the game when the Snitch returns to the field. It’s a very theatrical moment and you find players are almost trying to maintain focus on what they were doing before.”

LIFE S T Y L E S

Throughout the fall of 2005, Middlebury students gathered each Sunday to play Quidditch. Before the snow flew, eight intramural teams from the college formed and competed in the first Quidditch World Cup. Quidditch had become a part of Middlebury’s campus culture. But though Manshel had started the craze, he was too busy with writing and improvisational theatre to continue organizing the sport. After one successful year of overseeing Quidditch at Middlebury, Manshel passed the torch to his friend Alex Benepe. Benepe now serves as CEO, Commissioner and President of the IQA. Manshel may no longer be heading the sport, but tries to stay as involved as he can. He became a member of the board when the IQA was recognized as an official non-profit and has served as an

announcer at previous World Cups.

“I just couldn’t be more thrilled with the way that Quidditch as a game and the IQA as an organization are growing each and every year,” Manshel said.

Manshel said he is especially pleased with the way the IQA has begun working to aid childhood literacy and fight childhood obesity.

Manshel will be teaching English in Hong Kong next year. Though he will be far from the birthplace of Quidditch, he said he will maintain a connection with the sport.

“There’s something about it that really excites me even to this day,” said Manshel about Quidditch. “Even if I may not take the field as a player or a referee, the idea is of a game that is very good-natured that kind of brings out this wonderful childlessness in all of us.” n

One of the first Quidditch practices. This picture has gone down in the annals of Quidditch history as "the kid who brought the broom." || Provided

The Monthly Seer • April 2011

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LI F E STYLE S

Why I Love

Quidditch

By Laurie Rabin

W

hy do I love Quidditch? I’ve never been an athlete.

NEVER. Okay, that’s not true. I played softball in fourth grade because my parents wanted me to (they’re not mean people! Really! They were just trying to broaden my horizons!).

I was terrible. TERRIBLE. I never hit the ball.

Okay, that’s not true either.

I did once. ONCE. And everyone—parents, teammates, the opposing team—cheered.

That’s how bad I was.

Then, one summer day in 2009, while searching for information about the International Quilt Association, I happened upon the IQA—Quidditch for Muggles. I quickly Facebook messaged the other Harry Potter fan I had briefly met at a pre-college Tufts meet-up, and brooms were up on my quest for Quidditch!

I love Quidditch because from the very first practice, I was able to run around on a broom wearing a cape, and do so proudly.

I love Quidditch because it means that I have friends who will—and equally importantly, have the psychical ability to— beat somebody up if they tried to hurt me.

I love Quidditch because it means I can call myself an athlete.

I love Quidditch because no matter how much we get thrown down—by the administration, by the public, by each other in vicious World Cup matches—we always get back up, and always with the help of our

43

teammates.

I love Quidditch because it makes my parents proud to brag that their daughter is on a world-ranked team.

I love Quidditch because it unites people—that Harry Potter fan I Facebook messaged in 2009 is on the Tufts Team, and, not to mention, my best friend.

I love Quidditch because I get to wear cleats. And a mouth guard!

I love Quidditch because at a Tufts/BU Quidditch frat-style party, we had HP1 on in the background (and we all put down our butterbeers to watch Harry Potter cough a Snitch up after catching it in his mouth).

April 2011 • The Monthly Seer

I love Quidditch because my team truly believes cuddling=practice.

I love Quidditch because the brooms don’t fly and the trophy is plastic but the spirit is real.

And, most importantly, I love Quidditch because in the end, we are always playing for Quidditch. Not for ourselves. Not for our team. Not for our school. In the end, we are always playing for all of us—all Quidditch players, all Harry Potter fans, and all the kids who only hit the softball once. Because in Quidditch, whether you hit that ball or not, we are all—your parents, your teammates, your opposing team—cheering you on. n

LIFE S T Y L E S

The Quidditch Comic

By Leah Vogel

}

Why do you love Quidditch?

Why do you love Quidditch? Is it because you finally get to play the game from your favorite book? Is it because of the victory that you share with your fellow teammates after the fight is over? Or is it the journey that you took to get where you are today? Whatever the reason, we at the Monthly Seer would like to hear about it. The Seer will feature one story each month about why you (the athlete or fan) love Quidditch. Entries should be at most one page single spaced. If you’re interested, please send your entry to kathryn. mudgway@internationalquidditch.org.

The Monthly Seer • April 2011

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LI F ESTYLES ASU parents at the Western Cup. || Katie Mercurio

How to tell your parents you play Quidditch

By Katie Stack

T

he mention of Muggle Quidditch, growing as it is in the American collegiate and even international sphere, is often greeted with snorts of derision and outright incredulity, followed by rude comments and not-so-funny (okay, at times admittedly a bit funny) jokes. Our response, as players, can vary depending on the level of commitment and pride we have in our game. The more timid of players will chuckle nervously, run their hands uncomfortably through their hair and change the subject. The confident yet less devoted of us will laugh wholeheartedly, appreciate the truth behind the biting remark, and add a dig of our own. Those among our ranks who believe heart and soul in the unseen magic of Muggle Quidditch will take the joke as an invitation to preach the values of encouraging levity in a stressful college environment; of gender respect and equality founded on the co-ed playing field; and on and on until the listener learns never to poke fun at the no-longer fictional sport because a weird girl with frizzy hair at the bar will stand too close to his face and gesture violently and almost dangerously with her hands while she spouts some nonsense about beating people and seeking gold and how far apart she places her hoola hoops. Individual strategies to pick up men aside, we have all at some point or another had to break the news to our parents: we play Quidditch. For those of you who have yet to ‘come out of the broom closet, so to speak, I’ve developed a sure-fire method of slowly accustoming family members to this strange and at times embarrassing new sport. After all, if you’re disowned, who’ll

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April 2011 • The Monthly Seer

pay for that new Sienna Storm you’ve had your eye on?

Most importantly, make sure your parents know what Quidditch is. Accomplish this by introducing them to the Harry Potter books or movies, preferably both. Having achieved this first step, try to downplay the fictional aspect of the sport as much as possible, including any association it might have with witches, magic powers and evil dark lords who live in the back of your skull.

The next step is quite simple: familiarize your family with the non-magical equipment. Start off slowly by offering to do any and all chores involving brooms or mops (heck, it couldn’t hurt to throw the vacuum in there, too). Your parents will soon find the sight of you with a broom of any type completely natural and in time, they will expect it. (NOTE: a side effect of this step could be the assumption that you have volunteered to indefinitely keep the house free of dirt and dust… an unfortunate yet necessary consequence.)

As your newfound helpful attitude continues, make your family aware of the beauty that the color yellow and its more expensive counterpart, gold, bring to this world. Point out the daffodils in the front garden; the fleeting glimpse of the stoplight before it turns red; the delicious gooey center of an egg, fried sunny-side-up; the sun (although depending on the weather and type of eye protection available you may want to forego this last one). Demonstrate how lacking your life would be, how destitute THEIR lives would be, without these yellow Snitches- ahem, RICHES. Deck yourself in gold jewelry and generously gift some to your parents. Soon your hunger

L IFE S T Y L E S

Will your parents love Quidditch as much as these ASU parents? for gold, your desperate need to be the first to spot that yellow and chase it down, will be contagious.

At this point, start planning family hula hoop competitions and neighborhood dodge ball games so that your parents won’t think it’s odd to see spare Quidditch equipment lying around. It would also be appropriate to subtly place elliptical-shaped items around your home: artwork, pottery, anything that fits in and yet brings to mind that elliptical shape of our beloved pitch. I haven’t studied much psychology, but I’m pretty sure that when they see their first game and set eyes on that unknown but familiar ellipse, they’ll begin to feel the comforts of home without realizing why.

Meanwhile, you should talk up your teammates. That hottie Keeper with unbelievably large forearms? The blonde Chaser whose tattoo peeks above her pants as she scoops up the Quaffle? (Is it your imagination, or does her tat read “I solemnly swear I am up to no good”?) That last detail you might want to leave out in the description you give your folks, but you do want to give them the important facts. How good-looking your crush is, how physically fit, how wealthy, how smart yet sensitive, how outgoing but kind, how he spends his Friday nights drinking milk and making care packages for soldiers - you know, all the things that parents look for in a potential spouse for their child. You may think that you’re too young for these thoughts, but believe me, your parents don’t. They might not let on, but they’re thinking about it. They want you out of the house and taken care of. The more quickly you reveal to them that the Quidditch team might be your key to finally getting the first kiss you’ve been dreaming about and that it’s only a matter of time before a 10 minute make-out session while searching for that stray Bludger transforms almost magically into a gold ring (see how it’s all coming

together here?), they’ll be on board.

Now, ideally you’ll coincide your coming-out process with the Winter Olympics. A close second option would be when your city’s baseball team has the opportunity for a sweep. For those non-baseball fans out there (you obviously don’t live in Boston), a sweep is when a team wins all three games in a series. If your home team has won their first two games, it’s time to round up tickets for your family, brooms in hand, in order to show your confidence in the team’s ability to finish that sweep. The ideal situation, however, would be to watch a few of the Winter Olympics’ curling matches.

For those non-curling fans out there (you obviously don’t live in Canada), curling is a sport involving ice and brooms - and that’s really all you need to know. Try to scrounge up some facts about celebrity appeal or pay grades within the professional curling world, if they exist. Regardless, both of these strategies will implant the idea in your parents’ heads that brooms ARE athletic and competitive, exactly like Quidditch.

Unfortunately, at some point you’ll have to just bite the bullet and tell them the good news. Come armed with some pamphlets about literacy, childhood obesity and physical activity levels, and female participation in sports (this time might be a little more appropriate for the conversation than in the midst of your next bar crawl…) After all your hard work and preparation, they’re bound to greet your new passion with acceptance and even enthusiasm. And if worse comes to worst, perform Dick van Dyke’s “Step in Time” song and dance from the Mary Poppins movie with some local chimney sweeps. Your parents will either accept Quidditch as the lesser of two evils, or decide that you are now completely off your rocker and they had better let you do what you want. n

"If you’re disowned, who’ll pay for that new Sienna Storm you’ve had your eye on?"

The Monthly Seer • April 2011

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P L AYE RS' C ORNER

Players’ Corner Enough is Enough.

When is it time to admit defeat?

By Will Hack, Coach, Beater #42, Michigan State University The Snitch races onto the pitch, Seekers hot in pursuit. I check the scoreboard: down by 40 or 50, just barely too much. I shout out to my Seeker, “Mike! Don’t catch it! Don’t catch the Snitch!” We’re in this for the long haul.

I

t was the first round of the 2010 Quidditch World Cup, and my Michigan State Spartan Spitfires were taking on Texas A&M. The Aggies had us outmatched, and they knew it. It didn’t take long for them to build a significant lead, so that catching the Snitch would have done my team no good. But down 50 or 60, I rationalized, we could still make the comeback. With the lead continuing to grow, however, as MSU’s coach I had to make the one of the most difficult decisions in Quidditch: pull a Viktor Krum, or stick it out until the bitter end.

The first part of this decision is the current margin: if you’re only down 40, keep playing! You never know when your team will pick up a goal, and then suddenly the game is in reach again. Once you’re down 70 and fading, though, it may be time to say “enough is enough.”

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April 2011 • The Monthly Seer

At this point in the game, Mike’s playing defense, physically interposing himself between the other Seeker and the Snitch.

Our Chaser, Lawrence, makes our first goal, a halfcourt shot that we are all amazed went in. Just as I imagine we’re back in it, A&M bulldozes our Keeper and erases the gain. The lead reaches 70 and 80; but I tell Mike, play on.

There are reasons to keep playing, even when your opponents have reached a seemingly insurmountable lead. If you’re having fun, why stop? But when you’re getting trounced, fun isn’t always the first word that comes to mind. When you reach the point where it feels like a grind just to get through a shift, and you can’t wait for a replacement to come in for you, it may be time to stop.

I charge down the field, Bludger in hand. As I halt, face-toface with an opposing Beater, he tells me, “You look angry.”

P L AY E R S ' C O RNE R

A Michigan State Seeker at the 2010 World Cup. || Jamie Kiernan

About to protest, I realize that I do in fact have a snarl on my face as I stare him down. “Sorry,” I apologize sincerely. “I really, really don’t like losing.”

was lost, but I didn’t want to leave New York City, leave the Quidditch World Cup, and leave one of the best experiences of my entire life.

That’s the crux of the issue. No one likes losing. But at some point, you just have to let it go. You’re not going to win every time, as I should have realized in this instance.

But I was just too stubborn to admit defeat, and I would regret that after the match.

The final score of the game was 230-40. Texas A&M finally caught the Snitch and put us out of our misery; partially as a result of this thrashing, their offensive statistics surpassed any other team at the World Cup. After the game, my players were exhausted. A few of them told me they wish we’d just caught the Snitch and I put in a more physical player to defend against the A&M ended it. Would I do the same thing if we played that Seeker, telling Mike “good job” as he left the pitch. “Whatever,” match today? Maybe. But it gave me a new perspective: he replied flippantly. The commentators had been taunting sometimes, you just have to accept defeat and live to play him for not being “man enough” to catch the Snitch, when it another day. And maybe go out for ice cream afterwards. was my responsibility and not his fault at all. I knew the game That never hurts. n

The Monthly Seer • April 2011

48

ES S AY

The future of Quidditch Written and Illustrated by Chris Kostick

S

ince its conception in 2005, the sport of Muggle Quidditch has been growing at an exponential rate. From that day, October 9, 2005 at Middlebury College in Vermont, to the first intercollegiate match between Middlebury and Vassar on November 11, 2007, through a few World Cups, an association name change, and a new website, the message of Quidditch has been spreading across America and across the world. With the sport so successful in its infancy, nature begs the question: what does the future hold for the sport of Quidditch? I have a few ideas.

Youth Quidditch It is well known to any follower of the International Quidditch Association that interest in the sport has grown tremendously in the 14 and under age group. Many inquiries have been made by those students in middle school on how to start a team. Naturally, this seems to be the next area of development for the sport: the growth of youth leagues. Getting elementary and middle school students

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playing would create an even larger pool from which to acquire players, and would lock in a positive future for Quidditch in 10+ years. Quidditch pitches would appear in many public parks and schoolyards, and seeing children running around with broomsticks between their legs would become a social norm, ever furthering the legitimacy of Quidditch in the public eye.

High School The high school level is currently the most productive when it comes to the formation of new teams and leagues, but it also demands the most development as Quidditch continues to grow.

As a co-organizer of the Central PA Open Tournament, it became apparent to me how sparse high school teams are in some areas of the US. There was one team right in our backyard, but the next closest team came from two hours away, with another driving almost four hours to get to the tournament (and win it all). In the next five years I anticipate an explosion of high school teams, so much

P L AY E R S' C O RNE R so that each school might find at least four teams to play within a 30 minute drive. This then opens up the idea of having regularly scheduled matches and regional playoff tournaments, sending the regional champion to a state tournament, and then sending the state champion to a national tournament. This is basically unprecedented in other athletic events.

Another development in high school Quidditch would be the popularity of the sport and permanent Quidditch venues on campus.

Many schools have plenty of open, unused field space, and it doesn’t take much space at all to designate a place for Quidditch, complete with bleachers and equipment shed. This would also provide a place for teams to practice without worrying about running into other sports as they practice and such. Therefore high school teams could have more space and resources to practice, hone skills, and become more competitive.

College Level As the sport is rooted in college play, the college level is at the forefront of development. Still, the future of Quidditch at this level looks nothing but optimistic as we move toward the biggest and best World Cup yet. This future development could be greatest in popularity and publicity. A great number of Americans are aware of the sport, and within a few more years that percentage could reach close to 100%. The next thing I would personally like to see is matches broadcasted on local, regional, or national television. NBC shows special sporting events all the time, such as the NHL Winter Classic, Heritage Classic, Kentucky Derby, and the Olympics. ESPN often shows bowling tournaments and gymnastics competitions, as well as strong man competitions and billiards. Having one of these major stations broadcast the World Cup would be very beneficial to the reputation of the sport in the eyes of America. And who wouldn’t want to see some Snatches or epic goals from a Quidditch match on ESPN’s Top Ten? It would really create national hype for the sport and would make it even larger in the States and abroad.

The other development in Quidditch at the collegiate level is the evolution of Quidditch venues. As stated with high schools, regular schedules for a Quidditch season would demand a place for spectators to come watch matches, eat, and enjoy the sport of Quidditch.

Venues could start as small as 1,000 spectators, then evolve to 4,000, 10,000, 25,000 or more over the next 30 years. More athletic and competitive play would allow for 25-30 minute games, so a typical match could consist of three games played with intermissions between, and a cumulative point total of all three matches could decide a match winner. Matches would last two hours or so. This would become more comparable to other sporting events. Imagine a crowd the size of Beaver Stadium watching a Quidditch match! That may be an ambitious vision, but at the rate Quidditch is growing currently, the possibility is there.

Professional Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago White Sox, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona… Acromantulas? With college Quidditch players graduating and finding themselves suffering from Quidditch withdrawal

symptoms, a professional Quidditch league may be the answer.

Many new steps would have to be taken in order to make this dream a reality. First of these would be the venues. Since a Quidditch pitch doesn’t fit right on an arena or gymnasium surface but is much smaller than a football, soccer, or baseball venue, new Quidditch stadiums would need to be constructed. Fortunately these venues would be able to host many other events based on the design, including outdoor ice hockey, concerts, basketball, tennis, volleyball, and many other events.

The one problem with having large, enclosed stadiums would be Snitch play. I have devised a solution to this dilemma though. Under the stadium would be a “Snitch course,” visible to spectators on the concourse, where Snitch Runners would traverse multiple obstacles with Parkour-like agility while the similarly agile Seekers pursue.

The obstacles would resemble those used in professional paintball courses, padded for safety, and would be able to be rearranged to provide a new look for each match. There would be 4-8 access points from the main pitch, and cameras would allow spectators to follow the action on screens not visible to the players or coaches on the pitch.

Matches would follow the same format as the aforementioned college matches, with the exception that each game could last 30-40 minutes, since professionally trained athletes would have more stamina and substitutions would allow for fresh players continuously. The matches would run much like professional ice hockey games, which compose of three periods with intermissions between offering entertainment and a chance to visit concessions, merchants, etc. Overtime would run exactly as outlined in the current rules. And after a victory, or even a defeat, fans could file into their local Three Broomsticks or Leaky Cauldron and enjoy a Butterbeer or Firewhisky as they watch the highlights of the match on Sportscenter.

Equipment With the sport rapidly developing at every level, equipment will be more in demand than ever. This opens up the doors for manufactured regulation equipment designed specifically for Quidditch. Goal hoops will be made sturdy and professional-looking by sporting goods companies such as Huffy and Goalrilla. Many new broom manufacturers will rise, marketing different styles of brooms ranging from traditional to the sleekest composite design (though Alivans will always be the best!). Snitch Runners will wear regulation uniforms with actual Snitches - gold, wings, and all – hung from a belt like in flag football. Quaffles and Bludgers will be sold in sets from quality manufacturers, with their own distinguishable characteristics. And on everything, of course, the official IQA emblem will be emblazoned, boasting the approval of the organization that started it all. These developments in equipment do not seem to me to be too far off in the future.

Of course, these ideas are products of my own wild, optimistic imagination. Quidditch has become such a large part of my life since I learned of it a year ago. I look forward to seeing how Quidditch develops and matures over the next few years. What do you think Quidditch will be like in the future? Email me at centralpaquidditch@ gmail.com and let me know! n

The Monthly Seer • April 2011

50

P L AYE RS' C ORNER

Dear Luke, on

funding your way to the World Cup

By Luke Zak

W

e are just beginning to pull through the last flurries of a long winter, but looking back, it feels as though the World Cup just happened at DeWitt Clinton Park. With the advent of spring, we are looking forward to what this year has in store for Quidditch. That said, it is never too early to start thinking about the 2011 World Cup, which is only seven months away.

While November might seem far off now, there are already 57 teams who are signed up on advanced registration to battle it out on the pitch at Randall’s Island. The location might be central to Muggle Quidditch's development, but New York is still a far-off goal to shoot for in the case of many teams.

Naturally, some teams will need to raise more money than others to get to the Big Apple, but fundraising is imperative for all Quidditch athletes trying to make their way to the World Cup. Already knowing the date and location of this year’s tournament gives us an incomparable head start, which means that the best time to start fundraising is now!

Right off the bat, there are several specific ways to take advantage of our new knowledge. Never before in the history of the International Quidditch Association have the dates and location of the World Cup been announced so far in advance! This bit is less about fundraising and more about reducing the actual cost of the expedition itself. With seven months between now and the red letter day, or weekend rather, booking travel and lodging now will seriously reduce overall expenses. This means that even if your team doesn’t know yet exactly who will attend, the few players 51

April 2011 • The Monthly Seer

who do know that they will go to the World Cup can buy individual tickets now. And if you are one of the Quidditch programs lucky enough to have a budget to throw around, there is the additional advantage of finding group travel rates for your whole team.

Of course, there are additional ways to fundraise that are not specific to getting to the World Cup that can also be fully exploited over the rest of the school year, throughout the summer, and right up to November 12th. Last month, I began to describe a few successful fundraisers, but I have since been given more suggestions from our readers.

There are many classic fundraisers that plenty of sports teams with a little budget love to do. This includes rounding up the cavalry, heading over to your local supermarket and bagging groceries. Tips vary of course, but this one can be effective, especially around any holiday season! Then there is always contacting any nearby sports stadiums and signing your program up to work concessions. One of the reasons this works well is that you only need a handful of people, and you are guaranteed money right away.

Also, as many of you know, finding any excuse to sell your team’s Quidditch merchandise is a golden opportunity, whether you are sticking to a sure bet selling shirts or are getting creative with something like Quidditch calendars. Another creative addition to your events that can bring in some money is having an auction. Sure, you can look for cash donations for a silent auction, but it would be a lot more fun to see what people would pay for dinner and a movie with your team’s Snitch! If you can wrangle together a few

P L AY E R S ' C O RNE R

willing, brave athletes, auctioning off dates sounds like it has the potential to be profitable.

A new venture for some teams is seeking out local establishments that are known for helping out sports teams. There are many businesses, restaurants in particular, that have some sort of reward program set up for cases just like ours. Some Quidditch programs have started signing up with places like Buffalo Wild Wings and Applebee’s, and now when the league goes out to eat after the weekly game day, a portion of sales is actually returned to Quidditch. Most participating restaurants will also set up season kick-off days where 10 percent of the sales from anyone who comes in with your coupon is given back to your team.

On top of all these ideas, the warm weather that is on its way will open up the door for even more fundraisers. As far as I am aware, you absolutely cannot go wrong with a good old-fashioned car wash.

It costs very little to organize, and the return can be exponential; just ask any cheerleader. Heck, if all else fails, crack open the Country Time powder and build yourself a lemonade stand. Whatever it takes to get that much closer to the Fifth Annual World Cup. So no matter which route you choose to pursue first, the most important thing to remember is that November is sooner than you think and when it comes to beginning your fundraising process, there is no time like the present! n

Do you need advice?

Luke Zak is the captain of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities Quidditch team and brought his first-year team to the 2010 World Cup. He is also the Midwest Regional Director of the IQA and can give you advice on all your Quidditch dilemmas. Email him at luke.zak@internationalquidditch.org with your questions. A few questions will be printed in each issue of the Monthly Seer.

Common Rulebook Myths (and the truth)

By Will Hack

1.If I Myth: 2. Myth: partially block a Bludger with my Bludger (or The Keeper is immune to physical contact while Quaffle), I am not Knocked Out, whether the Bludger then touches my body or not.

in the Keeper Zone, whether he has the Quaffle or not.

Fact: Fact: If you partially block a Bludger but that Bludger The Keeper is only immune to physical contact then hits anywhere on your body or broom, you are Knocked Out. Nowhere in the rules does it say that a partially deflected Bludger does not result in the Knockout effect.

The Rule: Section 6 (Players

and Positions): Beaters.

"Deflecting – A Beater may use the Bludger to block an incoming Bludger thrown by opposing players."

"A player struck by a thrown or kicked Bludger has been 'knocked out.'"

while in sole possession of the Quaffle. Without the Quaffle, he is subject to the same physical contact rules as Chasers.

The Rule: Section 6 (Players and Positions): The Keeper,

Inside the Keeper Zone. "While inside the Keeper Zone, the Keeper is subject to all of the same rules as a Chaser with the following exceptions: ... Possession – When the Keeper is in sole possession of the Quaffle while in the Keeper Zone, opposing players must not attempt to steal it from her. If the Keeper attempts to steal the Quaffle while in the Keeper Zone, the keeper must gain sole possession of the Quaffle before she is granted immunity." n

The Monthly Seer • April 2011

52

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