In the adult version the ‘rules’ of the game allow players to throw water balloons to distract their opponents. In the youth version — no water balloons.
Perhaps that seeming disconnect between what distinguishes adult behaviour and youth behaviour is a result of a lack of imagination, and when it comes to Quidditch, imagination is key.
Cochrane youth have taken to the game in numbers that indicate they don’t mind the differences between their game and the one made famous by J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter books. No, they don’t fly on their broomsticks, but they do still ride them with enthusiasm, intent on scoring against their muggle foes.
Napoleon said imagination rules the world. In real life Quidditch, imagination rules.
Despite the water balloons, there are rules.
Although rooted in the Harry Potter novels, Quidditch was created in 2005 at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont, by Xander Manshel and Alex Benepe. Unlike the fictional Quidditch sport, muggle (non-magic users) Quidditch teams have been participating at the Quidditch World Cup since 2007 comprised of both university and club programs.
Sometimes described as a cross between rugby, dodgeball, and wrestling, at the adult level, the sport is growing fast. The Calgary Quidditch club participated in the recent World Cup in Orlando, Florida.
A few minutes on YouTube shows how serious those players are, travelling from around the world to compete.
The youth version in Cochrane is more fun-oriented.
“There’s four balls in play so there’s much action going on. It’s very entertaining to watch and to play,” said Cochrane Owls Youth Quidditch coach Hirra Memon.
The main drawing card, according to Memon, is inclusiveness.
“You don’t need athleticism, it’s not really competitive. It’s a fun sport for kids. You don’t need experience of any sort, you don’t have to have read the Harry Potter books to come out and be a part of it,” she said.
“My kids absolutely love it.”
The Owls are comprised of kids from nine to 15 years of age. It’s a fun game for all kids of all athletic types, with some rules.
Chasers are responsible for passing the quaffle (similar to a small soccer ball) and scoring points by throwing the quaffle through one of the opponent's goals for 10 points.
Keepers can be likened to goalies in other sports and must try to block attempts to score by the opposing team's chasers.
Beaters attempt to hit the opposing team's players with bludgers (like a dodgeball) and attempt to block the bludgers from hitting their team's players.
Seekers attempt to catch the golden snitch, a tennis ball attached to a strap tied to the back of one player’s waistband. Other players may not contact the snitch but are permitted to contact the other seeker.
A game ends when the snitch is caught by either team. After the snitch is caught the team with the most points accumulated wins. The snitch has evolved into a term for the ball and also the player carrying it.
In games, every player wears a coloured headband to denote what position they’re currently playing in the game and these positions can change among the players throughout the game.
“The snitch is one of the most fun. It’s like tackle football but not as aggressive,” Memon said.
“In adult games I’ve seen snitches have water balloons, riding unicycles, trying to get as far away from the seekers as possible. For the kids we keep it a little more tame because we don’t want to scare anybody off or see them getting hurt.”
In the adult game, the snitch is guided by imagination only.
“The snitch is open to anything,” Memon said.
The Owls came into being when the kids, who were playing in Calgary, decided it was time for a Cochrane team. Memon says if enough Cochranites expressed an interest in forming an adult team, she’d be open to the idea.
To learn more, visit the Cochrane Youth Quidditch Facebook page.
