Schyler Cunningham is a graduating senior at Loyola University Chicago and when she realized that graduating meant no more playing Quidditch for LUC she decided to take matters into her own hands. Schyler is starting the first ever Chicago City Quidditch team! However, there are some things you should know about Quidditch before joining.
1. Quidditch is a co-ed, full contact sport.
- The sport requires endurance and is very demanding on the body and as such requires players condition themselves and train just like any other full contact sport such as football.
2. Quidditch is played during the fall, winter, spring and sometimes even the summer.
- Yes, this means that Quidditch is played in the snow during winter. To keep warm, many players wear under-armour and spandex.
3. Everyone can play.
- There are opportunities for everyone to play. There are seven players on the pitch at all times: 3 chasers, 2 beaters, a seeker and a keeper.
- The chasers job is to score on the opposing teams hoops.
- The beaters job is to protect their hoops and defend their team members from the opposing team.
- The Keeper does the same thing as a goalie does in soccer and protects their hoops.
- The seeker’s main job is to catch the snitch. Once the seeker catches the snitch the game is over.
4. Everyone is accepting of others.
- “That’s what I kinda got out of Quidditch. That we were really proud of accepting everyone,” said Cunningham.
- Everyone can play Quidditch. The sport doesn’t discriminate. In fact the International Quidditch Association has a gender equality rule that there must be two females on the pitch at all times. Which means that females can tackle males and vice versa.
5. Quidditch is played everywhere!
- Quidditch is now played at over 300 universities and high schools in the United States and 12 other countries. Quidditch is the fastest-growing sport in the United States, with active teams in 28 states and counting. The U.S. is divided into five regions: Northeast, South, Midwest, Southwest and West.
- To see an interactive map of the U.S. and its teams go to: http://www.internationalquidditch.org/teams/location/US/
So, if you are an avid Harry Potter fan and think Quidditch is for you. Then join a team and if you’re in the Chicago area and your university doesn’t have one, join The Windy City Wizards. For more information you can contact them via: twitter- @ChiTownWizards. Facebook.com/chicagoknox. Chitownwizards.tumblr.com
