On Saturday, October 19th, I took part in an event that was completely new to me. I have seen it in the Harry Potter movie series and read about it in the book series. I have also watched a handful of videos of other universities playing the sport. Let me tell you, I had never played before in my life until about a month ago!
Photo by LaShauna Bell
I traveled to Houston, TX, on Friday with several players who were also scheduled to play in the tournament-like event. I had a lot of fun getting to know them over the last month, and this trip helped strengthen our bond just a little more before the event. Saturday morning, me and my new team packed up our equipment and drove to the destination, which was actually a small field next to a baseball complex. There were not enough of our players that were able to go to the event, so we merged with another team from Victoria, TX, called the Spartans. All afternoon, we ran in the blazing heat, sweat dripping from most of the competitors. After the games ended, most of the competitors in the event (including us) went out to eat and to get acquainted with each other.
What kind of sport is it?
Muggle Quidditch.
You may find it hard to believe—or not, depending how well you might know me—but I am a part of the Lumberjack Quidditch Sport Club.
Photo by LaShauna Bell
At Stephen F. Austin State University, there are plenty of clubs and organizations that a new student can find to be interesting (freshman or transfer), and there are other groups that are fairly new to the SFA scene as well. You see, I have been a Harry Potter fan for quite a while now—though I started liking the series a little too late—and I have always been fascinated with all of the magical things that happen in the Wizarding World. When I saw the Lumberjack Quidditch booth during the Involvement Fair that SFA hosted, I high-tailed my butt over to introduce myself.
What a nerd, I know!
Photo By LaShauna Bell
Although the Quidditch Club may seem like a joke to some people, it is actually a pretty great club to be a part of. They do not look for experienced players, you get to make some new friends, and the practices are informative and fun. I am a little socially awkward when it comes to making new friends in a new setting, since most of my friends are about 2 ½ hours away in a different city, but I realized that I had a lot in common with most of the members in the club. They also made it easier for me to get to know them by having small ice-breakers in the first couple of practices.
Now, do not think that it is easy to play in a Quidditch game. It is a contact sport, like football and rugby. The usual time that it takes to play a single game can be between an hour and 2 hours! The end of the game depends on the “Seekers.” These are the players that are only supposed to catch the snitch (a person with neon yellow/gold pants) near the end of the game. During the game, players are on the brink of tackling each other, though hard shoving and bruising is all that usually occurs.
Photo by LaShauna Bell
Hopefully, you do not decide to pass on the opportunity to try something new just because others may think it is weird or nerdy. You may actually like it! I know I am glad that I joined Lumberjack Quidditch on that September evening.