Issue date: 11/19/08 Section: Features

Media Credit: Doug Klembara "I think it's so amazing that we got this started because this is something I've always wanted to do," Kristen Howarth, a junior marketing major, said. "Our goal is to play in the World Cup next year." [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Doug Klembara Members of Texas A&M's Quidditch team practice Sunday at Simpson Drill Field. The team was formed in October. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Doug Klembara In honor of the "Harry Potter" sport of Quidditch, a group of muggles have begun a league of their own [Click to enlarge]

If on a sunny Sunday you happen to venture to Simpson Drill Field and see someone dressed in yellow being chased by someone running with a broom between his or her legs, do not be alarmed.

The yellow-clad individual has something the person with the broom, "the seeker," wants - the "snitch." The snitch, a tennis ball stuffed into a sock and tucked into the shorts of the yellow snitch-runner, is the quintessential element to executing a game of Muggle Quidditch.

Quidditch, the main athletic competition derived from J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series, has made its way to A&M. Elizabeth Witt and sisters Aimee and Kristen Howarth founded the team in October.

By the children's novel's definition, the Howarths and Witt are considered "muggles," or those who are not a wizard or a witch and have no magical powers.

"I think it's so amazing that we got this started because this is something I've always wanted to do," Kristen Howarth, a junior marketing major, said. "Our goal is to play in the World Cup next year."

The World Cup is held at the birthplace of Muggle Quidditch, Middlebury College. Eleven teams competed in October's competition at the second annual event.

Teams traveled to Middlebury, Vt., to compete against some of the premiere Quidditch players in the world from places as far as Canada and Louisiana State University.

In order to be eligible for competition in the cup, a team has to be registered with the Intercollegiate Quidditch Association (IQA). The A&M team has already registered.

"We are going to follow IQA rules because we plan on going to the World Cup next semester," said Aimee, a junior psychology major.

IQA rules mirror almost all of the rules explained in the "Harry Potter" series, but room must be made for a few notable exceptions.

"Unfortunately not all of us can fly," said Witt, a sophomore engineering major. "I wish we could fly, but we can't."

Kristen said there was one other difference between "Harry Potter" Quidditch and Muggle Quidditch.

"It's pretty much the same without the flying," Kristen said. "We can't cast spells so it kind of takes out the fun."

Other than aspects of the game that require the use of magic, Muggle Quidditch has been modified to suit the rules of nature that govern the gravity-bound participants.

The snitch, once a small golden ball with wings and a mind of its own, has been manifested into the tennis ball found in a sock tucked into the shorts of the "snitch runner," who runs continually until the snitch is secured.

Instead of flying, participants run with broomsticks between their legs in an effort to maintain the authenticity of the game.

"It's actually quite natural to run with a broom between your legs," Kristen said.

Each team is composed of a seeker, a keeper, three chasers and two beaters. The "seeker," Harry Potter's position in the books, has the responsibility of chasing down and securing the snitch, and thus ending the game.

The "keeper" guards the three goals, which are composed of hula-hoops mounted on top of PVC pipe. The chasers earn points by throwing the "quaffle," or a partially deflated volleyball, through the hoops.

The two beaters cannot score, but instead eliminate players from competition by hitting others with "bludgers," or red dodge balls. Once hit by a bludger, a player must drop the broom and is considered out of competition until a lap around the goal post is completed. This emulates actual Quidditch in the time it takes to fall off the broom. This also accounts for the delay of gathering oneself to get back on the broom and fly again.

"It is necessary that the bludger is thrown with great force to ensure that the player struck is aware of the impact," the IQA rulebook states.

"It's really fast-paced," Aimee said. "Most sports I think are really boring, but this one's not."

Witt said she doesn't believe that some may not have heard of the magical game.

"I just don't know how you could not know about the game," she said. "It's a character flaw, but we'll forgive them."

Aimee said anyone is welcome to join the A&M Quidditch team.

"It's OK, you don't have to read the books, we don't have any prerequisites [for participation]," she said.

However, Quidditch is always a B.Y.O.B. event - bring your own broom.

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