Quidditch tournament lifts off in Calgary

Gravity and lack of magical ability won’t hold back quidditch players from all over Western Canada on Saturday. Rather, they’ll be gathering in Calgary to compete in a tournament adapted from the sport depicted in the popular Harry Potter series.

For the uninitiated, quidditch is a game played on flying broomsticks. It’s depicted in the books by J. K. Rowling ( and their movie adaptations) as a rough, highly competitive sport involving aspects of rugby and dodge ball.

Unfortunately, most people don’t have access to magical broomsticks. The solution? Muggle Quidditch, a version created by American university students a decade ago.

This non- magical interpretation is multi- layered, complex and athletically demanding. And everyone has to play with a broom between their legs.

According to Rachel Malone, who helped found the University of Calgary’s team in 2012 and organize Saturday’s tournament, the game attracts both diehard Harry Potter fans who’ve never tried sports and athletes seeking a fresh challenge.

“It’s moving further and further away from Harry Potter, which gives it a lot more legitimacy as a sport,” Malone said.

Teams consist of seven players: three chasers, one keeper, two beaters and one seeker.

The chasers aim to kick or throw the quaffle ( usually a volleyball) into three hoops of varying heights. If they get it by their opponent’s keeper, they score 10 points.

The beaters do their best to disrupt this by throwing a dodge ball, called a “bludger,” at the opposing team’s players. Anyone they hit has to dismount their broom and touch their own hoops before they resume play, turning over any ball in their possession.

Then there’s the snitch. Dressed in bright yellow, they aren’t bound by the same lines or rules like the players. Their only goal is to avoid capture by either of the team’s seekers by any means necessary.

The seeker who manages to nab a ball attached to the snitch’s shorts wins 30 points for their team and ends the game, which usually runs for about 45 minutes.

“It’s like three games layered into one,” Malone said. “It never gets boring.”

Players 16 and over of any skill level may register online or in person for $ 15 to join a team. The tournament begins Saturday at 9: 15 a. m. on the University of Calgary’s intramural fields.