Quidditch Teams in the U.S. Prepare for US Quidditch Cup 12

Quidditch isn’t just for wizards anymore. The sport, which was made popular by the Harry Potter franchise, has made its way into the muggle world.

Founded in 2010 as a nonprofit, US Quidditch is now known as the national governing body for the sport. By 2017, quidditch was played by 3,750 individual members, including 103 collegiate teams, 48 community teams, and 2 high school teams.

According to the official US Quidditch website, quidditch is defined as a “mixed gender contact sport with a unique mix of elements from rugby, dodgeball, and tag.” Each team includes one seeker, three chasers, two beaters, and one keeper for a total of seven players.

As players run around the field while holding a broom between their legs, they must attempt to score points for their team by throwing or kicking a volleyball into hoops or catching the Velcro tail attached to the “snitch” runner.

In addition to supervising regular season competition, certifying officials, and offering grants, US Quidditch also hosts regional and national championships. This includes the highly anticipated US Quidditch Cup 12.

The US Quidditch Cup 12 is known as the pinnacle event of the competitive season. 64 collegiate teams and 24 community quidditch teams in the U.S. will compete to be crowned the National Champions in their division. It is scheduled to take place on April 13 and 14 in Round Rock, Texas.

“The Central Texas community loves quidditch, and we look forward to hosting players, families and fans in Round Rock for the national championship tournament again in 2019,” said Nancy Yawn, director of the Round Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau.

In order to be eligible to compete in the tournament, teams must qualify through one of the regional championships or receive an at-large bid. While not required, suggested equipment for official play includes headbands, handcrafted brooms, and sports glasses.

Collegiate quidditch teams in the U.S. that have been offered a bid to the Cup include the Harvard Horntails, Michigan State Quidditch, Bowling Green State University, and 13 others. However, the official list of competing teams has not yet been released.

If you all remember well, Harry Potter played as Seeker for his house at Hogwarts. If you’d like to know which house would you belong to, please try this quiz to find out!