Play Muggle Quidditch

In the Harry Potter series written by JK Rowling the main wizarding sport is Quidditch. However you don't have to have magical powers to play.

There are many different ways of playing Quidditch, but the most commonly used set of rules are those given by the International Quidditch Association (which can be found here).

In the past Muggle Quidditch has mainly been played at colleges in the US, but over the last few years there has been a dramatic rise in the number of community teams. Quidditch has also spread outside of America and is now played on 5 continents.

Steps

  1. Gather all needed materials and players (see Things You'll Need section below).
  2. Know that all players can play while riding a broom. Brooms can be a hindrance however, so feel free to not use brooms.
  3. Place the quaffle and two bludgers in the middle of the field. Ideally the quaffle and bludgers should be slightly deflated so that they are easier to throw and catch.
  4. Start the game. Both teams start from the edges and attempt to obtain the quaffle and bludgers.
  5. Follow your duty depending what type of player you are:
    • Chasers try to score by throwing the quaffle into one of the three goal hoops. Each score is worth 10 points.
    • Beaters try to peg players with their bludger. If a player is pegged they have to stop what they're doing and pay a penalty; i.e. (drop the quaffle in the case of a chaser) and run back to and touch their goal post or alternatively sit down for 10 seconds.
    • Keepers guard the goal posts at each end and attempt to block chasers' attempts at scoring. If Keeper is close to their hoops they are safe from being hit by bludgers.
    • Seekers try to tackle the snitch (a person) or obtain an object attached to the snitch such as a sock or flag. You can establish you own rules as to how a player catches the snitch. A common way to play is to make the snitch a person, and give the snitch a head start to run and hide in defined boundaries. Then the seekers search for the snitch, and attempt to tag the player. Other methods, such as the method adopted in 2005, makes the snitch a tennis ball in a sock, hanging out of the running shorts of the snitch runner. Regardless of method, the winning seeker wins 30 points for his or her team, unlike the books, in which the snitch is worth 150 points. The creators of Muggle Quidditch thought that it was worth too many points so changed the value of the snitch for muggle Quidditch.
    • The snitch, generally a track runner, runs around (usually the boundaries) trying to evade the seekers.
    • The referee should ensure that rules are being followed. They also keep track of the score.
  6. Play the game! The object of the game is to score the most points and the game ends when the seeker snatches the snitch.
  7. Feel free to alter the game rules. See the Tips section for suggestions.



Tips

  • Alternatively the snitch can be a small yellow ball (tennis balls work great) that is hidden before the game starts by a bystander or referee. Establish boundaries and have the seekers look for the snitch.
  • Beaters can try hitting the bludgers around in the air with a shortened hockey sticks or a short bat. They could also use regular-length hockey sticks to hit bludgers (perhaps wiffle balls) on the ground. The simplest way is to just peg players by throwing dodge balls.
  • Remember that the snitch runner, if you choose to use one, is not an actual player in the game, therefore, not bound by any of the rules. If desired, the snitch is able to do whatever he or she wants to avoid capture. See Train-to-Be-a-Snitch-in-Quidditch for more information.
  • It may be easier to play without brooms (but also less fun!).
  • You can play water quidditch in a pool. Almost all the same rules apply. Have someone throw something (the snitch) on a line into the pool at regular intervals. They can even use fake snitches.
  • You can buy authentic looking brooms to make the game more realistic.
  • There is a very large Quidditch community, have a look at the IQA website to find teams near you.
  • One variation is Quarter Snitch Quidditch. Find a quarter or another small coin. Have both of the teams turn around and have the referee throw it into the grass or pitch while the teams aren't looking. Play while the seekers look for the snitch.
  • Another variation is where the referee places the snitch somewhere in the field (in this case it's a small ball). The seeker has to find the snitch blindfolded, relying only on the coach's instructions, while the game is still on.

Warnings

  • A ball flying in the air can hurt. If you're playing quidditch you're probably just having fun so play nicely.
  • Stay hydrated and exercise wisely.

Things You'll Need

  • 15 players
  • 14 brooms
  • Field (or big backyard)
  • 3 goal hoops per team
  • Referee (optional)
  • Color coded shirts or capes for houses, black for referee
  • 3 Bludgers (dodge balls, water balloons, wiffle balls etc.)
  • 1 Quaffle (volleyball, Frisbee, soccer ball, etc.)
  • 1 Snitch (person)
  • Each team is composed of:
    • 3 Chasers
    • 2 Beaters
    • 1 Keeper
    • 1 Seeker

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

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