OMG IT'S QUIDDITCH!

It's been adapted for non-wizards! And it's a lot of fun whether you've read the books or not! The adapted version of quidditch is actually a very fast-paced, physically-intensive sport, sort of like a mix between rugby and dodgeball. Come ready to get a workout!

WHERE: Artificial turf field at Cal Anderson.

WHEN: 2P, after ultimate frisbee

EQUIPMENT: BYOB (Bring Your Own Broom). A 2-3' stick or piece of PVC pipe or whatever is fine as well.

SAMPLE FOOTAGE OF ITS AWESOMENESS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeZV0s9FxBw&feature=related

RULES: Quidditch is played with 2 teams with 7 players each. Each team has 3 chasers, 2 beaters, 1 keeper, and 1 seeker. Each team has 3 hoops (like goals) which are hula hoops held up by PVC pipe. It is played with one volleyball (called the quaffle) and three red rubber balls (bludgers). And yes - we do fly on brooms! You will be holding a broom between your legs the whole time you play. It's not as bad as it sounds (just take my word on that one ;).

The chasers' jobs are to put the volleyball through the other team's hoops, which scores 10 points. The beaters, who are the only ones who can throw the bludgers, try to hit the chasers with the bludgers (this is where the sport is like dodgeball). If hit by a bludger, the player who got hit is out of play and must run back to his/her hoops before being able to do anything else. The keeper is essentially a chaser in a more defensive role. The chasers try to bring the quaffle downfield while getting around the other team's chasers and dodging the bludgers. It's so much fun!!!

And of course, the seekers seek the snitch. The snitch is simply another person (not on either team) and the seekers are trying to pull a ball in a sock from the snitch's pocket, similar to flag football. The snitch only counts as 30 points, however, not the 150 in the book.

Quidditch is a quickly growing sport with over 600 teams in the US and has even put on a World Cup for the last FIVE years in a row! The last World Cup, in Nov. 2011, had over 90 teams show up. Once you get over the novelty, I think you will discover that quidditch is a great workout and a lot of fun. Come check it out!