Quidditch levitates students' interests

The Cain Sports Complex hosted the first ever Quidditch match April 4, between the Dementors and the Timelords. The event, popularized by the Harry Potter book and movie franchise, is just beginning to get off the ground at A&M-Commerce as it has around the nation's college campuses.

"Joanna [Firth] and A'Mari [Rocheleau] had the idea," referee and theatre graduate student Matt Plummer said. "They saw some videos online of some people playing quidditch and it has become quite a big thing in other universities. There are national tournaments that take place and everything, so they had this idea that this is something they could do here at this university and possibly have it be an intramural sport and eventually have a team that represents the university that travels to those tournaments and events around the country representing us."

The magical game of Quidditch in the books features wizards flying around on brooms throwing the balls, or ‘quaffles' worth 10 points, at the defending team's three goals rising to the height of skyscrapers and ‘beaters' dealing punishing blows to the scorers using harder balls called ‘bludgers'. Meanwhile, each team's ‘seeker' is keeping an eye out to catch the ever-elusive ‘snitch' that is worth 150 points and ends the match. The version played at Commerce includes all these elements without the more dangerous aspects of the original. The ‘quaffle' is a volleyball, the ‘bludgers' are playground balls, and the snitch is a runner with a ball in a sock hanging out of his shorts.

"Last semester, I think it started on the Facebook and basically got around to a few people who got interested and they held an interest meeting and went over the aspects of the game and what it entailed," Plummer said. "Because when you say Quidditch and ‘We are going to go play Quidditch' people have questions. They clarified a lot of that stuff and people started making teams and filling their rosters with their friends and stuff. Last year they started holding scrimmages and practices to get used to the idea of playing. Everyone went out and gathered their brooms and decorated them. Some people have come to the point where they are making t-shirts for their teams."

The game allows for players to use their different strengths, such as speed, endurance and muscle.

"It was fun and awesome because I got to knock people down and I usually don't get to use my size as much so this is perfect because you get to body check people all the time," freshmen Dionsysus Henderson said. "Brute force, it's amazing and a real thriller."

The game involves full-contact goalkeeping and allows players to trip to make plays on the ball-holding attacker. Along the sidelines were fans cheering in a style reminiscent of the movies through the initial match, which lasted a little longer than fifteen minutes. The audience was also delighted when the players decided to go another round.

"I think that was probably one of the most phenomenal things that I have ever witnessed here at A&M- Commerce," senior Kristen Bedevian said.

The Dementors won the first match with a score of 180-0, but the Timelords rallied in the second game to finish on top with a score of 190-20. Players and fans seemed thrilled that their favorite fantasy sport is becoming a reality on the fields of A&M-Commerce, even if it means a little later studying to attend.

"It was fun, I'm glad I made it," senior George Swindell said. "I have a lot of homework I still have to get done tonight, so I'm going to be up for a while, but I'm glad I came out."