Try a new and magical sport!TAMIU Quidditch

On October 26 2011, on the green of Texas A&M International University, members of TAMIU Quidditch, an emerging sport based on the magical sport of the Harry Potter series, were recruiting students to join their team. This sport started in 2004 and now it is becoming an international and popular sport. To be able to join to this team, there is no need to have knowledge on the Harry Potter series.  This sport is actually "a mix of different sports like Dodge Ball, Soccer, Football and Basketball," said JC Chavez, member of TAMIU Quidditch, "All the positions are really special on what they do."

President of TAMIU Quidditch, Jessica Leija provided a detailed description of the sport, "in the world of Harry Potter, [Quidditch] is played on broomsticks up in the air, but here we play it on the ground… keeping the broomsticks. Like just any other sport… whoever gets the most points wins". She mentioned that in the field there are three hoops in each opposing team. There are seven players in each team which are three chasers, two beaters, a keeper, and a seeker. The job of the three chasers is to score the "quaffle" (which is a volley ball) in one of the three hoops. Every time a "quaffle" is scored into one of the hoops, points are earned. The two beaters try to prevent the opposing team from scoring. They carry "bludgers" (dodge balls), and they throw it at the opposing team. That is supposed to knock them from their broom to prevent them from scoring. Then the keeper is the goalie. He has to protect the three hoops for his own team. Finally, the seeker is in charge of catching "the snitch," which is a flying golden little ball in the Harry Potter series, but in the real word it is a person dressed in yellow (Track runners could apply for this position). The seeker has to catch the "the snitch" (a tennis ball) which is tucked in a sock, and then tucked in the back of the player's shorts.  When the seeker grabs the snitch, the game ends.  Therefore, in this unique sport, any student can apply for any position that resembles the sport they prefer.  

Students should consider joining TAMIU Quidditch since the organization has many future and interesting plans. For the spring semester, they want to invite teams from other universities in Texas and have a mini tournament.  Not only that, but they are also planning to be part of the International Quidditch Association and see if they can invite other teams from other countries like New Zealand, China or Spain. However, their ultimate goal is to attend the Quidditch World Cup which is held in November every year. The organization would be able to pursue many of these goals if more students would join.

Students who join the organization can be the first initiators and make history at TAMIU by being the first students going to the Quidditch World Cup. They can emerge into this new sport by contacting the president of TAMIU Quidditch, Jessica Leija at jicessa@dusty.tamiu.edu or by going to www.facebook.com/pages/TAMIU-Quidditch.

For more information contact Ana Kristel Gamboa at kristelita_g@dusty.tamiu.edu.