We’ve moved!

The Carleton Quidditch website has moved to www.carletonquidditch.com. Be sure to check out the new site for information on upcoming events and competitions.

Play quidditch this summer

Throughout the summer, the Carleton quidditch team will practice at Carleton University’s Anniversary Field on Sunday afternoons from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Interested players are asked to bring cleats, water and a broom or broom-like implement.

All the cool kids are playing quidditch this summer.

For more information on summer practices, please contact Carleton quidditch captain Andrea Hill at cu.quidditch@gmail.com.

Ice, snow and quidditch

It takes more than subzero temperatures and whiteout conditions to keep Carleton quidditch team members off their brooms.

This past semester, the Carleton quidditch team continued to practice and compete, maintaining its reputation as one of Canada’s top-ranked quidditch teams. The team practiced with University of Ottawa for much of the winter and even welcomed a quidditch enthusiast from Algonquin College who hopes to start his own team next fall.

Carleton quidditch takes to the snowy pitch for the second annual Ives Pond Winter Flurrious.

In January, Carleton travelled to Buffalo, NY to compete against nine other teams in the second annual Ives Pond Winter Flurrious. The team ultimately finished third after a hard overtime loss to host Ives Pond in the semi-finals. The loss came after a series of short, intense games that characterized the one-day winter tournament. In round-robin games, Carleton defeated both Rochester Institute of Technology (30-20) and Edinboro University (110-20). The team fell to University of Pittsburgh (20-60) and SUNY Geneseo (30-60). Carleton defeated University of Rochester 60-10 in the first semi-final game.

As spring rolled around, Carleton players exchanged their boots for cleats and took to the field for a series of exhibition games played in Ottawa at the end of March. The team faced off against University of Ottawa and Rochester Institute of Technology on a chilly March afternoon, defeating Rochester Institute of Technology and narrowly losing to University of Ottawa.

The Carleton quidditch team shows off new jerseys after a series of exhibition games in Ottawa in March.

Throughout the summer, team members in Ottawa will continue to practice at Carleton on Sunday afternoons. In addition to quidditch training, many team members are preparing for the Ottawa Spartan Race in June and will be volunteering at Ottawa community festivals to promote quidditch. The team will also be hosting its first quidditch-themed birthday party later this month.

— Andrea Hill

Taking quidditch to the community

Earlier this week, members of the Carleton University quidditch team headed to Pinecrest Public School in west Ottawa to teach local high school students the ins and outs of quidditch.

Carleton quidditch team member Stephanie Jonker teaches high school kids how to pass a quaffle.

Students’ first reaction was one of disbelief. Only one or two had heard of Harry Potter and quidditch and all seriously doubted that people actually played the magical sport. But as students were led through practice, the game quickly became a reality for them.

Carleton players briefly introduced students to the history and rules of the sport, trying to allow as much time as possible for hands on experience.

Unsurprisingly, one of the most difficult parts of quidditch for new players was realizing players must be on their brooms at all times. Relay races were organized to get students used to running with brooms and a passing drill helped them practice throwing and catching with one hand. Once tthese skills became easier, students moved onto beating, scoring and keeping drills.

As the night went on, students became more excited to participate, asking questions about the rules and the Carleton team. Their moves became more confident, their passes and catches more accurate. Carleton players did an excellent job of helping out during the drills and providing pieces of advice to help students improve their play.

For the last half hour, the group was split into two teams to play an actual game. Though some rules were modified for a match in a gym, play remained fast-paced and fun. Students quickly discovered their own strategies and were able to try a number of positions. They were eager to learn more and expressed disappointed when the night came to an end. The coordinators of the program were just as excited to see the sport and watch the students play.

These high school students are part of Pathways to Education, a program designed to help at-risk students succeed in high school. Members of the Carleton quidditch team are thrilled to have been a part of such a program and hope to return to further the ideals of literacy and athleticism through quidditch.

— Stephanie Jonker (Pathways to Education volunteer and Carleton quidditch team member)

Carleton Quidditch — a semester in review

With the last day of classes just around the corner, members of the Carleton University quidditch team are looking forward to a well-deserved break after a busy semester.

The Carleton University quidditch team prepares to march in the opening ceremonies at the fifth annual Quidditch World Cup in New York City Nov. 12.

Carleton’s quidditch team started its season off with a bang, welcoming dozens of new players to its first practice in September. To date, more than 40 students have active membership in the team and many come out to weekly practices that happen on Carleton campus every Sunday afternoon.

New players got their first taste of competition at a fun exhibition game against University of Ottawa on Oct. 1. The first match, played by the schools’ competitive teams, went to Carleton with a score of 60-50 after the uOttawa seeker snatched the morph-suit clad snitch 30 minutes into play.

Carleton and uOttawa would go on to meet each other on the field later that month. Canada’s first-ever quidditch tournament, held at Carleton on Oct. 29, saw eight teams battling it out to be named Canada’s first quidditch champion. Carleton and uOttawa faced off in the semi-finals after each team dominated in round robin play. Carleton defeated University of Ottawa with a score of 110-10, before falling to McGill University in the finals. Carleton ultimately placed second in the tournament and was ranked 22nd in the world. Check out the full tournament report and some media coverage of the monumental event.

The Carleton University Quidditch team celebrates a win over the Jetpack Ninja Dinosaurs from Space in the fifth annual Quidditch World Cup.

After performing well at the Canadian Cup, the Carleton team was excited to be pitted against a number of notable American teams in the fifth annual Quidditch World Cup that happened in New York City the weekend of Nov. 12 to 13. The team performed well in round-robin play, defeating Texas Christian University, Harvard University and the Jetpack Ninja Dinosaurs from Space. The team fell only to Louisiana State University, the world’s third-ranked team coming into the tournament. Carleton advanced to the semi-finals on Sunday afternoon and found itself facing Middlebury College. Unfortunately, Carleton lost the match against Middlebury — the inventor of muggle quidditch that would go on to win its fifth consecutive world championship title — and was eliminated from the finals.

The Carleton team will continue to practice and compete even after snow coats the ground. The team is registered in the Buffalo Winter Flurrious tournament happening in Buffalo, NY at the end of January and there is the possibility of other exhibition games throughout the winter semester.

— Andrea Hill

How to get involved with Carleton quidditch this fall

Carleton University quidditch is excited to build its 2011/2012 team!

The team will be recruiting new players this fall once school starts. First-year students can visit the team’s information booth at Expo Carleton. This event runs on Wed. Sept. 7 from 7 – 8:30 p.m. in the field house.

Our first information meeting/practice is Sun. Sept. 11 at 2 p.m. Interested players should meet in front of Leeds Residence building by 1:50 p.m. We will go into Leeds, grab our equipment from storage, and walk a few metres to Anniversary Field (see map). A handful of veteran players will remain outside Leeds until 2:10 p.m. to pick up stragglers. If you will be later, please head straight to Anniversary Field. We’re a hard bunch to miss. We’ll be the ones running around on brooms and making lots of noise.

At this meeting, you will be introduced to some of the main people behind Carleton quidditch, learn about the rules of the game, hear about the many ways you can become involved with the team and try your hand at quidditch.

Please bring a water bottle, running shoes, athletic clothes and a broom or broom-like implement (such as a ski pole, hockey stick, walking stick, mop or pool noodle). Don’t stress out about this practice. No new players know how to play the first day. Our veteran players will help you get the hang of running on a broom and mastering all the other skills important for being a great quidditch player.

There are two aspects of the Carleton team: a recreational team and a competitive team. Everyone is welcome to play on our recreational team. This team practices and scrimmages on campus once a week on Sunday afternoons. No tryouts are involved. The competitive team represents the team at scrimmages and tournaments, including the Quidditch World Cup in New York City in November

The World Cup team will be selected by tryouts by the end of September. Because of the short time between the start of the school year and the Quidditch World Cup, priority on the World Cup team will be given to veteran players simply because they have already mastered the skills and strategies that make good quidditch players. The competitive team practices twice a week: once Sunday afternoons with the recreational team and one weekday evening (to be determined in the fall). First-year students should not be deterred from trying out. Even if they don’t make the World Cup team, there may be more opportunities for competitive play throughout the year and can make themselves candidates for field captain positions and competitive team players next year.

If you have further questions about the team, feel free to email Carleton quidditch captain Andrea Hill at cu.quidditch@gmail.com.

Summer training

Carleton University Quidditch is hosting open practices and scrimmages throughout the summer for players of all ages. Come out to Centennial Public School (view map) on Sunday afternoons from 3 to 5 p.m. to play with one of Canada’s top-ranked Quidditch teams.
No experience is necessary. Please bring running shoes, a water bottle and a broom or broom-like implement (such as a ski pole, hockey stick or pool noodle). Balls, hoops, pinnies and good times will be provided.
Email cu.quidditch@gmail.com for more information.

Carleton triumphs over SLU

Carleton University’s Quidditch team triumphed over St. Lawrence University at an exhibition game at SLU March 26.

 

Carleton University Quidditch players charge up the field at St. Lawrence University

A mixed University of Ottawa and Carleton recreational team defeated SLU by a score of 90-40 after U of O seeker Chris Radojewski snatched the snitch. The Carleton competitive team then took to the field, defeating SLU by scores of 60-40 and 100-70.

Both teams then swapped players for a couple of mixed-team scrimmages.

The win was much celebrated by the Carleton players who had lost to SLU in October when the team travelled to Carleton for an exhibition match.

The game was Carleton’s final match of the season. Practices and games will resume in September when school is back in session.

To read the Charlatan’s coverage of the match, click here.

80 teams, 10 fields proposed for fifth World Cup

The International Quidditch Association has released information about the upcoming Quidditch World Cup. The fifth annual event will be held at Randall’s Island in New York City the weekend of Nov. 12-13.

The tournament will be the largest yet with up to 80 teams playing on 10 fields. Teams will have the option of registering in a competitive or recreational division.

More information about the tournament can be found at the IQA website.

Carleton University will register a competitive team March 15 when registration opens for official member teams.

Carleton Quidditch couple featured on IQA homepage

It’s hard not to fall for your teammates in a full-contact, co-ed sport. For Valentine’s Day, the International Quidditch Association put out a call for the cutest Quidditch couples. Among those featured on the IQA website were Carleton University Quidditch couple Joel Bandy and Kristy Wright.

Kristy Wright and Joel Bandy

There are few couples quite as cute and quite as quirky as Joel Bandy and Kristy Wright. Both are students at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada and met through the university’s Quidditch team. Joel is a 23 year-old classics, religion and history major from Guelph, ON. Kristy is a journalism major from Fairport, NY. Being in different programs and in different years of study, it is unlikely the two would ever have crossed paths if not for their mutual devotion to the Carleton Quidditch team.

Kristy and Joel were among the few to show up for the team’s first practice in January 2010. Back then they didn’t give each other a second glance. It was not until the fall of 2010 that sparks began to fly. The team was rebuilding and veterans were trying to to pass on their Quidditch knowledge to new players who couldn’t tell a broomstick from a bludger. As experienced chasers, Joel and Kristy enjoyed a solidarity of sorts.

When the two cracked the same Harry Potter jokes to break the awkward silences that frequently fell over the new team, something blossomed between the two.
Not long after term commenced, Joel cornered Kristy while she was studying, hijacked her computer and uploaded the first season of Firefly and a few dozen wizard rock songs. He convinced her that studying was not nearly as much fun as building blanket forts and watching nerdy movies. That’s exactly what they did. In fact, they had so much fun that that’s what they plan to do this Valentine’s Day.

While walking about New York City during the Quidditch World Cup in November, the two started holding hands as if it was the natural thing to do. It was official: the two had become the first couple to meet through Carleton Quidditch.

Since this monumental occasion, the Carleton Quidditch team has enjoyed watching the relationship progress. Joel’s tardiness has slowly rubbed off on the previously-punctual Kristy. Kristy takes advantage of Joel’s negligence with his laptop to hack his Facebook. This often results in “Joel” trash talking his fellow Quidditch players, professing his love of communism and changing his profile picture to a photo of a Barbie doll. It’s dangerous to have the two on opposing teams because tackles turn into bear hugs. Heck, sometimes it even happens when they’re on the same team.

From everyone on the Carleton Quidditch team, Happy Valentine’s Day Joel and Kristy! I hope you have an awesome time building blanket forts.