Quidditch for college muggles: Harry Potter's game a hit on some campuses

For college students who secretly ranked Hogwarts as their first-choice school, this is how quidditch is played.

The sport -- and its players want you to know, it is a sport, however foolish it may appear -- has spread to college campuses across the country in recent years, appealing to a generation that grew up with Harry Potter, his band of magical misfits and the high-flying game at which he excelled.

Quidditch was adapted by a group of students at Middlebury College in 2005 as a ground game that required only a field, a few varieties of balls and, of course, a broom for each player.

Since then, hundreds of American colleges have started quidditch teams, said Alex Benepe, commissioner of the International Quidditch Assn., the governing body that grew out of the ragtag team at the Vermont liberal arts college. Several Southern California schools have teams: Students at UCLA and USC have played for about a year; Occidental College in Eagle Rock has had a team for three years.

Read more: "A sweeping question for colleges that embrace quidditch."

-- Rick Rojas

Photo: Bruin Quidditch teammates including Asher King Abramson, center, prepare for a tournament at Cheviot Hills Park in Los Angeles. Credit: Christina House / For the Los Angeles Times

Comments

[dee gee]

why is this newsworthy?

[James Francis]

It's not surprising that college kids are doing this because this is the group that came of age when Harry Potter was written. They have grown up with the story and are the same age as the characters. It is not a legitimate sport however since it can't be played the same way in the books. It would required technology to have a snitch reappear and disappear. I think future new technologies, such as hovering, which would allow you to simulate flying in the air might allow sports to progress beyond traditional football, baseball, soccer. What do you think?

[Lisa Byers]

The students look like Grade A NERDS in the photo. Back in my day, we had real sports. Today's generation are a bunch of nerds and sissies.

Lisa Byers, USC '81

[JustSayin]

James Francis, I think you don't know much about college sports. Your comment: "I think future new technologies, such as hovering, which would allow you to simulate flying in the air, might allow sports to progress beyond traditional football, baseball, soccer" is ridiculous. Baseball and soccer aside, since I can't really comment on something I don't know, how do you see this Harry Potter crud creating progress beyond football? What do you mean? Do you have any idea how progressive the sport of football is and the type of technology that goes into the preparation to play the sport and protecting the players? Do you realize how much revenue football brings to colleges and high schools? This geeky Potter stuff can never generate the revenue, excitement, camaraderie, spirit, brotherhood, etc, that football produces. Your comment is insulting to anyone who has ever played, coached, or been the parent/family/friend of anyone who does or has played football.