Quidditch takes off in annual tournament

By Carmen Khuu, October 23 2014 —

University of Calgary muggles are encouraged to attend the Second Annual Alberta Quidditch Tournament at Foothills Athletic Park on Saturday, Oct. 25, where teams will play for the glory of the quidditch champion. The tournament is free and open to the public.

This is the second year the U of C Mudblood Quidditch Club will host the event. In addition to the game, spectators can expect Harry Potter merchandise and, depending on the mood of the crowd, a couple of non-contact games for those who want to try the game (aptly named “kidditch”).

Teams from Edmonton, central Alberta and Saskatoon, along with several non-student players from Calgary, will participate.

U of C Mudbloods head coach Karissa Nyman said the sport has grown a lot over the last year and her team expects several new faces.

After being around for two years, the club is now an official Quidditch Canada team. Students’ Union Faculty of veterinary medicine representative Blythe Sola said the team has gained a lot of legitimacy over the past year.
Along with first-time players, many veterans will return to play for the second time. Founder, beater and head coach of Red Deer’s Central Alberta Quidditch, Jillian Staniec, said that her team is definitely looking forward to a strong outing.

According to Staniec, the core values of the sport are based on trust and acceptance.

“You get to be who you are,” she said, “and you are accepted by your peers that way, too.”

The U of C Mudblood Quidditch Club is part of the university’s Active Living program. Open to both students and Active Living members, the club has been practicing on a weekly basis and encourages interested players to join.