BROOMS AND BRAWN Everyone knows about the major sports thousands of athletes play across the country: football, basketball, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, and Quidditch. Well, the last one may not be nearly as prominent as the others listed, but it is gaining momentum like a witch on a broomstick. Here is the history of this unorthodox sport and how to play it in real life! With one hand on the broom and the other used to fight for and throw the ball, players engage in a quirky but surprisingly physical team sport. Two teams compete on a field about half the size of an American football field, with each team protecting their three goalposts The Reality of Real-Life Quidditch
Harry Potter’s Favorite Sport Quidditch originated as a fictional sport conjured up by author J.K. Rowling in her bestselling “Harry Potter” series. In the books, Quidditch is a team sport played by two teams of seven wizards and witches flying on broomsticks, competing to get a ball called a Quaffle through one of three of their opposing team’s goalposts. These days, the fictional sport has been adapted to the limitations of “muggles,” and teams across the country now play it. Witches, Wizards, and College Students Students at Middlebury College in Vermont first played Quidditch in 2005. They decided to adapt the sport from the book so they could play it themselves. Men and women put brooms between their legs, just like in the book, but the broom is a hindrance instead of a help.
while looking to score goals against their opponents. Each goal is worth 10 points, and catching the Snitch, which is a tennis ball wrapped up in a sock, is worth 30. The winning team is the one to score more points after they catch the Snitch. The intramural sport quickly took off
in popularity and now features competitions between college teams across the country. It’s a fun, physical coed sport that is turning Potterheads into athletes.
h y E s t a t e P l a n n i
Several times a year, I receive a phone call that begins with “Hello, my friend recommended you, and I need your help.” What follows
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–Craig Hersch
2 floridaestateplanning.com
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