Balls n broomsticks

Trying to bring different sports into scottish football match day programmes. Quidditch seemed like a good idea!

Paella and Bovril 

Balls and broomsticks 

A few years back a change in living location from near the beach to close to the mountain and river brought about some new and interesting run routes. The mountain has found me getting a little closer to some wild boar than I would have wanted. Running down the river route has offered up a variety of views, birds, butterflies and broomsticks. Of course seeing broomsticks makes one stop and look, and in this modern world, pull out the phone and fall down a google hole trying to find an answer to your puzzle. 

Barcelona Eagles Quidditch team was the answer. Turns out they are one of hundreds of teams that train and play all over the world. Now to those who are not familiar with the wizarding game of quidditch made famous by J.K Rowling and the world of Harry Potter this needs some explaining. The game involves several types of balls, a few goals either side, oh and all this is played on broomsticks flying above the spectators in a stadium. It seems that for obvious reasons the training session that I was witnessing was not involving any aero acrobatics but was confusing to watch. With still a few kilometres to get under the running belt to get me home I thought this search would be better finished at home. 

Turns out the Quidditch world is pretty massive, Catalan leagues, British premier leagues, national selections, cups.........so how do you play a “fantastical sport” 

Let us start with some easy info. The pitch is rectangular 55 meters by 33 meters. Games can vary in length as catching the snitch can happen at anytime. Teams consist of seven players – a Keeper, two Beaters, three Chasers, and a Seeker. Without flying broomsticks the players have to stand on one and run with it between their legs.

As in the books, Chasers try to throw one of the balls used, called a Quaffle (a deflated volleyball), through one of the three hoops, goals of the opposing team,  to score ten points, while the opposing Keeper does their best, like a “goalie”, to prevent any scoring. 

Beaters throw any of the three bludgers, (dodgeballs in this case) at opposing players, who if hit, can’t continue to be involved in the game until they run back to their own hoops and touch in.

This leaves the final player to describe. This is the Seeker. Their only job is to catch the Golden Snitch. In the books this is a golden ball that zooms around with wings and catching this awards the team 150 points and ends the game. This Snitch here is a tennis ball within a sock attached to a person who has no affinity to either team, who runs onto the field and runs around to try and avoid both Seekers from either team.  Catching the Golden Snitch here still ends the match, but it only awards 30 points to the team whose Seeker does catch it. Now this is where I got confused......well actually long before then but this took some time to get my head round. 

The game starts with 6 of the 7 players on the pitch. The referee calls “brooms up” and they are off. Now the seekers must not interfere with other positions, and wait near the pitch until 18 minutes. Then the snitch appears  on the field, usually at17 minutes, and the seekers are “released” to hunt it down. Confused, I am. 

These rules surely create a game that is hectic, frantic and “interesting to play” 

Maybe we will see The Balwearie Bludger Bashers play at Stark’s park in a local derby with The Pittencrieff Snitch Pinchers. I for one can’t wait.