It’s a popular sport in the wizarding world of Harry Potter and since the franchise became an international sensation, Muggles – non-magic people – have brought the game down to earth. Although no one will be flying high on broomsticks, Edmontonians will get a taste of a major quidditch tournament in a couple of years.
The Edmonton Aurors Quidditch Club and Edmonton Events successfully won a bid to host the 2020 National Quidditch Championship.
“It’s been a few years that we’ve been trying to get a major event here,” Aurors spokesperson Michelle Ferguson explained. “It feels really good. A lot of people put a lot of hard work into the bid.”
Muggle-style quidditch is a blend of familiar sport: handball, dodgeball, rugby, football and wrestling.
No players will be soaring on broomsticks, as they do in J.K. Rowling's popular books, but they still run around with broomsticks between their legs.
“The same way you dribble in basketball or you only use your feet in soccer, the broom adds an element of difficulty. So you need to learn how to catch with one hand and tackle with one hand,” she explained.
There are more than 30 quidditch teams across the country and more than half competed in the national tournament in Hamilton earlier in the year.
Ferguson anticipates seeing roughly the same number of teams come to Edmonton in 2020.
“This is the first major quidditch event that’ll be happening in the province of Alberta,” she said. “I think it will really help to boost our profile and maybe get more people interested in the sport.”
The Aurors currently have about 50 members and the club is looking to recruit more players.
The 2020 National Championship will take place at the University of Alberta’s Foote Field on March 28 and 29.
