Western Canada's largest quidditch tournament features 'fast-paced' action, inclusive community
Dozens of players competed in the largest quidditch tournament in western Canada on Saturday at the Edmonton Rugby Football Club.
The muggle, or real-life version, has two teams of seven players with a stick between their legs trying to score points by throwing a quaffle, a volleyball or soccer ball, through one of three hoops.
Meanwhile, bludgers are trying to tackle or throw a dodgeball to ward off scoring runs. Near the end of the match, the snitch makes an appearance and seekers try to catch the golden ball to win.
The first team to thirty points wins, or the play ends if a team successfully catches the snitch.
"In real life, it's kind of like a mixture of handball and rugby and dodgeball," said Anthony Tabacchi, who has played the sport for seven years.
"The big difference between Quidditch and a lot of other ball sports is that dodgeball component because at any time you are on the pitch you are playing your time could be over for that round," Tabacchi added.
Josiah Johnson and a couple of his friends made the 21-hour drive from Salt Lake City to participate in the tournament.
"There's so many ways to impact the game," he told CTV News Edmonton. "It's just fun to play, whether or not you like to read the book."
Cayley Mendoza, the Edmonton Aurors Quidditch Club acting tournament director, said since the game was first created at Middlebury College in Vermont 12 years ago, it has evolved past its magical roots in the Harry Potter universe.
"I know our old head coach of our competitive program did not like Harry Potter at all," Mendoza said. "I was a Harry Potter fan as a kid, I think like a lot of us out here. But what I learned pretty quickly when I started playing this sport is completely different and I love it for what it is."
The mixed sport has a gender maximum rule where only four people of the same gender identity can be on the field at the same time.
"We are really trying to explicitly carve out space for every person, especially people who are often marginalized by a lot of traditional sports to have a place on the field," Mendoza said.
"We have people from all sorts of athletic backgrounds and non-athletic backgrounds (who play)," she added. "Any sort of body, any sort of strength can find ways to play and excel."
Quidditch players take part in the Summer Solsnitch on Saturday, June 25, 2022 (CTV News Edmonton/Alison MacKinnon).
"Once I got going, I found this incredibly inclusive welcoming community of people, both nerds and athletes and everywhere in between," said MJ McGraw, who has played the sport on and off for around 10 years.
"The community is what made me stay," McGraw added. "It's fast-paced, it's high energy, it's a lot going on so you never get bored for sure."
The Edmonton Aurors Quidditch Club offers several leagues of play, including youth, full-contact competitive, and casual recreation teams.
Jon Golla, who has played since 2015, said the inclusive aspect of the sport is the best part.
"The sport itself is crazy just cause it's got so much going on," said Jon Golla. "A lot of higher-level thinking than anything I've ever done before."
"We will all play against each other and we will all be competitive with each other on the pitch but then after we are all hanging out."
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Alison MacKinnon
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.