"Eyes closed. Heads down. Feet at the ready. The Snitch has been released. 3…2…1…"
These are the words Jessica Carroll '12 spoke at the first Hamilton Quidditch team practice Saturday, Nov. 8, moments before the first game would commence. At the shrill sound of her whistle, players holding broomsticks between their legs dashed around the Alumni Gymnasium in an effort to throw as many "Quaffles" through any of three hula-hoops on either side of the court. Meanwhile, a few members of the opposing team, deterred them with larger balls known as "Bludgers."
Quidditch isn't a real sport, you say? Hamilton students beg to differ. Kye Lippold '10 said he has always wanted to start a team at Hamilton ever since Middlebury College started the fad a few years ago. The popularity of the sport has spread to many liberal arts colleges and universities since, and there even exists an Inter-Collegiate Quidditch Association, which organizes competitions between schools.
"I knew that some people at Hamilton were interested," Lippold said. "When I was elected to Student Assembly in the beginning of the year, I proposed the idea, and got the works together. The great thing is that the equipment that Student Assembly is funding is going to last. I hope that we will be able to make this an official IM sport by spring."
While most team members are on the court during the game, one person who poses as the "Snitch," (normally a speedy, golden little ball in the books) runs around the campus but cannot go into any buildings. One member of each team, who goes by the title "seeker," chases the Snitch. If a seeker catches the Snitch, then his or her team is awarded a hefty amount of points and the game is over. In almost all cases, the team whose seeker catches the Snitch wins, simply because the 150 additional points they receive is enough to make it nearly impossible for the other team to come close.
After the action on the court ensued for a while, Hanna Kahrmann-Zadak '12, who was acting as the Snitch, stumbled in with Eric Kuenstner '12. Kuenstner had caught the Snitch and held in his hand the little ball of yarn which had dangled from Kahrmann-Zadak's clothes.
"I used to play cross-country and thought this would be fun," she said. "You have to be really quick at getting around buildings. I wish I could to go through Commons!"
Lauren Magaziner '12, signed up to be a keeper but ended up commentating. "I am a big Harry Potter nerd and it sounded like so much fun. It's always exciting to get to be like Lee Jordan!" Lee Jordan is the notoriously jocular and sometimes impertinent commentator in the Harry Potter books.
For now, the team is hoping to just test the interest level at Hamilton, but eventually if they decide to compete against other colleges, they will need to follow stringent guidelines enacted by the Middlebury team.
"Right now it's just going to be an intramural sport for the spring," Lippold said. "It's a fast-moving game with a lot of energy to it. It's really fun because it used complex rules combined with a chance to have fun."
-- by Allison Eck '12
These are the words Jessica Carroll '12 spoke at the first Hamilton Quidditch team practice Saturday, Nov. 8, moments before the first game would commence. At the shrill sound of her whistle, players holding broomsticks between their legs dashed around the Alumni Gymnasium in an effort to throw as many "Quaffles" through any of three hula-hoops on either side of the court. Meanwhile, a few members of the opposing team, deterred them with larger balls known as "Bludgers."
Quidditch isn't a real sport, you say? Hamilton students beg to differ. Kye Lippold '10 said he has always wanted to start a team at Hamilton ever since Middlebury College started the fad a few years ago. The popularity of the sport has spread to many liberal arts colleges and universities since, and there even exists an Inter-Collegiate Quidditch Association, which organizes competitions between schools.
"I knew that some people at Hamilton were interested," Lippold said. "When I was elected to Student Assembly in the beginning of the year, I proposed the idea, and got the works together. The great thing is that the equipment that Student Assembly is funding is going to last. I hope that we will be able to make this an official IM sport by spring."
While most team members are on the court during the game, one person who poses as the "Snitch," (normally a speedy, golden little ball in the books) runs around the campus but cannot go into any buildings. One member of each team, who goes by the title "seeker," chases the Snitch. If a seeker catches the Snitch, then his or her team is awarded a hefty amount of points and the game is over. In almost all cases, the team whose seeker catches the Snitch wins, simply because the 150 additional points they receive is enough to make it nearly impossible for the other team to come close.
After the action on the court ensued for a while, Hanna Kahrmann-Zadak '12, who was acting as the Snitch, stumbled in with Eric Kuenstner '12. Kuenstner had caught the Snitch and held in his hand the little ball of yarn which had dangled from Kahrmann-Zadak's clothes.
"I used to play cross-country and thought this would be fun," she said. "You have to be really quick at getting around buildings. I wish I could to go through Commons!"
Lauren Magaziner '12, signed up to be a keeper but ended up commentating. "I am a big Harry Potter nerd and it sounded like so much fun. It's always exciting to get to be like Lee Jordan!" Lee Jordan is the notoriously jocular and sometimes impertinent commentator in the Harry Potter books.
For now, the team is hoping to just test the interest level at Hamilton, but eventually if they decide to compete against other colleges, they will need to follow stringent guidelines enacted by the Middlebury team.
"Right now it's just going to be an intramural sport for the spring," Lippold said. "It's a fast-moving game with a lot of energy to it. It's really fun because it used complex rules combined with a chance to have fun."
-- by Allison Eck '12
