Middlebury College to Host World Cup October 25th & 26th 2008
Displaying all 4 posts by 4 people.
Post #1
Kate wroteon September 17, 2008 at 7:18pm
Muggle Quidditch Teams From Around the Country
Will Compete for the Quidditch Championship in October 2008
Although the Harry Potter series has ended, the excitement surrounding the book is still very much alive. Muggle Quidditch, based on the magical sport played by Harry Potter and his friends, has been sweeping the nation ever since 2005 when it was adapted to real life in 2005 on the Middlebury College campus. Currently, there are now over 200 registered high school and College Quidditch teams across the United States, all playing by the official rulebook written by Middlebury College students. Close to a dozen of those teams are now poised to compete on the Intercollegiate level at this year’s Intercollegiate World Cup in Vermont.
Middlebury College organized the debut of the first Intercollegiate Quidditch match in history at last year’s World Cup in November of 2007, though the Cup has existed on the intramural level at Middlebury since 2005. In 2007, twelve Middlebury teams competed for the top spot to play a match against the recently formed Vassar Quidditch team. The teams sported names such as the “Battling Bogarts”, “The Mollywobbles”, and the “Freshwater Plimpies” The day of the tournament, the teams descended onto the Quidditch field with brooms between their legs and colorful capes and costumes on their backs.
Amidst the music, catered food, musical performances, entertainment, and glittering banners, fans and spectators were able to watch an intense Quidditch competition. With seven players to a side, Quidditch is played on broomsticks to simulate the actual flying featured within the Harry Potter books. Each team is comprised of the following positions: beater, chaser, keeper, and seeker. Two beaters throw kick balls to thwart the opposing team and prevent them from scoring. Three chasers use volleyballs to score in the three golden hoops on the opposite ends of the field. One keeper guards the hoops, or goals on each side, while each team’s Seeker tries to find and capture the Golden Snitch. In the wizarding world, the Golden Snitch is an elusive, flying golden ball. In Muggle Quidditch, the Golden Snitch is not a golden ball but a cross-country runner dressed in gold who weaves across the college campus, avoiding and sometimes tackling the Seekers who struggle to capture him.
Alex Benepe, a Middlebury College senior, is the Intercollegiate Quidditch Commissioner and along with his friends and peers, he has been organizing the success of the emerging sport since 2005. Benepe has been advertising for the 2008 World Cup ever since last spring when he and his Middlebury Quidditch Squad loaded up four vans and orchestrated a road trip across the Northeast, stopping at different college and university campuses to advertise Quidditch and encourage college teams to travel to Middlebury and compete at the World Cup in October. The road trip was a success and was featured on three different national television networks.
With the publicity generated from the Quidditch road trip last spring (can be seen on youtube.com), Benepe is especially excited about this year’s World Cup, which will be a two-day event. “Ever since our first year, we have dreamed of Intercollegiate Quidditch competition. Now its going to happen on a huge scale,” said Benepe. On Saturday, October 25th Middlebury League teams will battle for the chance to compete in the Intercollegiate Championship, which will take place the following day on Sunday, October 26th. Eight teams from around the country, from the west coast, and the south, to the northeast, have already signed on to compete in the intercollegiate tournament, including Princeton, Amherst, LSU, Washington State, and Occidental college. The World Cup will also feature special performances, food and refreshments throughout the weekend. The event is free and open to the public, and people of all ages and magical ability are encouraged to attend.
If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Alex Benepe, please e-mail Kate Lupo at katherinelupo@gmail.com
Will Compete for the Quidditch Championship in October 2008
Although the Harry Potter series has ended, the excitement surrounding the book is still very much alive. Muggle Quidditch, based on the magical sport played by Harry Potter and his friends, has been sweeping the nation ever since 2005 when it was adapted to real life in 2005 on the Middlebury College campus. Currently, there are now over 200 registered high school and College Quidditch teams across the United States, all playing by the official rulebook written by Middlebury College students. Close to a dozen of those teams are now poised to compete on the Intercollegiate level at this year’s Intercollegiate World Cup in Vermont.
Middlebury College organized the debut of the first Intercollegiate Quidditch match in history at last year’s World Cup in November of 2007, though the Cup has existed on the intramural level at Middlebury since 2005. In 2007, twelve Middlebury teams competed for the top spot to play a match against the recently formed Vassar Quidditch team. The teams sported names such as the “Battling Bogarts”, “The Mollywobbles”, and the “Freshwater Plimpies” The day of the tournament, the teams descended onto the Quidditch field with brooms between their legs and colorful capes and costumes on their backs.
Amidst the music, catered food, musical performances, entertainment, and glittering banners, fans and spectators were able to watch an intense Quidditch competition. With seven players to a side, Quidditch is played on broomsticks to simulate the actual flying featured within the Harry Potter books. Each team is comprised of the following positions: beater, chaser, keeper, and seeker. Two beaters throw kick balls to thwart the opposing team and prevent them from scoring. Three chasers use volleyballs to score in the three golden hoops on the opposite ends of the field. One keeper guards the hoops, or goals on each side, while each team’s Seeker tries to find and capture the Golden Snitch. In the wizarding world, the Golden Snitch is an elusive, flying golden ball. In Muggle Quidditch, the Golden Snitch is not a golden ball but a cross-country runner dressed in gold who weaves across the college campus, avoiding and sometimes tackling the Seekers who struggle to capture him.
Alex Benepe, a Middlebury College senior, is the Intercollegiate Quidditch Commissioner and along with his friends and peers, he has been organizing the success of the emerging sport since 2005. Benepe has been advertising for the 2008 World Cup ever since last spring when he and his Middlebury Quidditch Squad loaded up four vans and orchestrated a road trip across the Northeast, stopping at different college and university campuses to advertise Quidditch and encourage college teams to travel to Middlebury and compete at the World Cup in October. The road trip was a success and was featured on three different national television networks.
With the publicity generated from the Quidditch road trip last spring (can be seen on youtube.com), Benepe is especially excited about this year’s World Cup, which will be a two-day event. “Ever since our first year, we have dreamed of Intercollegiate Quidditch competition. Now its going to happen on a huge scale,” said Benepe. On Saturday, October 25th Middlebury League teams will battle for the chance to compete in the Intercollegiate Championship, which will take place the following day on Sunday, October 26th. Eight teams from around the country, from the west coast, and the south, to the northeast, have already signed on to compete in the intercollegiate tournament, including Princeton, Amherst, LSU, Washington State, and Occidental college. The World Cup will also feature special performances, food and refreshments throughout the weekend. The event is free and open to the public, and people of all ages and magical ability are encouraged to attend.
If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Alex Benepe, please e-mail Kate Lupo at katherinelupo@gmail.com
Post #2
Jeffrey wroteon October 18, 2008 at 9:00am
Anybody else going? We'll be there! Does one tailgate at Quidditch?
Post #3
Areya wroteon October 23, 2008 at 7:23am
They should! As soon as some people develop the technology to make balls and brooms defy gravity for actual play, this game will be played as much as soccer, I'm sure! Everything will come with it, including tailgating parties!
Post #4
Alex wroteon October 23, 2008 at 9:40am
There will indeed be tailgaiting, as well as flatbread, sandwiches, and pancakes