The Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) will be channeling the spirit of Hogwarts somewhere other than Bapst Library this Sunday when it hosts BC's first ever Quidditch Tournament in the Dustbowl. "I think it's something we've been talking about," Kathleen Iannone, UGBC director of campus outreach and A&S '11, said. "We were in the communications department last year, and we used to zone out during meetings and talk about fun things that the UGBC could do, and Quidditch was something that came up."
Made famous by the Harry Potter series, Quidditch is a fictional sport imagined by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and played by the wizards and witches in the magical universe.
In order to make the sport , which utilizes flying broomsticks in the fantasy series, playable in the real world, the UGBC had to make several modifications to the game, adding in several rules to ensure fun and fairness. For example, because there will be no flying, players are required to hold the broomsticks between their legs with one hand on the broom at all times, even while running. The Snitch is also no longer a ball, but rather a person who runs through the field dressed in yellow with flags tied to his or her waist; and the only way for the Seeker to capture the Snitch is to grab both flags. Because of this, no competitor is allowed to wear yellow to the tournament.
Mimicking the tough environment of the sport's depiction in the series, the tournament will be held on Sunday, regardless of whether or not it might rain. Only one game will be played at a time and will last, at most, 12 minutes, with the Snitch entering at the 10-minute mark. The game will end either when the Snitch is caught or the 12-minute mark is reached. The matches will be called by several referees dressed in black capes.
Participation in the Quidditch tournament is reserved for BC students only. Team registration for the tournament will take place tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m. in the UGBC office on the second floor of 21 Campanella Way. The teams should consist of eight to 10 players, and the first 16 teams to sign up for their respective teams will be allowed to play in the tournament. Games will last from approximately 12 p.m. until 4 p.m. Iannone is looking forward to an enthusiastic response. "I think that people have been talking about it," she said. "I think it's rough that it's right after College GameDay. But I hope it's a bit like Mudstock and that people just come out and have fun."
