February 19, 2015, by Anne S
Quidditch in Nottingham? You bet!
Brooms up! Helen Freeman would like to introduce you to competitive quidditch.
I know what you’re thinking – no, we don’t fly. It’s an unfortunate consequence of not living in the Harry Potter universe.
Quidditch is like a cross between rugby and dodgeball, with a bit of wrestling thrown in for good measure. It’s a fully mixed gender sport and very inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community. Yes there are brooms, we like to think of them as a handicap which adds an extra twist to the game. I could spend a while explaining the rules to you but I’m sure the video below will do a much better job!
The Nottingham Nightmares play both within the university and against other teams from around the country. In a few weeks we’ll be competing at the British Quidditch Cup (held just over the road at Wollaton Park!). There are over 30 teams in the UK alone, and in the US the number is in the hundreds! Don’t be put off by the fact that we’re not an AU society. Make no mistake, Quidditch is a full-contact, hard hitting sport.
People often ask how you get into such a unique sport. I came to uni knowing that the Quidditch and Harry Potter society existed and to be honest, I just wanted to find some other fans to geek out with. I fancied getting back into sport and figured that uni is the best place to try new things, so I dragged one of my very reluctant flatmates along to the first quidditch session for a laugh. We both loved it and never looked back!
The best thing about quidditch for me is the level of inclusivity, there are so many different people that get involved. Seeing tiny girls tackling 6ft guys is certainly a sight to behold! You have everyone from die-hard Potter fans like me, to people who couldn’t care less about J.K. Rowling and are in it purely for the love of the game. I honestly can’t recommend it enough.
More to come about British Quidditch Cup very soon! #IBelieveInNightmares
The British Quidditch Cup will be at Wollaton Hall Saturday 7 – Sunday 8 March.
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