Chicago — “A lot of people get into Quidditch because they know it from Harry Potter, but they stay for the sport.”
Quidditch (now known as Quadball) is a mixed sport inspired by the Harry Potter series. In 1997, Quidditch was introduced to readers in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The game was then featured in the 2001 Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone movie. While they couldn’t fly on broomsticks, two undergraduates in 2005 figured out how to root the sport. Today, there are more than 50 college and club teams across the country and even around the world.
One such team is the Chicago United Quadball Club!
Chicago United Quadball gives players throughout the Chicagoland area the opportunity to play and learn about Quidditch. Described as a mixture of rugby, soccer, dribbling and soccer, the sport has two teams of six battling over the ball (the main scoring ball) to score points for their team. All while riding on a PVC tube like a broomstick!
While Quidditch draws its inspiration from Harry Potter, Chicago United wants it to be more than a “magical sport.”
“One of our team’s goals in particular is to take ourselves seriously as an athlete,” said team manager Hannah Miller. Players who want to take the sport a step further can flaunt their sporting prowess in the four major league teams that play against other teams across the country.
Recently, the American Quidditch Association as a whole underwent a name change from Quidditch to Quadball. This was in an effort to distance themselves from the derogatory comments made by Harry Potter’s creator, J.K. Rowling. Major League Soccer saw the name change as an opportunity to rename the sport to something new, unique, growing, and open to all players.
Chicago United players not only enjoy playing Quidditch, but also appreciate their teammates and the friendships they have made through it.
“It took me back to my football years. No matter how competitive we were, we were always hanging out after games,” said coach Danny Yacoub, head coach.
Veteran player Scott Raine recounted how all his friends after finishing college moved to different parts of the country. But having a team like Chicago United helped him make many good friendships in his younger years.
The Chicago United Quadball Club is constantly recruiting people into its team and family who want to play casually or competitively. To learn more about the team and connect with its members, you can find them on Facebook at Chicago United FC Quadpoolor at their email, chicagoquadball@gmail.com.
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