The University of Rhode Island’s Quidditch Club has kept its magic going despite this year’s curse of COVID-19.
URI’s Rhody Ridgebacks are a part of the Southern New England Quidditch Conference (SNEQC), a league where teams from Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut compete for the title of the greatest team. Some other groups in this conference include Clark University, Wellesley College and community teams from surrounding areas.
The sport, originating from the “Harry Potter” series, is a mixture of dodgeball, rugby and flag football, where the goal is to score points and capture the golden snitch. Aside from being bound to Earth, the game mirrors what the movies portray.
The typical experience for Quidditch Club members is chock-full of weekly practices, games on the Quad and traveling to play other teams. Unlike most URI sports, quidditch is year-round, meaning the team members are used to a busy schedule.
This year, players are facing a change of pace as the SNEQC has paused games. Coupled with health and safety protocols at URI, the Rhody Ridgebacks have limited options to keep their club afloat.
Nevertheless, members have continued to maintain their high spirits. New club member Sarah Meyer already feels at home with the Quidditch Club despite the team having limited in-person interaction.
“I have been able to participate in whatever virtual activities they were having,” Meyer said, “whether that be some sort of game online or learning about what their experience is as a team.”
Some of these virtual events have included playing Among Us with the team, making paper snowflakes and chatting on Zoom about classes and video games.
Meyer heard about the Quidditch Club while she was enrolling at URI and immediately reached out to the club leaders to learn more. So far, her favorite aspect of the club has been the sense of community.
“The people that I have gotten to know through quidditch have definitely been very supportive, very understanding, and very social,” she said. “We’re kind of all like-minded in a way, so that’s very appealing to a freshman.”
President Emile Jones has been a part of the Ridgebacks for three years now. They believe that quidditch is a great way to stay in shape while connecting with others, without the pressures of being a divisionally ranked sports team.
Jones particularly loves being on the field, where most of the gameplay is friendly competition.
“It’s more like a whole bunch of nerds sort of being physical together, and so there’s a lot less actual stakes behind [the game],” they noted.
If you feel like taking the pitch is too much pressure, the Quidditch Club also has managerial positions for students’ who want to help facilitate gameplay or work behind the scenes on their executive board.
To learn more about the Quidditch Club, follow their Facebook page for updates on virtual events and in-person activities as safety precautions are lifted in the future. No experience is required to become a member of the Rhody Ridgebacks.