Episode 75- Quidditch with Mary Kimball

Whether you eat, sleep and breathe Gryffindor, are an avid athlete, or a combination of the two you’ll be ready to get your game on with a lively Quidditch match.

The magical sport from the legendary Harry Potter books and movies has come to life as an actual competitive sport with collegiate and community leagues popping up all over the world. For real. Ok, yes, the rules had to change slightly since most of us don’t have the ability to get our brooms to actually fly, but it’s still every bit as thrilling and heart pounding as J.K. Rowling imagined it.

This week we spoke to Mary Kimball from US Quidditch about the sport that has captivated the masses, even ones who’ve never even picked up one of the books or seen the films.

Mary describes the real-world version of the game as a combination of rugby, dodgeball and capture the flag with a little wrestling thrown in when it comes to capturing the Snitch. Yep, there’s actually a Snitch. However, instead of flying around on its own, it’s attached to a player’s shorts usually with Velcro. For anyone who is familiar with the elusive ball, you’ll immediately know how it can quickly turn into a full-on wrestling battle.

The leagues and teams across the country compete similarly to any other competitive sport. Organizers have been working with educators to create a curriculum-based version to bring into gym classes across the country. This is designed to pave the way for generations of players for years to come.

One of the most exciting aspects of the game is much like our friends in Chessboxing, it requires multiple skillsets and strategies giving athletes with a whole variety of strengths an equal opportunity to participate.

Another key differentiator for Quidditch as opposed to other competitive sports is that the teams are completely co-ed which is sadly still a rarity still in most other athletic endeavors.

Mary was a great interview and shared a ton of fun insight into the matches and what it was that initially drew her to it. These days, she’s a key player in growing the sport and promoting it although she doesn’t get to actually play as much as in the past.

For those who’ve never read the books before never fear, there is no requirement of ever being sorted into a house of working on your wizardry to try out. Mary definitely recommends checking out a few matches though and keeping that cardiovascular training up to prepare for tryouts.

If you’re curious to see if there’s a team near you check out US Quidditch here. Love the game but don’t want to play? You can also check out the collegiate teams to cheer on your alma mater from the stands. If you’re curious about where this crazy game came from and have never experienced the Harry Potter series, we suggest ordering it now. It’s the perfect solution to countless hours at home when you’ve exhausted everything there is to watch on Netflix, Hulu and beyond.