“Harry Potter” Aside, Quadball Takes College Campuses by Storm

With multiple balls in play at once, quadball has its chaotic moments. Credit: Sam Murphy ‘24

In the Vassar Athletics Center, a group of students is in the middle of a session on a tennis court – but they are not playing tennis. They’re working on passing and spacing but not playing soccer. They’re working on zone and man-to-man defenses but not playing football. They’re trying to get the ball through a hoop to score points but not playing basketball.

They’re playing quadball, a sport of contradictions, conjured by a children’s book series, turned into reality, conceived by a public transphobe but sprouted into an inclusive and active community.

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Quadball, formerly known as quidditch, is a team sport designed after the magical game played in the “Harry Potter” series. The sport was first brought into the real world in 2005 at Middlebury College in Vermont. Through the work of Alex Benepe and Xander Manshel, who were both freshmen at the time, the sport came to life as an intramural and eventually spread to other colleges across the Northeast.

With lots of simultaneous action in quadball, understanding where to move and when is essential. Credit: Sam Murphy ‘24

Vassar College became the second school to field a quadball team and faced off against Middlebury in the first-ever intercollegiate quadball match in 2007. After Middlebury won and claimed the first-ever Quidditch World Cup, it has now become known as the US Quadball Cup. The sport continued to grow around the country and internationally, eventually bringing in teams from Canada, France and Finland.

In 2012, the sport saw an organized international tournament put on by the International Quidditch Association – it has been played in England, Canada, Germany, Italy, and the United States through its first five editions and won by the American team four times.

Noah Babb '24 during the Butterbeer Broooers practice. Credit: Sam Murphy ‘24

Seven people are on the pitch for each team during a quadball game. Three chasers, two beaters, one keeper and one seeker, each wearing a color-specific headband to signify their position. Chasers and keepers try to score by throwing the quaffle, a volleyball, through one of the three hoops, worth 10 points. The keeper also defends their own hoops as a goalie.

A Harry Potter-style broom mixed with quadball brooms. Credit: Sam Murphy ‘24

Beaters are defenders who throw one of three bludgers, dodgeballs, at opponents. When hit with a dodgeball, players must drop the ball in their possession and tag up at their own hoops before reentering play. Finally, the seeker’s sole job is to chase down the snitch, a flag strapped to the back of a neutral official, who does not enter the game until 18 minutes in. Catching the flag is worth 30 points and ends the game.

Don’t be fooled, though – quadball is a full-contact sport. Players can tackle each other to prevent scoring; mouthguards and concussion headbands are not uncommon equipment. And yes, every player must have a broom between their legs throughout the entire match.

With 15 people, multiple balls in play and a lot of movement, quadball can get hectic; communication, organization and strategy are essential.

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“I would just see people riding around on brooms,” said Jesse Koblin, a junior at Vassar and co-captain of the Butterbeer Broooers. “It really piqued my interest, so I wanted to see what it was all about.”

Many are drawn in by the unique visuals of seeing quadball in action. “I liked how goofy it was, not taking itself seriously,” said Koblin. Seeing the rapid gameplay mixed with the social bonding has made quadball a beloved pastime at colleges nationwide.

“The first time [you play], you’re always a little taken off guard just because of how strange [quadball is] to other things you’ve done,” said Zach Silbergleit, a sophomore at Vassar and co-captain for the Broooers.

Between learning the rules, strategy, technique and getting comfortable holding a PVC pipe between your legs, quadball takes some time for people to get the hang of it. However, the friendly culture created around the sport by its organizers has removed the aggressive nature that can come from other sports, ensuring a place for competition and sociality in and around the sport. 

“There’s room for players to be both competitive and casual if they want,” explained Greg Fahrner, a senior at Middlebury and co-captain of the school’s quadball team. “I’m incredibly competitive when it comes to quadball, so I’m glad that there’s room for people who want to play casually and enjoy the sport.”

Knowing quadball attracts people with a range of athletic abilities and knowledge of the sport itself, many shared that they were openly welcomed into the sport by its existing players. Acknowledging that you’re playing an unusual game helps break down the barriers between novices and experts and draws people in.

“Because it was a sport that no one knew much about, it was pretty easy to get into a comfort zone of asking questions and making mistakes,” said Mikayla Alford, a sophomore at the University of Vermont and secretary of UVM Quadball.

Beyond the game, many quadball teams have established themselves as approachable and engaging campus clubs that are inclusive and welcoming to all. Many of the clubs report having some members that are active players and some that are social members. Teams will host social events like dodgeball mixers, “Bring A Friend To Quidditch Day,” formals and more. 

“The social aspect is what made me interested, and then no matter how poorly I was throwing things, the social aspect is what made it fun,” said Graydon Hanson, a junior at Middlebury and the team’s social chair. “People were like, ‘Oh, you’re new, that’s fine. We’re all just playing a goofy sport; there’s no reason to be mad about it.’ There’s a self-awareness that is always appreciated that I think is not necessarily present in other sports.”

Since its inception in 2005, quadball has adapted. One example being that under the original rules, the snitch was not limited to an area and would often travel far across campus, simulating the abilities of the snitch in the magical world.

Its most distinct evolution came in the wake of J.K. Rowling’s transphobic comments beginning in 2019. Rowling, the author of the “Harry Potter” series, came under scrutiny for publicly supporting a British tax specialist who was fired for anti-trans tweets. 

In 2020, Rowling mocked a headline that included the phrase “people who menstruate,” which was intended to include transgender men and nonbinary people who have periods. Shortly after, Rowling published a 4,000-word blog post, which has since been labeled a “transphobic manifesto.” In the post, Rowling laid out five reasons for being concerned with transgender activism.

Since these remarks came out, Rowling has lost public favor and been condemned by many, including Daniel Radcliff, Emma Watson and Eddie Redmayne, who all starred in the “Harry Potter” films.

The governing bodies of organized quadball, U.S. Quadball and Major League Quadball, spoke out against Rowling’s views. The sport had been known for its inclusivity, especially along gender lines, before Rowling’s comments.

Quadball is played with a gender ratio rule, cheekily named Title 9 ¾, that mandates no more than four players of the same gender identity can be on the pitch at the same time. The rule is not limited to males and females, accounting for any gender identity of the sport’s athletes.

The most prominent change from the Rowling controversy was the change from “quidditch” to “quadball,” a move made by USQ and MLQ in July 2022.

The move both provides distance between the sport and the franchise – “quidditch” is a trademarked term by Warner Bros., who produced the “Harry Potter” movies – and highlights the growth of the sport in real life to build an active, supportive and inclusive following that is not dependent on the fictional series.

“Rowling’s statements and ideologies make it more clear that people playing quadball aren’t here for [Rowling,]” said Rachel Rose, a junior at UVM and vice-president of their quadball team. “For a lot of people, it’s about the community and being able to run around and play this really interesting and unique sport.”

Rowling’s statements and “Harry Potter” as a series fading from pop culture have allowed quadball to step out on its own, independent of the franchise.

“I don’t know if there’s anyone on the team right now whose main draw is the Harry Potter element,” said Alford. “I think it’s either people looking for a club sports community or someone who went to the club fair and [quadball] was something that interested or surprised them and stayed for the community.”

Not every college quadball organization has been able to maintain the membership numbers they saw when the sport began, but sticking true to their identity, an active and inclusive club that welcomes any and everyone to try this whimsical sport, is what has built strong communities across the country and world.

The common theme talking to quadball players is that no matter if their primary motivation is competition, exercise or being social, it’s a fun game to play. 

“My favorite thing is that juxtaposition between the social aspects and the fact that once you’re locked in, it’s a really fun sport that you can actually get involved in and get passionate about,” said Hanson, “while also acknowledging that you’re running around a field with PVC pipes between your legs.”

“My favorite thing about quadball is dunking on people,” said Jason Wu, a freshman and commissioner for Middlebury Quadball.