SAN ANTONIO — Grab your broomsticks!
Quiddich, the fictional game of flying broomsticks, bludgers and snitches made famous by the "Harry Potter" series is being brought to local Muggles in the form of Major League Quidditch (MLQ).
"Harry Potter" fans, or “Potterheads” as referred to by players, are not as likely to suit up for the squad as one would expect. Perhaps that's because there are no special suits for professional Quidditch. There are no wizards, no cloaks, no wands and no witchcraft.
Instead, the real magic happens on the training field, where KENS 5 found a panting pack of broomstick-bearing bashers trying out for the MLQ’s new local team, the San Antonio Soldados.
It’s a highly aggressive contact sport with no pads and no gender restrictions. All MLQ teams are co-ed.
The first games are June 8 against the Austin Outlaws and June 9 against the League City Legends. Team rosters will be posted this month, and the first San Antonio-based MLQ team will hit the field with hopes to sweep the competition and head to nationals.
“It’s not what you think it’s going to be,” said head coach Miguel Esparza. “My dad came out and was like, ‘Wow, this is really a physical sport. I thought it was just a bunch of nerds doing nerd things.’”
Esparza explained that even though the sport began with "Harry Potter," very few of the players flocking to tryouts consider themselves to be Potterheads.
“At this level, you might have people who started with 'Harry Potter,' but everybody out here is an athlete, and they’re here to be an athlete first,” he explained. “The 'Harry Potter' stuff just kind of stays away from the sport.”
Players like Logan Zahn already have their first battle scars from preseason scrimmages. He looked up through a blood-stained gauze eye patch to explain how he got his wound.
“I went down for a ball, (and) a broom hit me. I came up with a cut…like a boxer’s cut," he said. "Lot of blood, but no real injury. It’s all just superficial.”
The sport combines elements from rugby, dodgeball, basketball, soccer and wrestling..all at once. It has evolved since its inception in 2005, and by 2015 the rules shifted to completely cater to the fast-growing game's fan base.
For example, the snitch, recognized as a small, winged ball in the films, is now represented by a neutral player on the field with a ball-shaped tail. Catching the snitch doesn’t end the game in the MLQ rulebook, but it does play a factor on the scoreboard.
If you want to learn how you can become the next chaser, seeker, beater or keeper to represent your hometown, click here, and follow KENS 5 for updates on the San Antonio Soldados.
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