Quidditch is BACK!
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama’s Creative Campus, in collaboration with University Recreation, will host the second Quidditch on the Quad campus-wide muggle Quidditch tournament on Sunday, November 13, 2011. Festivities at the University of Alabama’s Quad will begin at 12:00 pm on Sunday and conclude after sun-down when the final match is complete. Over 930 University of Alabama students, representing 82 different country teams, have registered to compete for the World Cup. The tournament will feature teams from a wide range of student organizations including the Law School, Japan Club, the Academic Honor Council, and the Million Dollar Band. The event will be Hagrid-sized fun for muggles of all ages, celebrating the magical and uniting power of literacy with Harry Potter festivities, food, and general folly. Harry Potter festivities will continue throughout the day including wand-making, house-sorting, and the American Chemical Society providing “potions lessons.” Bama Dining will sell butterbeer, caramel popcorn, and candy apples. Literacy organizations such as the Tuscaloosa Public Library and Literacy Is The Edge will offer other Harry Potter themed activities. Preliminary rounds will be held on the University Recreation fields on Thursday, November 10th beginning at 6:30 p.m. The preliminary matches on Thursday and Sunday’s matches and festivities are all free and open to the public. Creative Campus interns have produced a new video supporting the event that can be viewed online at http://vimeo.com/31506308. For more information contact Creative Campus by calling 205-348-7884 or visiting www.creativecampus.ua.edu.
Originally a fictional sport from J.K. Rowling's well-known “Harry Potter” book series, quidditch was modified by college students into “ground quidditch" or "muggle quidditch” to be played in the real world. Tournament teams will be following the rules and guidelines of the International Quidditch Association, which created the sport in 2005 at Middlebury College. The sport is a fast-paced combination of rugby, soccer, and volleyball, with participants holding a broomstick between their legs at all times. Players shoot "quaffles" (semi-deflated volleyballs) through hula-hoops attached to poles and have to avoid getting hit by "bludgers"(dodge balls). The snitch is a cross-country runner dressed from head-to-toe in gold and has free reign of the campus. Teams score points by shooting the quaffles and capturing the snitch. Teams are co-ed and are composed of 7-14 players. Games last about 30 minutes, with 7 players from each team on the field at a time.
To further promote literacy through this event Creative Campus is selling pre-orders of the official Quidditch on the Quad t-shirt to benefit the Tuscaloosa County Schools Reading Coaches Team. Each reading coach works with a specific elementary school in the Tuscaloosa County School System to develop reading programs and promote good reading habits. T-shirts can be ordered online at http://www.promotes.me/qqii or at Maxwell Hall on the University of Alabama campus.
Under the auspices of UA's Office of Academic Affairs Creative Campus is a collaborative system connecting students, faculty, and community to nurture innovative thinkers who turn ideas into action. Creative Campus seeks to serve as a hub of collaboration and creative activity at The University of Alabama. At the heart of Creative Campus is the undergraduate and graduate intern program. For more information on Creative Campus visit www.creativecampus.ua.edu
A division of UA’s Office of Student Affairs, University Recreation encourages healthy interaction through active and safe lifestyle opportunities for students and the greater University community that strengthens learning and personal growth. For more information about the Rec Center, visit http://urec.sa.ua.edu.
The University of Alabama, a student-centered research university, is experiencing significant growth in both enrollment and academic quality. This growth, which is positively impacting the campus and the state's economy, is in keeping with UA's vision to be the university of Choice for the best and brightest students. UA, the state's flagship university, is an academic community united in its commitment to enhancing the quality of life for all Alabamians.
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Contact: Alexandra E. Tucci, Creative Campus Intern, (205) 348-7884, aetucci@gmail.com, quidditchonthequad@gmail.com