When it comes to Tufts Quidditch, you either hate it like a puke-flavored Bertie Botts Every Flavor Jelly Bean or love it like a tasty Butterbeer (I promise the references end here). The debate over the legitimacy of the team spread far and wide after the Tufflepuffs almost won the World Cup in November, and was even the topic of CJ Saraceno's Nov. 17 column in the Daily, becoming Tufts' equivalent of finally making it to the Major Leagues.
I'm no Saraceno, and I have no intention of attempting to persuade you to care or not care about Quidditch. But I do have an obligation to keep my readers informed, and with word of the team's success not disappearing, as well as rumors of hundreds of broom-wielding, broken-glasses-wearing college students converging on the Hill this weekend for a regional tournament, it's time for me to hit the rulebooks and break it down for you.
For the rest of the column, I will be using Muggle terms, though I'm sure anyone with a working knowledge of Harry Potter (and let's be honest, if you go to Tufts, you've probably got one) can piece it together:
Chasers (white headband)
The main offensive players in the game, the chasers play exclusively with a single, partially deflated volleyball. Each team has three chasers, whose job it is to score by putting the volleyball through any of the three hoops on the opposing side. A goal is worth 10 points.
A chaser in possession of the ball has no limit to how long he or she can possess it or how far he or she can move with it. Opposing chasers can try to force a turnover with either a one-armed tackle or a bullrush. The game the chasers play ends up looking very much like a rugby match, with hoops at each end instead of end zones.
Beaters (black headband)
While the chasers play rugby, the two beaters on each side play dodgeball with three balls. Any player hit by a beater throw must drop all balls in their possession and return to their own hoops before continuing play. Chasers can deflect beater throws with a volleyball, while opposing beaters can protect themselves with either their own dodgeball or by catching the throw. Friendly fire has no effect.
Keepers (green headband)
The keeper is basically a glorified chaser. They follow all of the same rules with the exception of some special immunity: While in their own defensive zone, keepers cannot be bludgeoned, nor can they be tackled.
Some of the top teams, including Tufts, use their keeper as a fourth offensive player, while others prefer to keep him back as a full-time defender.
Seekers (yellow headband)
The seekers' job is to grab the tennis ball that hangs in a sock out of the back pocket of a neutral party dressed from head to toe in yellow and gold. This person is known as the snitch. The snitch has no boundaries and can go anywhere it pleases, from subways to unicycles (I've actually seen this occur). Usually, the snitch will have a time limit for returning to the field.
If a seeker catches the snitch, his or her team receives 30 points and the game ends immediately. If the snitch falls to the ground at any point, it is uncatchable and receives a 3-second head start before the seekers can follow. The snitch can be as forceful as it chooses, and they have been known to spray seekers with hoses, beat them over the heads with bicycles and threaten them with a gun. Or was it a wrench?
So there you have it. These rules are extremely simplified but should get you through your first viewing or playing experience. For more detail, check out the International Quidditch Association's website. Who knows, you might even enjoy it.
