Around the League: Resolutions
At the beginning of a new year, many people create...
Michigan State Quidditch (East Lansing, MI) had a successful year both on and off the pitch and hope to keep the momentum going as they head into 2013.
“We've been printed in our school newspaper four times and had an editorial in the Lansing State area. We're working on more Detroit area [publicity] now,” says Erin Betman, public relations coordinator. The entire team has their sights set on winning World Cup VI. “Last year we were knocked out at the 16; I'd like to try and beat that and make it at least one more round.”
Freshman Jacob Hepp's resolution is to break the record for the longest game ever played as a snitch. Other players simply want to play through the year without injuries or make their first goals during tournament games. Betman's personal resolutions are to hone her beater skills by improving her endurance and accuracy and to help the Michigan State Quidditch Facebook page gain followers through her position as public relations coordinator.
“I've been trying to redo our Facebook page. My goal last semester was [to get] 200 people to like it, and this semester, it's 300,” says Betman.
Mid-Atlantic Snitch Coordinator Rob "Snitch's" main goal is to have more frequent and accessible snitch academies. His personal resolution is to come up with ideas for snitch outfits and “shenanigans” that are even more creative than ones from 2012.
“This year I really got into coming up with a theme for every tournament I was going to. When I went to Texas I brought a yellow cowboy hat, and from that point forward I kept trying to think of how could I represent something from the area,” explains Snitch. He also wants to encourage creativity and safety in the snitches he helps train. “A lot of snitches are starting to become the wrestler, hand to hand; I think that's awesome. I don't care what anyone is doing as long as they don't hurt anybody,” says Snitch. Whatever the year may bring, it is almost certain those in Snitch's namesake position will be as elusive as ever.
Elijah Hartsell, University of Minnesota Quidditch (Minneapolis, MN) public relations chair and a seeker for Puddlemere United, an intermural league team, is looking forward to his third semester in Minnesota Quidditch. Hartsell says Puddlemere United wants to win their spring league tournament for the first time after placing third or fourth in their last few tournaments. The travel team's goal is to do as well as or better than they did at least year's World Cup, in which they placed fourth. Hartsell's personal resolution is to catch one of Minnesota's more elusive snitches, Max Meier: “He's the snitch every time I play,” says Hartsell.
Tyrell Williams, chaser for Texas State University (San Marcos, TX,) discussed some specific points his team wants to work on.
“One of our big things is we need to work on better defense against higher level teams and scoring more points,” says Williams. His personal goal is to continue working on being a team player during his second semester on Texas State's competitive team. Since the Southwest Regional Championship is not until late February, Texas State must wait to qualify for the World Cup, but Williams and the rest of the team have high hopes for success. “We're working on raising the money now if we do make it, we're going see how far we go from there,” says Williams.
Players and teams outside of the United States are also gearing up for another year of quidditch. The Australian Quidditch Association (AQA) has many exciting plans, some of which are already underway.
“We are working on contact rules and getting in professionals from other sports in to go through tackling with us and determine what the safest methods are,” says Zach Bickoff, who recently began his tenure as vice president of the AQA. Bickoff also hopes to bring wheelchair quidditch to Queensland through disability services in the area.
The James Cook University team (Cairns, QLD) also has big plans.
“We want to have a massive recruiting drive and increase our numbers, and we have a goal of attending at least two interstate tournaments,” says Bickoff.
2012 was quidditch's biggest year yet. The Olympic expo tournament in England was a huge hit, and the first-ever QuidCon recieved rave reviews. The future of quidditch looks just as bright, with improvements in organization and gameplay giving the sport plenty of structure. This year's QuidCon is set to be even better than last year's, and the hotly anticipated World Cup VI in Orlando is sure to be the biggest quidditch event of 2013.
