Team Spotlight: Division II Champion Sam Houston State
Sam Houston State University (SHSU) Quidditch (Huntsville, TX) has come a long way since it started just three years ago.
Photos by Leslie Bartsch, Annie Marie Photography, and courtesy of Sam Houston State University Quidditch Team
“SHSU Quidditch was started by a few members who happened to come across some videos on YouTube about quidditch,” recalled Brandi Cannon, president of SHSU Quidditch. “It expanded after meeting A&M's team and participating in an unofficial tournament back in 2010.”
The past few months have been full of ups and downs for the team. SHSU won the first Bottom of the Bracket tournament in January, but they did not advance far in the Mardi Gras Cup. Their heartbreaking loss to Oklahoma State University Quidditch (Stillwater, OK) in bracket play at the Southwestern Regional Championship prevented them from qualifying for a Division I World Cup spot. However, the team refused to give up their World Cup dreams and registered for Division II. SHSU keeper and co-captain Adam Bell explained, “When we got in as a D-2 team, we knew we had to win out to prove that we were capable of performing in the limelight. Me and [co-captain] Randi Sampson… just said that we weren't going to over coach and try to be a team that we weren't. We knew we are a talented team, and we just needed to stick to the plan that has basically raised us from the cellar of the southwest to a team that can finally post winning records in tournaments.” With this goal in mind, they doubled their number of practices and continued to push themselves as athletes.
Their hard work and perseverance paid off, as SHSU took the Division 2 championship with a 110*-70 win over Loyola University (New Orleans, LA) in the finals. In addition to earning the title of Division 2 Champions, the team also had the opportunity to grow closer. “We took two vans and stayed in these vacation rental homes not too far from the park. It allowed us to bond a lot,” said Cannon.
Although World Cup VI is over, Sam Houston has one last big event planned before the school year ends. Keeping with tradition, they are hosting a themed tournament at the end of this month. Cannon explained, “This year's theme is "Fancy," and we expect to see plenty of fancily-dressed quidditch folks out to have a good time. I hope to see some rag-tag prom themes, 1920s, and even maybe formal zombies. We also recognize graduating seniors that come out since this will probably be the last collegiate quidditch games they might play.”
After winning Division 2 at World Cup VI, the future of SHSU Quidditch seems bright. “I would like to see Sam Houston as one of the top three teams in the Southwest and really making a push to become a World Champion. Our school really helps us out a lot, and I see the D-2 win as a major stepping stone for this program to grow in a few short years,” said Bell.