World Cup Diary: Rebecca McLaughlin
When Southern Miss Quidditch took the fourth World Cup spot at the Southern Regional Championship, we knew that World Cup trophy was as good as ours. I completely jest. Qualifying was reward enough for our team; the first in Mississippi, and barely over a year old. We went to have fun, maybe win a game, and watch the best of the quidditch world.
Photo by Kat Ignatova, Photo Editor
I, along with co-captains Anna Hotard and Kyle Carpenter (a.k.a. the “pink-haired snitch”), and seeker Brendon Frisella, left Hattiesburg, MS in the midst of a tornado warning, but our spirits were high. We arrived in Kissimmee on schedule Friday afternoon, with Kyle and I heading to the fields to meet Jeff Brice, Rob Snitch, and the Snitch Corps. This was the first time that weekend I fully appreciated the quidditch community. I'd talked with Rob online, after gently (or so I like to think) hassling for a Snitch Academy near MS, and I really enjoyed catching up with fellow snitches from different regions, discussing pranks and other such snitchery.
That night's sleep felt like being a small child on Christmas Eve. Having been looking forward to the World Cup for months - Kyle and I were planning to snitch even before USM qualified - I was awake before the 5:30 a.m. alarm. Bleary-eyed, we made our way to the pitches, registered as a team and as snitches, and set up a gazebo in the team village. In the opening ceremony we cheered, waved to friends from LSU, Loyola (NOLA), Tennessee Tech, and QC Carolinas, and enjoyed the sweet moves of Alex Benepe.
I hit the ground running with my first snitch game between the VCU Wizengamots and the Qwertyrians. I felt particularly proud of having to resort to a no-armed handicap and felt in good spirits. Foolishly, I'd picked up that extra snitch game just before my first match for USM. As one of our starting chasers I gave my all, but the spider-clad Richmond were worthy opponents. We were neck-and-neck as they caught the snitch.
After snitching some more, we played the deceptively cute-sounding Tufflepuffs at 3:00pm. Our team was struggling with the heat and humidity. The points against us were horrific, but mainly I recall sheer exhaustion post-match. Born and raised in the UK, Florida weather is far removed from my natural habitat; taking a few hours to sit, refuel, and rehydrate were vital for me at that point.
Arriving for USM vs. Ohio State I felt better. The weather was cooling, and the pressure was off. USM was out of the WC; we were just playing for fun. After another loss, I returned my focus to snitching.
The Snitch Corps were also feeling the strain with injuries, ref responsibilities, and fatigue. Jeff Brice did an exemplary job at organizing his eclectic snitch crew, and was the epitome of professionalism. I cannot recall the number of games I snitched by the time USM vs. UT rolled around at 9:40 p.m., but I knew we were ready to send those Longhorns to Upset City! As it happens, this was my favourite game of the day; as my last with USM, I went in relaxed, with the sole aim of having fun. As much as I'd love to say we let them win, I think they were kind to us with a scoreboard of 150-0. The ease in which those points were put away is astounding – the winners earned their victory. We went back to the hotel weary, but happy, and ready to snitch another day.
What felt like minutes later, Kyle and I were back at the fields. I started the day snitching Badassilsks vs.Brevard. Brevard Titan's seeker, Matthew Weber, must be one of the nicest men in quidditch. I was flattered when asked to sign my trading card, and ecstatic when given a “Duncan Ferguson” card in exchange. LSU's Duncan “Donut” caught me in my first-ever snitch game. Perhaps my favourite snitch game of the weekend was Silicon Valley Skrewts vs. North Arizona Narwhals. After defensive seeker work against the Skrewts, the Narwals pulled my tail into extra time. Nervous, I took extra time to 3 minutes and 57 seconds for a North Arizona victory. Both teams played incredibly well, and I enjoyed the no-messing approach of referee Bridget Siegel.
Much snitching later and a brief watch of Texas A&M vs. University of Texas I headed to BGSU vs. Lost Boys on the championship field. Having felt the wrath of his bludgers and tackles, I know Kyle Carpenter is a phenomenal athlete, but a combination of adrenaline, atmosphere, and that pink hair (that I'd lovingly dyed the Wednesday before) kicked in for a fantastic performance. I felt so proud of Kyle's game; one of the highlights of my weekend.
Having been extremely honoured to snitch the D2 final, I tried my best. I enjoyed the confusion of running in with Mason Kuzmich and Will Orscheln, but was disappointed with an early grab by Sam Houston State. After, I enjoyed parading behind my regional flag (Go South!) with the other snitches and loved the fight put up by and Charlie Jordon in the championship game.
With the final played, the trophies handed out, and goodbyes said, we piled back into the car, for the nine-hour drive back to Hattiesburg. Kyle and I sweaty and exhausted, but jubilant after a fantastic weekend. The World Cup has been a highlight of my year as an exchange student. I return to the UK in August (after as many fantasy tournaments my bank balance allows) and hope to put what I've learned to good use on the UK quidditch scene. See you at the Summer Games – go Team UK!
