USQ Update
Couch Appointed as First Northwest Regional Director
US Quidditch is thrilled to announce that Kym Couch will assume the position of Northwest Regional Director, effective immediately. Couch, the coach of the Boise State University Abraxans, is the region’s first director.
US Quidditch is thrilled to announce that Kym Couch will assume the position of Northwest Regional Director, effective immediately. Couch, the coach of the Boise State University Abraxans, is the region’s first director.
The Northwest region was announced on July 1 by USQ Management. The region featured one official team last year, Boise State.
Couch helped found the Abraxans her sophomore year. In October of 2012, she met Stew Driflot in a theater class. After Driflot wore Harry Potter paraphernalia to class one day the two got to talking, and, shortly thereafter, discussed creating a team at Boise State University. Driflot, with Couch’s assistance, decided to found the team, and Couch assumed the position of team manager in December 2012. As team manager, Couch was responsible for the administrative functions of the team and was in charge of all non-playing duties. She has held that position until this season, where she will be the team’s first non-playing coach.
In addition to her time at Boise State, where until this year she played as a chaser and seeker, Couch has volunteered in numerous roles with USQ. Since November 2013, she has served as a staff writer in the USQ editorial department, writing about topics such as quidditch at VidCon and the Sunrise Spellcasters, a kidditch team based in Kissimmee, Fla.
Couch most prominently edited the 8th edition of the rulebook, which came into effect July 1. She has also volunteered at various tournaments as an assistant referee and served as tournament director for Brooms on Blue in Boise, played on the school’s famous blue turf.
USQ Teams Director Alexis Bristor cited Couch’s personality as a key factor in her hiring.
“She is one of the most positive and enthusiastic people I have had the pleasure to meet in quidditch, and that mixed with her go-get-em attitude will go a long way in this position,” she said.
Bristor also mentioned Couch’s experiences with Boise State as another factor behind her hiring.
“She has been part of the Northwest for several years now and knows the difficulties that region faces," Bristor said. "She [also] has worked tirelessly to get the Boise State Abraxans off the ground with quite success and I know that she knows what it's like to be on a team isolated from other teams and still succeed, so she will be able to use first-hand experience to help out the struggling teams up there.”
Couch is excited to hit the ground running in her new position.
“Although I do know many of the team leaders, because of my location in the southern part of the region I haven't gotten to be involved in many tournaments or events up north, so I am very excited to get to know everyone,” she said. “The Northwest Fantasy tournament in a few weeks is going to be a great opportunity to meet some of the people I've been working with and build stronger relationships so we can take what we have built as a region and make it better.”
The challenge of starting with a brand new region does not faze Couch.
“I've always wanted to be a part of the USQ in whatever way I could be most useful to the sport, so when the Northwest region was announced, I saw this as a great opportunity to make a difference for quidditch in my area,” she said. “I am very fired up about this position and I am going to do everything I can to make this region the best it can be!”
