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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2011
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
QUIDDITCH GAMEDAY PRESENTED BY THE WAVE PREVIEW
KANSAS
MISSOURI
KANSAS QUIDDITCH LOOKS TO SOAR OVER TIGERS
ABBY DAVIS/KANSAN
The Kansas Quidditch starters are ready to take on the Missouri Tigers this Sunday at 3 p.m. This will be their first match of the season.
HANNAH WISE
hwise@kansan.com
Rivalry. Competition. Broomsticks. The Kansas quidditch team is preparing to face off in their Border Showdown against Missouri this Sunday at 3 p.m. This is the team's first match-up of the season. The match marks the start of the second season for Kansas Quidditch.
The Jayhawks finished 7-3 last season. This will be Missouri's first intercollegiate match. Both Kansas and Missouri teams are unofficial members of the International Quidditch Association. Kansas Quidditch is an officially recognized University club team.
The Jayhawks have been practicing twice a week since the beginning of the school year to prepare for the season. They bring out their brooms, set up the hoops, lace up their running shoes and begin to play outside of the Ambler Student Recreation Center.
The team has been working to increase their speed and aggressive style on the field.
"Last year we played mostly a passing and speed game. This year we have more physical players so we are able to do all three now so we will be able to compete more efficiently," said Doug Whiston, a junior bludger.
Last season the team traveled to Wichita to play in the Wichita State Tournament in October. They placed third of six teams. At the time, the Kansas team had only been in existence for a couple of weeks.
The team's second tournament was the Hogsmead Tournament in Fayetteville, Ark. The Jayhawks placed third out of eight teams. The team plays a different style than many other collegiate quidditch teams.
"We spread the field out by passing a lot more. Other people just force their way into the goals," said Hai Nguyen, a junior chaser.
This weekend will be a test for the
Jayhawks. They have not seen Missouri play before, while the Tigers were in the stands watching the Jayhawks play in Arkansas. Even with the Tigers' prior-scouting, the Jayhawks feel like they still have the advantage because of their experience level. When the Kansas team got started last fall they were not prepared for the quick-paced nature of the sport.
"Right when the whistle blows they will figure out just how fast the game is going to be and it will catch them off guard"; said Nguyen.
Junior seeker Granville Hare said that Missouri has reported that they are bringing 15 athletes to town this weekend. The Jayhawks have a 40-member team and plan to use it to their advantage. The quidditch substitutes are the same as indoor soccer so that athletes can sub in and out when they are too tired.
"We are going to have a line of people that are going to sub-in for each position," Hare said.
The team's offensive goal for this weekend is to avoid the opposing beaters and keep their passing consistent as they head to the hoops.
"Chasers sneak around the hoops so you can hit them with a pass and get an easy 10 points," Whiston said.
The jayhawks work in a zone defense with the keeper. They try to limit the opposing team's passing game by having the two beaters covering the opposing team's chasers. At the same time, the jayhawk chasers work to steal the ball from the opposing chaser with the outaffle.
Hare will be making his debut this weekend.
"I've got a few butterflies, but this is Missouri's first game so I think we'll have an easy win here," Hare said.
The Jayhawks take on the Tigers Sunday at 3 p.m.
Edited by Ben Chipman
STARTING LINEUP
POTION NAME
Beater Nicole Denny
Beater Doug Whiston
Chaser Hai Nguyen
Chaser Tyler Amble
Chaser Jordan Daver
Keeper Granville Hare
Seeker Joel Haverkamp
OFFENSE
The Jayhawk offense has increased their speed during the past year. They have also modified their style of play to become more aggressive on the field. Chaser Hai Nguyen will be a major factor for the team with his speed and knowledge of the game. He helps the Jayhawks get the quaffle early in the game.
DEFENSE
Nguyen
The Jayhawk defense will be lead this weekend by keeper Granville Hare. This will be Hare's first official match. His size and strength will play to the Jayhawks advantage as he defends the hoops. He is a multifaceted player being able to defend as a keeper and also play offense as a chaser.
Hare
HOW TO WIN
Stay on your broom at all times. The player that falls off their broom must drop any ball that they possess and return back to their team's hoops.
Players should avoid being hit by the bludgers or else they follow the same procedure as falling off their broom to renter play.
Chasers move the quaffle down field and make attempts to throw it through one of the three hoops. For every shot made the team is awarded 10 points.
The seeker's sole goal is to catch the snitch and end the game. On top of ending the game, the team that catches the snitch is awarded 100 points.
OFFENSE
CHASERS
The offense will be driven by the three chasers. They are designated by wearing white headbands. They work to score by throwing or kicking the quaffle, a volleyball, down field. When the chasers throw the quaffle through one of the three hoops the team is awarded 10 points.
SEEKER
The keeper is designated by a yellow headband. They end the game by catching the snitch runner and pocketing the snitch, a tennis ball inside of a sock hanging at the back of the snitch runner's shorts.
DEFENSE BEATERS
The defense will be driven by the two beaters. They are designated by wearing black headbands. They throw bludgers, dodgeballs, at other players to disrupt the flow of the game. The beaters act as the chasers' first line of defense against the opposing team.
KEEPER
The keeper is designated by a green headband. They are the last line of defense for the team. They protect the hoops and try to knock out any incoming quaffle throws.
THE QUIDDITCH FIELD
Give us your best Mizzou smack talk!
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@UDK_Sports Missouri so nasty even the whomping willow wouldn't hit that.
bandie133
Roozle10
@UDK_Sports Mizzou is like the Purebloods from HP: incredibly inbred.
14
140
The highest score that the Quidditch team has racked up in a single game. They played against Arkansas and won 140-30.
The number of original Kansas Quidditch team members. The team now has 40 members.
BY THE NUMBERS
QUESTION MARKS
Kansas Quidditch team has more experience on the field than Missouri but the Tigers has watched the Jayhawks play for an entire weekend tournament. A major question will be whether the team can stay focused on the game rather than letting the emotional rivalry between Kansas and Missouri come through. At the same time the Jayhawks could be inspired to break their scoring record from last season of 140-30.