Author J.K. Rowling dreamed up the sport of Quidditch as part of the “Harry Potter” series nearly 30 years ago, and it has since captivated millions through books and films.
The fantastical game has grown beyond fiction, however, to become a real sport that’s gained popularity worldwide — including at the University of Kansas.
Now commonly referred to as quadball rather than Quidditch, the sport is practiced by the Kansas Quadball club, providing students the chance to learn the complexities of a competition originally crafted for daring wizards soaring through the skies on broomsticks.
“It’s unlike anything you’ve played, but it has a lot of similarities to other sports,” Kansas Quadball President Gavin Klaassen said. “If you want to equate it to something, I would compare it to a mix of basketball and dodgeball.”
Klaassen, a KU senior, has been a part of the club since his freshman year and has enjoyed meeting hundreds of people during his time as a member.
“Quadball is a very open sport, and you get a lot of different people from a lot of different walks of life,” Klaassen said.
Quadball originated at Middlebury College in 2005 with students Alex Benepe and Xander Manshel, fans of the Harry Potter series who wanted to devise a way to play Quidditch in the real world. It manifested itself as a contact sport that combines elements of rugby, handball and tag.
Quadball is a mixed-gender sport that limits the number of players of a particular gender that a team may have on the field at a given time, a rule that ensures each team will develop a diverse roster, according to American governing body US Quadball. The sport rebranded as quadball in 2022 both to wield greater control over its own name (as opposed to one trademarked by Warner Bros.) and to distance itself from Rowling’s public statements about transgender people.
It is now played in over 40 countries and 100 universities, and while it is a growing sport, understanding the rules of the game can be challenging for new players and spectators.
Jacob Bradford, left, prevents his opponent, right, from catching a quadball at a tournament in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022. Bradford’s job as the keeper is to prevent opposing players from scoring on his team’s hoops.
How is quadball played?
A quadball field spans roughly half the dimensions of a football field, with three hoops located in each half of the field. Each hoop consists of a post topped with a circular hoop, varying in height at 6 feet, 4.5 feet and 3 feet.
The game is played by two teams composed of seven players, and all players on the field must remain on their broomsticks during active play — a reference to the fantastical airborne version of the game played in Rowling’s series. The broomsticks, 40-inch plastic or fiberglass poles, must stay between a player’s legs during competition.
Four balls are in play at all times: one volleyball and three dodgeballs. The volleyball represents the quadball (or “quaffle”), and can be thrown through any of the three hoops for 10 points, while the dodgeballs (“bludgers”) are used to temporarily knock opposing players out of the competition.
Each team consists of four positions: one keeper, one seeker, two beaters and three chasers. The positions are designated by the color of the headband worn by each player. A keeper wears a green headband, a seeker wears a yellow headband, the beaters don black headbands and the chasers sport white headbands.
The role of the keeper is to protect their team’s hoops by stopping the opposing team’s chasers, whose responsibility is to score the quadball, from getting the quadball through their hoops. The beater’s role is to knock opposing players out of the game by using dodgeballs.
Any opponent hit anywhere on their body by a beater’s dodgeball must instantly drop the ball they were holding and return to their hoops to touch back in before they are allowed to engage in play again.
Just like in Quidditch, quadball has a snitch — but it looks a little different on the real-world field. Instead of a tiny flying ball, the snitch is actually a neutral player called the flag runner. Dressed in golden shorts with a flag attached to their uniform, the flag runner joins the game 20 minutes in, adding a fresh layer of excitement.
The snitch itself is a tennis ball tucked at the end of that flag, and it’s the job of each team’s seeker to chase the runner down. If a seeker manages to pull the flag, their team scores 30 points and gains a significant advantage.
James McCobe, left, tries to grab the snitch off the flag runner, right, at a tournament in Tulsa, Okla., on Tuesday, August 22, 2023. McCobe’s job as the seeker is to capture the snitch, winning 30 points for his team.
The object of the game is to reach a higher score than the opposing team. Following 20 minutes of action, the endgame commences when 60 points are added to the leading team’s score to establish a set score.
For instance, if after 20 minutes, Team A has a score of 40 and Team B has a score of 20, the set score would be adjusted to 100. The team that first attains the set score is declared the winner.
Quadball’s influence at KU
Since 2010, the Kansas Quadball club has allowed thousands of students the opportunity to experience a game that has no equal.
“There’s no other sport like it, or even close to it,” KU junior Blake Moore said. “The inclusivity makes it fun and a safe space to express yourself.”
Moore has been part of the team for two years and enjoys practices and games, but he appreciates the travel aspect of the club the most, as it allows him to slow down and enjoy the camaraderie around him.
“We had a tournament in Indiana one Saturday, and we all crammed into one car for an overnight drive,” Moore said. “It was a bit crazy, but I enjoyed the time I spent with my friends.”
The club holds practice sessions two times a week and travels to various tournaments throughout the year, with some competitions as far away as California.
KU graduate Eva Ruiz-Chavez, who was the previous club president, ensured practice time was a place to help recruits learn and adapt to the game’s unique playing style.
Members of the Kansas Quadball club chase after each other during one of their practices at Central Field in Lawrence on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. The club practices twice weekly, working on the fundamentals of the game.
“I’d always make sure we focused on the basics, such as passing, endurance and communication, because it’s hard to succeed without the fundamentals,” Ruiz-Chavez said. “It’s difficult to pick up within the first couple of days, but once you get out on the field, it gets easier.”
As a graduate, Ruiz-Chavez misses the benefits the club offered, but its effect on her life has not diminished.
“It’s a close-knit sport, and you begin to get familiar and become friends with people in other states and clubs,” Ruiz-Chavez said. “I still have connections with people after graduation, and one of the friends I made even helped me get a job interview.”
Numerous other universities in the region, including Creighton, Colorado, Missouri and Oklahoma State, have their own quadball clubs and frequently compete against Kansas Quadball.
As the current president, Klaassen is tasked with planning practices and events, setting up fundraising, and, most importantly, recruiting new players.
“Without your teammates, you can’t do anything,” Klaassen said. “It’s a great community to be in, because it’s not like other sports where one person can take over a game. You have to work as a team if you want to win.”
Born from the tale of “The Boy Who Lived,” Quadball has transformed into a real-world sport that inspires and unites passionate players and fans.
While some may doubt the appeal of a sport rooted in a fantasy world of talking snakes and sentient trees, Klaassen and his teammates believe that giving it a chance often turns skepticism into enthusiasm.
“It’s all inclusive, played around the world, and I’ve met some of my best friends from joining the club,” Klaassen said. “I think everyone should give it a try.”
The Kansas Quadball club poses for a group photo after a tournament in Marion, Iowa, on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022. The club played six games in two days in 30-degree weather.
Courtesy of Blake Moore
Courtesy of Blake Moore
Courtesy of Blake Moore
Courtesy of Blake Moore