The creators may be gone, but the club is just as magical.
Quidditch club, started in 2011 by class of 2013 graduates Monica Chin and Christina Rice, has passed down the power to juniors Amanda Breslauer, Maggie Donaldson, and Karissa Tom.
“I joined my freshman year because I love Harry Potter and wanted to keep the club going,” said Breslauer.
Monica Chin’s brother and Carlmont sophomore Thomas Chin said that he joined last year “in hopes of having a fun, unique way to spend my free time.”
The club’s main focus is to have fun and play quidditch. This club is unique in comparison to other clubs and sports on campus because the concepts and rules are all based on the sport played throughout the Harry Potter book series.
Though the club is comprised of humans lacking magical powers, what the wizarding realm would call “muggles,” everyone is still able to play.
According to the International Quidditch website, quidditch is described as “a combination of rugby, dodgeball, hide-and-seek, and tag.”
With broomsticks between legs, the chasers run with the quaffle and try to throw it through one of the three hula hoops at the other end of the pitch. By doing so, players score their team 10 points. The keepers play goalie, the beaters throw distraction balls, and the seeker tries to catch the human snitch, and when caught, wins the game.
Excited, Carlmont senior and club member Vrain Ahuja said, “I hope to improve my quidditch skills.”
If the brief game description is too vague for those unfamiliar with Harry Potter, meetings are held the first and third thursday of every month in room D25.
Playing quidditch isn’t mandatory, though. Junior Emma Lin said, “I still haven’t played quidditch yet, which is weird because I have been in the club for three years.”
Regarding other activities through Quidditch Club, co-president Donaldson said, “We are definitely going to play quidditch and play fun games during the meetings, but I was also thinking about organizing a trip to see the Cal and Stanford quidditch teams play.” Breslauer added that they also plan on, “ doing some fun activities at the meetings such as cookie exchanges and trivia.”
Members are also enthusiastic about the other aspects Quidditch club has to offer. Senior and three-year member Charlotte Jackman said, “I hope to have another wizard rap competition this year because I am the reigning champ.”
To create a magical atmosphere, club members take a quiz in order to get sorted into prospective houses (Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin) based on personality.
Ahuja said he is glad to have been placed in Slytherin. “I like to play dirty. I’m stoked to be in that house.”
The ultimate goal of Quidditch club? “We are just here to bring a little magic to Carlmont! We hope anyone who’s looking for a chance to have fun will join. We are open to everyone, even Slytherins,” said Donaldson.