A new sport is gaining popularity — and Kincardine District Secondary School is leading the way in developing it at the high school level.
It’s called Quidditch — and anyone who reads the Harry Potter books or has seen the movies will know what it’s about.
About 30 students at the school have started playing the sport, which Grade 12 student Kaitlyn Hundt says is like a mixture of rugby, European handball, and tag.
She says members of each team make their way around the field on brooms — but not flying.
Three chasers on each team then have to get an object called a quaffle through one of three hoops.
They also have to catch something called a snitch — in the Potter books it’s a magic golden ball that floats around, at KDSS, it’s a student who runs around fast.
People called bludgers also try to block those on the opposite team.
Quidditch at KDSS was started by members of Dumbledore’s Army, the school’s student club devoted to all things Harry Potter.
Grade 12 student David Yun says they have four teams — each member of Dumbledore’s Army is assigned to one of four houses for Quidditch — just as it is in J.K. Rowling’s books.
While KDSS is currently the only high school where Quidditch is being played, the potential for the game looks strong at the varsity level.
Hundt says there is an Intercollegiate Quidditch Association and the sport is quite popular at several US colleges, including Harvard and Princeton.
Middlebury College in Vermont is the birthplace of quidditch and an annual World Cup is held there.
Hundt notes that McGill University in Montreal is competing in it this year, and the University of British Columbia (UBC) plans to get involved next year.
Hundt hopes to introduce Quidditch to the University of Ottawa next year after graduating high school in Kincardine.