Quidditch!

Subject: Quidditch! Tue Aug 31, 2010 8:59 pm

Quidditch matches are played on (or rather over) an oval-shaped, 500 feet (150 m) long and 180 feet (55 m) wide pitch, with a small central circle approximately 2 feet (0.61 m) in diameter. At each end stand three hooped goal posts, each at a different height: one at 30 ft (9.1 m), one at 40 ft (12 m), and one at 50 ft (15 m), comprising the scoring area. There is also a line that shows mid-field, which is 180 ft (55 m). Quidditch fields have white shaded areas around the goalposts, to mark the scoring area and the bounds where keepers must stay. These are on very few Quidditch fields. Since Quidditch is an aerial sport, Quidditch pitches are shown to feature spectator seating at high vantage points, either in towers (such as at Hogwarts) or in a fully-encircling platform, and the "top box" is considered the most prestigious place for a spectator to be seated. The British stadium that is shown for the 1994 Quidditch World Cup is of this latter style, which appears similar to modern football or athletics stadia, albeit that the seating continues to curve upwards beyond the vertical, almost enclosing the pitch. Both the Hogwarts and World Cup pitches have been shown turfed with grass. The surface is used primarily for launching off at the beginning of the game, and on occasion for falling onto when players are dismounted from their brooms. Seekers, who sometimes fly close to the pitch surface, can be tricked into crashing into the surface occasionally at great speed (when tricked into doing so by the opposing seeker, it is known as the Wronski feint).

Quaffle
The Quaffle is spherical in shape, bright red in colour, and approximately 12 inches (30 cm) in diameter. It is explained in Quidditch Through the Ages that the Quaffle is enchanted to fall very slowly through the air when dropped to prevent players having to continuously dive to retrieve it. The backstory of Quidditch explains that the red colour was instituted to create a stronger contrast between the Quaffle and mud. The Quaffle is also enchanted to make it easy to grip with only one hand. The Quaffle is depicted as being "bright scarlet" in color.

Bludgers
The two Bludgers are spherical, approximately 10 inches (25 cm) in diameter, and made of iron. They are described as being bewitched to fly without any visible means of propulsion, although they do retain inertia, which makes them unable to change speed of direction swiftly. Their purpose in the game is as an obstacle: they fly around attempting to hit players off their brooms indiscriminately. While it is possible to enchant them to seek out specific targets, it is illegal in the rules of the game.

Golden Snitch:
The Golden Snitch, often referred to as simply the Snitch, is a small golden ball the approximate size of a walnut (roughly 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter). The wings on the Snitch are white. The winged Snitch is enchanted to hover and dart around the pitch, avoiding capture while remaining within the boundaries of the playing area. Each team has a designated Seeker (most seekers are the lightest, fastest, and smallest players on their team), whose only task is to capture the Snitch. The team who catches the Snitch scores 150 points, and strictly speaking, only the capture of the Snitch will end the game. (However Quidditch Through The Ages describes an instance in which the team captains agreed to end the game without the capture of the Snitch, as the game had gone on for several months, and the captains were unhappy with their respective Seekers' performance.) Games have been known to last for months, so it is of key importance to catch the Golden Snitch as quickly as possible. The Snitch has a "flesh memory", able to recall the first person who has touched it, and will respond only to the first person who caught it. This helps when there is a dispute about who caught the snitch first. Bowman Wright of Godric's Hollow was the first person to fashion a Golden Snitch, replacing the Golden Snidget bird, a magical creature resembling a hummingbird also mentioned in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which was previously used in the game, but was replaced due to animal cruelty issues. No other player aside from the Seeker is allowed to touch the Snitch, and referees and Snitch makers wear gloves when handling them.

Players
Each team is made up of seven players, consisting of three Chasers, two Beaters, one Keeper and one Seeker.

The Chasers progress up and down the pitch passing the Quaffle by hand amongst themselves, in an attempt to score goals by throwing it through one of their opponent's three goal hoops. In this respect, the game is similar, as suggested by muggle-borns, half-bloods, or witches and or wizards who know about muggle sports, to be "basketball on broomsticks with six hoops".

The Keeper will protect the three goal hoops, in much the same way as a goalkeeper in football (soccer).

The Beaters are armed with wooden clubs that are similar to, but shorter than, baseball bats. They are tasked with protecting their team-mates from the Bludgers by knocking these balls off course or towards opponents.

Finally, the Seeker, usually the lightest member of the team and equipped with the fastest broom, is charged with searching the pitch for, chasing down and eventually capturing, the elusive Golden Snitch. Seekers are the only players permitted to touch the Snitch.

Each team includes a captain, who may play any of the four roles. The captain helps the team practice and chooses the team players after the tryouts.

Broomsticks
Magical flying broomsticks are one of the forms of transportation for wizards and witches, as well as for playing Quidditch. Interestingly, Hogwarts Quidditch players are allowed to use whatever broomsticks they or their sponsors can afford, despite the fact that more expensive brooms often confer great (and arguably unfair) advantages in speed and manoeuvrability. The Nimbus model line has a reputation as one of the best in the Wizarding world. A Firebolt is an advanced professional-level flying broomstick and the most expensive and fastest racing broom in existence. It is said that they are the best in the world. They can even fly out of the atmosphere if the weather conditions are fair. Comets and Cleansweeps are cheaper than the Nimbuses and are more common. (The latter, however, has been identified as still a decent broom.) A Shooting Star is another brand of broom, but it is considered to be slow and out of style. Another broomstick series called The Bluebottle was introduced in the advertisements at the Quidditch World Cup, it was described as a family broom, with safety devices such as an anti-theft alarm. There is also another brand called Silver Arrows. As mentioned in Quidditch Through the Ages, along with the Tinderblast, Swiftstick, and Twigger 90, and the Oakshaft 79, the Oakshaft is the broom famed for its journey across the Atlantic and the Moontrimmer was popular due to the fact that it was still controllable at extremely high altitudes.

The official rules of Quidditch are partially described in Quidditch Through the Ages. They are said to have been laid down in 1750 by the Department of Magical Games and Sports. Some of the more common rules are as follows:

Players must not stray over the boundary lines of the pitch, although they may fly as high as desired. The Quaffle must be surrendered to the opposition if any player leaves the boundary.

A time out may be called at any time by a team Captain. It may be extended to two hours if a game has already lasted for more than twelve hours. Failure to return to the pitch afterward disqualifies the offending team.

The referee can impose penalties if a foul occurs. A single Chaser from the fouled team takes a penalty shot by flying from the central circle towards the scoring area. The opposing team's Keeper may attempt to block this shot, but no other player may interfere, much like a penalty in football (soccer).

Contact is allowed, but a player may not grasp another's broomstick or any part of his or her body.

No substitution of a player is allowed, even if one is too badly hurt to continue (rare exceptions may be made when the game continues for a great length of time, and players become too fatigued to continue).

Players may take their wands onto the pitch, but they must not be used on or against any players, any player's broomstick, the referee, any of the four balls, or the spectators. (The right to carry wands at all times was granted during the height of wizard and witch persecution by Muggles, according to Quidditch Through the Ages).

There are 700 Quidditch fouls listed in the Department of Magical Games and Sports records, but most of these fouls are not open to the public, owing to the Department's supposed fear the wizards/witches who read the list of fouls "might get ideas". It is claimed that all 700 occurred during the very first Quidditch World Cup. Apparently, most are now impossible to commit as there is a ban on using wands against an opponent (imposed in 1538). The most common of those fouls which are described are enumerated below:

Blagging: No player may seize any part of an opponent's broom to slow or hinder the player.

Blatching: No player may fly with the intent to collide.

Blurting: No player may lock broom handles with the intent to steer an opponent off course.

Bumphing: Beaters must not hit Bludgers towards spectators, or the Keeper, unless the Quaffle is within the scoring area.

Cobbing: Players must not make excessive use of their elbows against opponents.

Flacking: Keepers must not defend the posts from behind by punching Quaffles out of the hoops – goals must be defended from the front.

Haversacking: Chasers must not still be in contact with the Quaffle as it passes through a hoop (the Quaffle must be thrown through).

Quaffle-pocking: Chasers must not tamper with the Quaffle in any way.

Snitchnip: No player other than the Seeker may touch or catch the Golden Snitch.

Stooging: No more than one Chaser is allowed in the scoring area at any one time.

The game starts with the referee releasing all four balls from the central circle. The Bludgers and the Snitch, having been bewitched, fly off on their own accord; the Snitch to hide itself quickly, and the Bludgers to attack the nearest players. The Quaffle is thrown into the air by the referee to signal the start of play.
Chasers score by sending the red, football-sized Quaffle through any of the three goal hoops. Each goal scored is worth ten points. After a goal is scored, the Keeper of the team scored upon throws the Quaffle back into play. Capturing the Snitch earns the Seeker's team 150 points, equivalent to 15 goals scored by Chasers. Since the game ends immediately after the Snitch is caught, the team capturing the Snitch is very likely to win the game. However, teams are ranked according to points scored, not games won.
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Okay so now you know all about quidditch! Sign up for your House Team and bring them to Victory! Whichever team scores the most points at the end of the year wins the Quidditch Cup for their house!

Subject: Re: Quidditch! Tue Aug 31, 2010 9:52 pm

Code:: [color=Housecolor]Name:

Age:

House:

1st Position:

2nd Position (If the position you wanted is filled which other position would you like):

Experience:

1st Position RP:

2nd Position RP:[/color]

Example:

Name: Alea Potter

Age: 16

House: Slytherin

1st Position: Seeker

2nd Position (If the position you wanted is filled which other position would you like): Chaser

Experience: 5th year playing for team

1st Position RP:
Alea sat on her broom, keeping her blue eyes peeled, searching for the golden snitch. Slytherin was beating Gryffindor 140-120. Alea, noticed a light catch her eye, but it was only one of Gryffindors Chasers' earrings. Looking away Alea looked for the snitch, flew around the stadium, feeling the wind fly through her hair. She knew that Gryffindor's seeker was closely behind her, in case she found the snitch before him. To lose him Alea dove down then made a sharp right turn and stopped acting like she lost the snitch.

Ten minutes later the game was tied 140-140 and Alea had not seen the snitch, and neither had the Gryffindor Seeker. Checking every spot she knew, Alea looked around the pitch and finally caught sight of the Golden Snitch. Alea, silently cursing Isolde, had attempted to make it look as if she had just been looking without being noticed, but no, Isolde had to get excited and scream into the speakers that Alea had caught sight of the snitch.

Leaning forward to make her broom go faster, Alea kept her eyes on the snitch, not focusing on anything other than the snitch. Her senses were completely locked on the small golden flying bewitched ball. For a second, Alea felt at peace, knowing this was something her and her father had in common, that where ever he was, they had connected somehow. Even if it was just a slight connection. Gaining the speed she wanted, Alea zoomed, swirled, dove, ducked from bludgers, and reached her hand out. Leaning as far as she could off her broom without losing control of it, Alea tried her fathers move and stood on her broom. Finally after gaining full balance, Alea reached her hand out and.... caught the snitch! Like father like daughter she fell off her broom and caught the snitch, only not in her mouth.

2nd Position RP: Alea quickly grabbed the quaffle from the Gryffindor chaser and zoomed to Gryffindor's goal. A bludger was shot at her, and not moving quick enough it hit her arm. Alea cried out in pain, though quickly gaining control of her broom with her good arm, Alea shook off the pain knowing it would bruise nicely. The quaffle once again was in the hands of the Gryffindors and Alea did not like it. The score was 20 Gryffindor 0 Slytherin. Alea gained much needed speed and quickly stole the quaffle from the Gryffindor while doing a flip with her broom and flew in the direction of the Gryffindor goal.

Alea noticed her beater was already ahead of her keeping the keeper slightly distracted by sending a bludger close to him, though not near enough to hurt him. Alea threw the quaffle with all her might and scored just as the seeker caught the snitch. Slytherin had won the quidditch match by 130 points!

Subject: Re: Quidditch! Tue Aug 31, 2010 9:55 pm

Slytherin Team:

Seeker: Alea Potter

Chaser 1:

Chaser 2:

Chaser 3:

Keeper:

Beater:

Beater:

Captain: Alea Potter

Gryffindor Team:

Seeker:

Chaser 1:

Chaser 2:

Chaser 3:

Keeper: Leta Weasley

Beater:

Beater:

Captain:

Ravenclaw Team:

Seeker:

Chaser 1:

Chaser 2:

Chaser 3:

Keeper:

Beater:

Beater:

Captain:

Hufflepuff Team:

Seeker:

Chaser 1:

Chaser 2:

Chaser 3:

Keeper:

Beater:

Beater:

Captain:

Subject: Re: Quidditch! Wed Oct 20, 2010 8:31 pm

Match Announcer: Isolde Green