What's Quadball?

​Know nothing about quadball? Unsure where to start? That's OK! Almost all of our players come to Brown with absolutely no experience. For many of us, quidditch was our first sport ever. 

We maintain that the best way to learn quadball is to show up to a few practices and try out the different positions. But if you're wondering (rightfully) what you're getting yourself into, here's a quick guide to the sport. 

History

Quadball (formerly Quidditch) was invented in 2005 by Alex Benepe and Xavier Manshel at Middlebury College and grew rapidly from a niche college sport to an international phenomenon. In 2012, the sport held its first world cup; by 2015, it had its own U.S. major league. 

Gameplay

Quadball combines basketball positioning, rugby tackling, dodgeball strategy, and handball scoring and the many moving (and flying) parts of the fictional sport to make a game like no other. Pick it up quickly with these quick guides. 

Collegiate Level

Brown Bears Quadball competes in the Northeast Region of U.S. Quadball (USQ). Within that region, our team competes locally in the Massachusetts Quadball Conference (MQC) against teams like Harvard, Tufts, and Boston University. 

RULES OF THE GAME 

Courtesy of US Quidditch.

KEYWORDS
Brooms: All players must be "on-broom" (have the broom– a PVC pipe– between their legs and not resting on the ground) at all times. Players who come off-broom (whether because they've dropped it, they've been hit by a bludger, or had it yanked by the snitch– see "How does the snitch work?") must run back to their team's hoops and tag up on the middle hoop before rejoining play. 

Quaffle: The ball used to score through the hoops. Handled by the keepers and chasers. There is only one in play. To muggles, the quaffle appears as a volleyball. 

Bludger: The ball used to knock people "off-broom." Handled by the beaters. Three to each game. To muggles, the bludger appears as a dodgeball. 

​​Snitch: See "How does the snitch work."

WHO'S ON PITCH? 
Each team fields a lineup of: 

• three chasers: The players with the white headbands, the chasers' job is to score (get the quaffle through the other team's hoops) or prevent the other team from scoring. This position values speed, communication, and good passing. 
• two beaters: The players with the black headbands (and the only ones who can handle the bludgers), the beaters' objective is to "beat" other players, ie. knock opposing players "off-broom" by hitting them with a bludger. With four beaters (two from each team) and only three bludgers, the beater game is all about strategy -- when to throw, who to beat, and where to position themselves to attack or defend. 
• one keeper: Wearing the green headband, the keeper has all the same capabilities as a chaser, with the added bonus of having immunity from being beat within the keeper zone. The keeper is the only player who can guard the hoops/block shots through the hoops. 
• one seeker: Released after the 20 minute mark, the seeker has one job: get the snitch. (See: "How does the snitch work?" Seriously, go check it out. We've been goading you for a reason.) 

Title IX (+3/4)

To ensure that players of all genders get their fair share of play, no more than four players of the same gender (five after snitch is released) from one team can be on the pitch at the same time. This rule is often nicknamed "gender rule." 

BASIC GAMEPLAY

Courtesy of the USQ Handbook, 14th ed.

SCORING
Scoring through any of the three hoops with the quaffle is worth 10 points. A snitch catch is worth 30 points and is one of two ways the game can end.

ENDING THE GAME
At the 20-minute mark of regulation play (and a two-minute break), the snitch is released. From that point on, there are two ways to end the game: either the snitch is caught or one team reaches the set score (the leading team's score at the 20-minute mark + 70 points.) 

HOW DOES THE SNITCH WORK? 
The snitch, unfortunately, cannot fly. Instead, it's a "tennis ball" in a little sack attached to the back of the snitch runner's bright yellow shorts. When the snitch is released, the two seekers will battle it out with the snitch runner to grab the tennis ball, much like in flag football. ​

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For a more detailed explanation, check out this Powerpoint:

Why Quadball?

Beyond being one of the most interesting sports you might ever play, quidditch is about community and inclusion. Brown Bears Quadball hopes to be a place where people of all different interests and experiences can have fun together, learn from each other, and build bonds that last a lifetime.

• Quadball is one of very few truly gender-inclusive sports that competes at the collegiate level. 
• Our team weathered the pandemic together through endless Jackbox, DND campaigns, and memes in the Slack chat — and we're forming even stronger bonds now that we can compete in person.
• Our team's emphasis on community and inclusion is reflected in quidditch's regional and national infrastructure. When you join quidditch, you join a growing network of players all across the nation who share an experience like no other. 

COMMUNITY TESTIMONIALS
“Quadball has given me a chance to be proud of something that my body can do, which isn’t common for those who are transgender. Most sports that are co-ed can have some controversy when there is a transgender person playing, but with quadball it is always explicit and clear that I am welcome on the pitch. There is no ‘technically this’ or ‘technically that.’ It creates an inclusive environment that eliminates a lot of fears and anxiety that I would have to face in other situations." 
- June Anderson

“Once I was out, people respected my gender, I could play as my real gender. Quadball was one less space I had to pretend to be a woman. As a queer person with an unsupportive family, quidditch has become my family.” - Ra Hopkins

“I was the captain of my team last year and social media chair the year before. I’m a chemical engineering major, and weirdly those two things on my resume helped me stand out enough to where I got multiple interviews because of quadball*...It has also given me some of my best friends in the entire world, I think that quadball promotes a uniquely inclusive environment that you don’t see in other sports, which is why I can get such a variety of personalities as friends out of it.” - William Roscher

(*This is something that actually happens. Kath once spent the first ten minutes of an interview gushing about quadball and walked out with an internship.) 


WORDS FROM OUR PLAYERS
"Dream come true" - Derik Wagner '15
"Bodacious" - Kate Cobey '24