This Syracuse University athlete doesn’t play basketball, football or lacrosse, but Melanie Oventhal’s team is making waves in the national collegiate athletic world.
The Syracuse Snare don’t shoot threes or score touchdowns, but fly around on broomsticks like Harry Potter in the Hogwarts inspired sport of Quidditch.
“So we can’t fly obviously”
Okay, so it’s not exactly like the books. instead the players tie up their team headbands and keep a PVC pipe – much like one of these – between their legs at all times, trying to put this ball – called the Quaffle – in the opposing team’s basket.
In certain ways, this magical brain child of author JK Rowling is like many other sports.
But just like those games its compared to, Quidditch can be particularly dangerous
“One arm tackle sport”
But after two ACL tears and three knee surgeries, Oventhal is has her broom back in hand, ready for her trip to Texas for Syracuse’s second consecutive national tournament birth.
Last season, the Snare finished in the top 32, but this year Oventhal hopes her team can finally take home the title of US Quidditch Cup Champion.
Syracuse University is home to many nationally esteemed athletic programs – football, basketball, soccer, lacrosse and … quidditch?
The Harry Potter inspired sport was created at Middlebury College in 2007. Now, there are hundreds of teams all across the country competing for a bid to the United States Quidditch Cup in Round Rock, Texas.
The sport is described as a “one armed tackle sport” and is like “a mixture between rugby and handball,” Melanie Oventhal – president of the Syracuse Snare club quidditch team – says.
To win a game, teams must score points by throwing a slightly deflated volleyball – called the quaffle – through the opposing team’s hoop. You can also win if you catch the golden snitch – a person running around the field wearing a flag football belt trying to evade chasers.
The Syracuse Snare is made up of 15-20 active players. Last year, they qualified for the national tournament, finishing in the top 32.
This year, the Snare qualified for the US Quidditch Cup once again and hope to take home the gold.
