presents

By now everyone should know that Quidditch has made its was back to Hogwarts, where I hear kids are in a fever pitch to get on the various house teams. But since the sport has only just returned to the wizarding school, what has kept the dream of being a Quidditch player alive in the teens minds in the interim?

Enter the U17 league! During the hiatus from Quidditch at Hogwarts, the U17 league has become a big part of youth Quidditch scene. Where the best players from around the UK, seventeen and under come together each summer and play the sport they so love.

Of course the U17 isn’t the only way to enjoy Quidditch, there is also a recreational Quidditch league during the summer as well for kids ages 8-17, so if you didn’t make that Hogwarts team or the U 17, do not worry, there are plenty more opportunities to enjoy the sport you love and possibly make a career out of it. There are also Quidditch camps that run every summer as well that are put on by the Ministry. So if you haven’t gotten enough flying during the summer, you can hit bludgers, chase quaffles and seek snitches all summer long.

Now there are five teams for UK, so there are plenty of opportunities to try out and make a team, Once on the team, you stay until you the summer before your 7th year in Hogwarts, once you graduate, you move on to the next big thing! Which is hopefully a spot on one of the many Quidditch teams throughout the Wizarding World.

No matter where you are in the UK, there is a team for you. An England team, whose members are Apollo Kennedy, Skylar Diggory, Tabitha Burke, Théodore Montmorency, and Trevin Locke. A Northern Ireland team, A Republic of Ireland team, Wales and of course a Scotland team. And while most of the rosters look full, that is no reason not to try out.

Try outs happen over Spring break at Exmoor Quidditch Stadium, so get your parents permission and come on down. Your Quidditch dreams could be just waiting to start.

During a game last summer, I managed to snag a few moments with a couple of players from the England team to see how the players enjoyed the leagues. Apollo Kennedy, chaser for the England U17 team had this to say. “I really enjoy playing in the league, it’s the perfect thing to do in the summer, especially if you don’t want your Quidditch skills to get rusty during the break from school.” Théodore Montmorency had this to say, "It's a lot of fun and challenging. if you are not up to par you get beat badly" There we have it, it appears you need to be good to be in the league. Or at least not get beat? Skylar Diggory also added her two cents."Being a part of the under 17 has been a great experience to get to know other players regardless of house or school and learn from them. I can't express how much I've enjoyed the past two seasons of beating with Genny Tate and know she will go on to do great things."

But no matter your ability, come and try out, and keep the U17 leagues growing strong. If you are lucky enough to make the Hogwarts team and the U17 league, you could be playing Quidditch all year long, and who doesn’t want to do that?