Sun staffer off to Germany for Quidditch World Cup

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This article was published 14/07/2016 (3630 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

One of The Brandon Sun’s own is heading to Frankfurt, Germany, next week to take part in the largest international competition of one of the world’s newest — and most magical — sports.

Online co-ordinator Andrew Nguyen is one of two Canadians chosen by the International Quidditch Association to commentate at the Quidditch World Cup 2016.

Quidditch got its start as an intercollegiate sport in the United States in 2005 and is based on the fictional game featured in J.K. Rowling’s popular “Harry Potter” series, which sees characters on broomsticks flying around an outdoor pitch trying to score points.

The real-life version is necessarily different.

“No, we don’t fly but we run very fast, and you get used to having a broom between your legs,” Nguyen said, adding that it is also one of few sports that is full-contact and gender-inclusive.

Nguyen started playing quidditch when Carleton University mustered up its first team in 2010. In the past six years, he has watched the sport transition from an outlet for Harry Potter fans to a full-fledged athletic competition.

“It was pretty special to be a part of that club because the game was still new … we were borrowing a lot of strategy from other sports,” he said. “Now the game has flipped and it’s a lot more athletes.”

This is the third IQA Quidditch World Cup, and Nguyen says he’s looking forward to commentating with a fellow player from Toronto.

“It will be nice to work with my co-commentator because I do the analysis and he will usually cover the colour,” he said. “We’ve done a bunch of this before.”

In preparation for the competition, Nguyen has been interviewing players from all over the world and reviewing game footage. He’s excited to share some of those stories with the audience in Frankfurt.

“For me, it’s really exciting to see the fans also get pumped up about the teams … it’ll be really interesting to see the narrative,” he said.

Team Canada head coach Chris Radojewski has played quidditch with Nguyen for years and says the local player’s knowledge of the sport and proficiency in the defensive “beater” position will benefit his commentary.

“It’s a very mental position. You’ve still got to have the speed and the quick throws, but there’s so much strategy,” Radojewski said. “Him understanding that, he’s going to offer a great perspective for people.”

There are players from all over Canada on the national team, and Radojewski says the United States promises to be their biggest competition. Team Canada finished third in the last Quidditch World Cup, which was held in 2014 in Burnaby, B.C.

Four hundred athletes and coaches representing 21 different countries will converge on Frankfurt from July 23-24.

Alex Scheer, marketing director for the World Cup, says teams can spend between a few hundred dollars to nearly $12,000 to pay for travel, accommodations and uniforms.

“Players partner with their (national governing bodies) to fundraise, sell merchandise, team photos, social media shout-outs, and even dyeing their hair just to raise the funds for Frankfurt,” Scheer said.

“With this being the first truly international World Cup, we aren’t too sure what crowds will be like, but … we expect a lively and attentive crowd on hand.”

» ewasney@brandonsun.com

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