Muggle Quidditch Gaining Popularity in Canada

The first Muggle Quidditch club in Canada came to be in 2008 at McGill University. The sport quickly gained popularity, leading to the establishment of Quidditch Canada just last year, the governing body for the country.

Various Quidditch clubs and tournaments have been popping up all around the country, ranging from informal open gatherings to official teams.

After a series of wildfires in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, the Estevan Library decided to put their broomsticks to use in a charitable way. On August 29, a Quidditch tournament was held at Woodlawn Regional Park, where part of the proceeds were donated to the victims of the forest fires. The tournament was open to all – children, teenagers, and adults alike participated.

Jolie Walliser, teen program coordinator for the Estevan Library states,

I think the adults are super pumped that they have something that’s Harry Potter[-]related to participate in.

Many participants noted how Quidditch has something to appeal to everyone, such as Trystan Florell. He says,

People who aren’t into sports but are really into the fantasy worlds like the one in Harry Potter can find something to enjoy through Quidditch.

Although the sport of Muggle Quidditch is fairly new to the city of Estevan, the Regina Quidditch Club is supported by Quidditch Canada and is very popular. Earlier this month, the sport we know and love was toned down a bit to create a kid-friendly version – “Kidditch.” Julian Wotherspoon, founder of Regina Quidditch Club, discusses how the kids who grew up with Harry Potter are introducing it to their children. She states,

That original generation that grew up with Hogwarts and (the characters) Harry and Hermione and Ron[…] we’re all growing up now and starting to have our own children, and it’s just a testament to how good that universe really is that it’s being passed on through the generations.

Do you hope to see more “Kidditch” tournaments in the future? What do you think this means for the future of the sport? Let us know in the comments below!