It’s no secret that Harry Potter and his fantastical friends have taken the Muggle-world by storm. As we anxiously await the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, it’s not tough to lose hours daydreaming of charging through the brick wall to Platform 9 ¾, hopping on the Hogwarts express, and challenging evil with a wand in hand.

The world of Harry Potter isn’t real, we often remind ourselves. Or, is it? With the advent of International Quidditch Association, an organization that promotes both athleticism and a love of all things HP, over 25 American universities get to take the text of the Harry Potter series and bring it to life in their everyday sport.

With the IQA World Cup happening this weekend in New York (yes, it’s a real thing), CollegeCandy caught up with Jared Roher, captain of the New York regional team, and learned about the quirks of college Quidditch, how to find the best brooms available, and where to sip on a tasty mug of Butterbeer. Read More »

Clearly the fact that there have been six Harry Potter movies released, (two more in the making) seven books out in stores, and an upcoming theme park in Orlando, doesn’t quite express the extent of society’s obsession with the magic wizardly world. Because college Quidditch (yes, the broomstick-riding sport) is on the rise.

With over 200 colleges expressing their interest in the sport, including Princeton, U-Mass-Amherst and Vassar College, Quidditch is spreading like wildfire. It even has its own site, (for all you nerds out there) where you can have access to the latest Quidditch news and history of the sport.

Similar to soccer, the players try and get the ball, or Quaffle that is, into the opposing goal, except they try and do so while riding around on a broomstick…on the ground. Read More »