#quidcon

[mudbloodsthemovie]

[starsofcassiopeia]

QUIDCON WAS AWESOME

I feel like I'm going to fall over and all I want to do is eat and then sleep for 3 days, but CON REPORT SOON

[benepe]

Why I love QuidCon (and why you will too):

QuidCon 2014 is coming this June 27-29 to Washington D.C.! I know there are reasons you can't go, like money, and fantasy tournaments, but if you can find any possible way to rearrange your schedule or scrape together enough money to attend, I urge you to DO IT. do it. JUST DO IT. DO IT. 

Why, you ask? Because QuidCon is literally the best time all year to get to hang out with players in an mostly non-competitive atmosphere (there is one mini-tournament), and one of my favorite quidditch events all season. But don't just take my word for it - instead check out some of my favorite photos to see for yourself...

Alex's QuidCon Photo Diary: 

(photos by a variety of quidditch photographers - I do not own them)

First, this is a picture of Brady, famed western snitch, dancing at the first QuidCon's saturday night Ball. These are the kind of moments you should not miss experiencing in real-life. 

But just in case you prefer something a little more reserved, there is also dancing like this: 

Then there's the tournament. If you ever wanted a chance to score-on/block/bludge IQA staff in the face, this is your chance. Here is a picture of me at the 2012 QuidCon (I probably got tackled right after this):

And then at the 2013 QuidCon (probably did not make that shot either!). This is pretty much the only time I get to actually play quidditch all year. 

But QuidCon is about more than games and dancing. There are also tons of opportunities to get to know players from around the world. Here I am sitting with players from Mexico and California before the 2013 Membership Awards ceremony:

And taking a great group shot with a bunch of attendees and staff: 

Then there's the dinner - here I am learning about what #unilife means from legendary U Ottawa player Brian Wong: 

and hanging with the northeast team before the ball: 

Then there was also a fake marriage... I honestly still don't understand how or why that happened but tons of attendees dressed up and it was amazing:

And there are other surprise events like giving Harrison an award after he moved on from his position as Western Regional Director. 

And then of course, there are tons of amazing classes and sessions, ranging from snitch training, to referee training, to CPR certification, to fundraising, marketing, and more. It's an amazing opportunity for any team member or leader to come and learn valuable tricks of the trade for improving their leadership skills, not just in quidditch but in life.

And finally, at the end of the convention there are always very heartfelt goodbyes:

But my favorite photo from all of QuidCon is actually this one - a snapshot of one attendee's journal, which she asked all the new friends she made at QuidCon to sign.

This picture is really what QuidCon is about: building friendships and relationships with dozens of players around the country (and the world) that you wouldn't otherwise get to know so deeply, or maybe at all! There are tons of opportunities to have fun and learn at QuidCon, but at the end of the day, it's all about the people. 

Long story short - don't stay home at Privet drive this summer - find a way to get to DC and make some new friendships that could last for a lifetime. Come to QuidCon 2014, you will not regret it! 

Learn more and/or register here: http://quidcon.org/

[mudbloodsthemovie]

We've partnered with a number of colleges and universities to help raise money for their quidditch teams through Mudbloods sales! Who's raised the most money you ask? Check out our leaderboard below! We'd love to help support your quidditch team so contact us here for more details: http://bit.ly/1wQK4i7

[usquidditch]

2012-2013 IQA Membership Awards

During QuidCon 2013, the IQA revealed the winners of the Membership Awards, which honor specific outstanding achievements of IQA teams throughout a yearlong academic season.

Here are our 2012-2013 winners!

TEAM AWARDS:

  UCLA

IQA Sportsmanship Award

The IQA Sportsmanship Award goes to the team that has demonstrated an overall commitment to sportsmanship through fair play, generosity, and integrity. They accept both victory and defeat graciously and hold a great respect for competitors, teammates, officials, and fans alike.

UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA

The Xander Manshel Award

The recipient of the Xander Manshel Award truly embodies the spirit of the IQA. By furthering the IQA’s mission of creativity, community, and competition, this team has enabled the culture of quidditch to spread to a greater demographic while continuing to focus on their own competitive spirit.

THE LOST BOYS

The First Year Survival Award

This award goes to a first year team that has demonstrated impressive leadership and substantial growth. They have already substantially contributed to the thriving IQA community by participating in and hosting events, and have also interacted with their community through social outreach.

PERTH PHOENIXES

The Portkey Award

This award goes to the team that faced and fought through the toughest hurdles throughout the year, be they weather, injury, big brother’s intervention, or other unfortunate circumstances, all while maintaining a positive attitude.

NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY NARWHALS

The #swag Award

This award goes to the team that has achieved the most powerful visual and physical presence, otherwise known as #swag. With a combination of uniforms, banners, war cheers, facepaint, the recipient of this award has created a unique style and flare that distinguishes the team from all others.

EVENT AWARDS:

  “SHELL-SHOCKING SPECTACULAR” BY UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND

The “Better than the World Cup” Award

This award commemorates the most successful quidditch tournament run by a team or group of teams (not the IQA administration), based on funds, gameplay, and community integration.

“YULE BALL” BY MCGILL UNIVERSITY

The “Turned Out Better than the Weasley/Delacour Wedding” Award

This award commemorates the most successful quidditch community social event of the year run by a team or group of teams (not the IQA administration) based on funds, community integration, and FUN!

“TRADING CARDS” BY UTAH CRIMSON FLIERS

The “Money is Might” Award

This award commemorates the most successful fundraiser for a quidditch team based on creativity, awareness, and funds raised.

__________________

Congrats to all of our winners!

[dangersquirrel]

16 July 2013

Hey guys! 

So, quidcon was fucking awesome! Did some great playing, and also networking, meeting people, and organizing a little with the woman who was able to take us up.

She's wanting to start a Portland quidditch league, with an East team and a West team. (I'm thinking the East Portland Pygmy Puffs and the West Portland Selkies). She's going to take us with her to do recruitment at high schools, have us get unschoolers to join in to start up, we really only need like 18 people to put on a full-on match (1 snitch, 1 scorekeeper, 2 refs, 2 keepers, 4 beaters, 6 chasers) and then it's just a matter of procuring balls and making hoops and finding somewhere to play, then getting it out on social media.

It's actually really exciting, I'm thinking I might be able to coach a team at some point, and I would really really like to play professionally. For the Pygmy Puffs.

Anyway, the above photos are of my most significant injury from quidcon. I got a cut on my nose, a partially torn toenail, a huge bruise on my knee, a sore back, a small rug burn on my elbow, a sore thumb, but none of that sucks as much as the broom burn on my wrist. You heard me right, Calico's broom rubbed against my wrist in a scrimmage and burned me. Bad. It hurts a lot when it touches anything.

So yeah, that sucks, but it should be healed fairly soon.

This morning I got an email from camp that I need to get an Oregon Food Handler's Card, so I did that. It was very easy. It should help if I want to get a job soon, which I do. Not sure what to do about that what with how we have to move out in October. :/

I think I might go take the driver's permit test on Friday. So, that's, you know, interesting. Trying to sort of cram with the manual, it's just so dull though! I don't feel like my brain wants to retain any of the information I don't already know.

Tomorrow I'm going up to Vancouver to hang out with Tasha, and then Wednesday we're going to the ocean for Mama's birthday, and then this weekend my parents have a conference for fat lesbians or disabled femmes or something. That's what this week looks like for me. Reading a manual, going to the ocean, hanging out with Tasha, that sort of thing.

All that and just sort of feeling mad and sad about Trayvon Martin, Cory Monteith, and moving. Also football.

Oh yeah, I drafted a fantasy football team. So we'll see how that goes.

--Dangersquirrel

[quidcon]

QuidCon Registration Extended

Registration has been extended through June 15, and through June 20 for local registrants! Four extra days to make your way on over to the QC site and click:

http://quidcon2013.com/register/

Just a month to go!

[thelibraryofagonychristie]

Quidcon reunion #quidditch #quidcon #snowcupiii

[quemes-blog]

Katie is excited for QuidCon in Seattle! Are you??

[professorbutterscotch]

Quaffle Tov: A Very Quidditch Wedding!

Voila the video of Noa and Sam's quedding ceremony at QuidCon, aka The Most Adorable. I love everyone in this <3

[photographereye]

The International Quidditch Association (IQA) was able to host the first convention for Quidditch. This event was called Quidcon. The event was hosted in Chicago and lasted for about two days. The first day started with sessions, which included snitch training, IQA history, media use, and much more. In the afternoon, a Quidditch themed wedding, a fake one, was held with Alex Benepe, the commissioner of the IQA, as the Pastor. Later that night, the guests danced at the Sirius Black Tie Ball Dance, which ranged from swing dancing to mosh pits. The next day was the Quidditch Tournament, the teams consisting of players from the Northeast, Midwest, West, and South/Canada. The tournament was not only to see which team was best, but was a training excercise for snitches and referees. It was a long hot day of Quidditch. After a quick change, the guests went downtown to see the Windy City. As small as the event was, it was a complete success. People are anxious to find out when the next Quicon will be.

[usquidditch]

QuidCon 2013 Programming Released!

The QuidCon 2013 team is proud to present the complete list of QuidCon sessions, workshops, and panels! QuidCon (in Seattle from July 11-15th) will feature 32 different formal sessions, as well as a slew of other activities throughout the weekend. Read on for highlights and see the full list here!

Indoor Programming

Here are just a few of the 25 indoor programming options:

Injury Prevention and Care Learn how to keep your players safe, healthy, and ready for the competition by learning how to identify the most common injuries in quidditch and how to prevent or minimize the risk, and what to do (and what not to do) in the case of an injury on the field.

Tournament Planning (Advanced Track) This session is for more advanced tournament planners who have a few events under their belt, or for those looking to plan larger events (including regionals and World Cup). From scheduling for multiple pitches, creating and sticking to a budget, working with city or school administrations, planning for worst-case scenarios, finding volunteers, making your event spectator-friendly and more, here the seasoned experts share their experiences and give you everything you need to make your large event a success.

Coaching 101 Whether in uniform on the field, or dressed in a snazzy suit on the sidelines, the coach is an important person on any team. This session will focus on basic coaching strategies common to most sports like how to motivate your players, how to effectively implement strategies, how to be a good coach, and how to lead your team to success on and off the pitch.

Fundraising Trying to figure out how to pay for equipment, uniforms, travel, and all the other costs of your team? The fundraising session will help you learn how to make money without breaking open your piggy bank! Learn and share different ways to fundraise and how to make the most of your team’s funds.

Outdoor Programming

This year's con will also feature many hands-on outdoor sessions:

How to Tackle Safely Learn how to safely tackle and be tackled from veteran tacklers with experience in other sports and quidditch. At the end of this session you should feel much more confident about taking and receiving hits on the pitch.

Positional Strategy With separate sessions for chasers, keepers, beaters, and seekers, learn conditioning and strategy by running drills and plays from some of the top athletes in each position playing today.

Regional Quidditch Tournament On Sunday, attendees who sign up will be sorted onto teams based on region and will compete in a tournament to crown the regional champion while head referee and snitch hopefuls are graded on their field performance.

Informal Programming

The fun doesn’t end when you leave the conference rooms! In addition to impromptu pool parties, facebook and tumblr meetups, hanging out in the game room, free nightly open bar for those of age and inclination, and the regional house points competition to crown the winning region at the end of the weekend, QuidCon 2013 will also feature:

Sightseeing in Downtown Seattle After the sessions end on Friday we’ll board buses to head downtown for dinner (on your own) and sightseeing. Feel free to roam on your own, or join several groups headed to major destinations like the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, the Piers, or the beach! And throughout the evening attendees will be able to participate in the QuidCon scavenger hunt for regional house points.

Quidditch World’s Fair Exhibition Some of the best and brightest minds in the quidditch community will be competing in the first ever World’s Fair for cash prizes and partnership offers from the IQA. Be sure to take a look at all the entries and if you’ve got an idea, submit an entry of your own!

The Great Hall Feast and Sirius Black Tie Ball Feel free to dress as formal as you want for Saturday’s feast and dance: featuring a three-course gourmet meal and a dance with a song list partially chosen by you! And don’t forget to take a keepsake photo!

Arts and Crafts Throughout the weekend we’ll have an arts and crafts station in the vendor room for the creative quidkid to make pieces to add to our art installation called “Your Sport, Your Future,” which will be on view on Saturday during the World’s Fair and during the feast.

Quidditch Jeopardy and the First Annual Punoff Take part in quidditch Jeopardy (new since last year!) or the First Annual Punoff to win major bragging rights!

Candygrams and Trading Cards Throughout the weekend you’ll have the opportunity to send candygrams to your favorite quidkids (but not Gretchen Wieners). QuidCon will also feature the ever-popular trading cards made by Jen Jewell of the Crimson Fliers. Have you always wanted a trading card of yourself? QuidCon is the perfect opportunity!

Once again, view the full list of programming here, and registration information here. We hope to see you in Seattle!

[quidcon]

Stony Dicrod is excited for the Sirus Black Tie Ball! Are you?

*Note: Stony Dicrod's actual presence at QuidCon 2013 not guaranteed (but very strongly encouraged.)

[thelibraryofagonychristie]

Ode to Quidcon

The night September 21st, and all through the land,

every quidkid was stirring, keyboards in hand.

Their computers were on, facebook opened on screen,

for QuidCon’s announcement made them each scream.

Their housemates were nestled all snug in their beds,

while visions of football played in their heads.

And one in a hoodie and comfy pajamas,

was going to sleep, not ready for drama.

When from the next room, there arose such a clatter,

they sprang from the mattress to see what was the matter.

Bursting through the door, they saw an unexpected sight:

for said quidkid in question was squealing in delight.

Her face all lit up from the computer’s glow,

Gave her the look of madness, or an eerie halo.

When, what to their questioning minds want to ask,

but “Why’re you yelling? Tomorrow we have class...”

But with a turn of her head, they knew the worst.

Her madness was quidditch, most contagious in the universe.

Sqifter than Cleansweeps, they ran from the room,

Not wanting another rant about snitches and brooms.

“ON KEEPERS, ON BEATERS, TO CHASERS & SNITCHES!

GET BLUDGERS! GRAB SEEKERS! IT’S A RACE TO THE PITCHES

Across the mountains & plains! Towards the seas in the west!

Converge on Seattle, the IQA’s best!!!!”

As leaves that before the oncoming storm wildly fly,

Quidkids from all over, took to the sky!

Across the US, towards Washington, they flew,

with backpacks of merch, and a memory or two.

“IN A YEAR,” the quirl yelled, “I HAVE ALREADY PLANNED

TO BE AT THE QUIDCON, WITH THE BEST KIDS IN THE LAND!”

As her housemates returned to their boring old beds,

she happily danced to NSYNC in her head.

For to her friends she was going, to party once more.

A quidkid in each room, family gallore.

She knew Quidditch was more than athletes & brooms

And she cleared off her calendar, for Quidcon to make room.

The city- how lights twinkled! They hotel- how merry!

They’d dance til their cheeks were red like a cherry!

Their mouths would be fixed with smiles aglow,

For these thoughts fill her head as off to bed she’ll go.

When counting the days, she near gnashed her teeth, 

for 294 days will hover over her like a wreath.

She sighed, “Time to pass time with HP on the telly,

and put butterbeer & snitchwiches inside my belly.”

Would she get chubby & plump? “Oh no!” said herself.

I’ll work hard with my team, put the sweets on the shelf!”

With a bend of her knee, & full speed ahead,

She planned a quidfit plan that filled teammates with dread.

She spoke not a word, but put them straight to work,

filling all their spare time, but not being a jerk.

This was a small price to pay, no desserts, she supposed.

for the Children of the Corn, out of the shadows they arose.

She sprang upon her friends, blew her Fox-40 whistle,

and away they all ran like a heat seeking missile.

For they heard her exclaim, as she ran out of sight,

“ QuidCon 2013, TRAIN WITH ALL OF YOUR MIGHT!”