From the pages of the much-acclaimed Harry Potter series, one of the Wizarding Realm’s secondary components has quickly made its way from fiction into reality – and is currently taking the world by siege. Born in 2005 and rapidly captivating college club sport fanatics, Quidditch is making its first appearance on campus under the guidance of science teacher Jeffrey Keene. 

Keene initially began his foray into Quidditch while teaching at Tomlin Middle School, when he first saw an opportunity to bring this sport into his students’ lives. 

”We made our own equipment at first, out of hula hoops and PVC pipes and other things, and we started playing,” Keene said. “And then we raised some money, so we got real equipment from a company that supplies real Quidditch supplies, and I’ve been coaching ever since.” 

What appeals to Keene particularly about this sport is its ability to reach a broader audience, athletically. 

“A lot of kids who wouldn’t normally play a sport, would jump at playing this,” Keene said. “I want to give them the opportunity to play the sport, learn it – and if they were to go to a college – join a team in college so the sport can grow.” 

A teacher in Hillsborough for 19 years and approaching his fifth as a Quidditch coach, Keene has since taken his experiences from Tomlin here and has started a student interest club. With over forty people signed up and many more expressing interest, Keene is eager to start playing.  

“Our biggest challenge right now, though, is we don’t have a place to play,” Keene said. “There’s very limited greenspace on this campus, so we’re going to have to figure out how to handle that.” 

While Quidditch is often discounted because of its literary origins, it’s translation onto the field (or in Quidditch terms – the Pitch) comes with an official rulebook and creative adaptations. The snitch, while not a golden flying sphere, is represented by one player dressed in yellow with a tennis ball in a sock attached to his/her shirt. One of the most intriguing game elements is the handicap that the “broom” element poses – items that Keene and his club have already made from scratch in school colors. 

“This game is like a three-ring circus,” Keene said. “It’s more cerebral; you have to think about what’s going on more than any other sport.” 

Quidditch is especially popular as a club sport at the college level, by which tackling becomes a legal move – something high schools can do everything but. One of Keene’s personal goals is to see the sport increase in recognition and become more prevalent. 

“It’s really exciting to be part of something which is up-and-coming,” sophomore Benjamin Besancon said. “[It’s] something that’s fun to be competitive with, but there’s also a social aspect; it’s more like a family than just a team.” 

Quidditch: It’s new, it’s co-ed, and Keene will be keeping the student body informed on how to participate with posters, announcements and games (potentially with other high schools) scheduled for the near future.