One of the goofier questions I asked was, “What’s it like running around with a stick between your leg?” I was quickly reminded that it is called a broomstick, but the answer I received really stuck with me. Mr. Choquette said:
"“Sure, the broomstick is there to make the sport more like how it was intended to be in the movies, but also it adds a hindrance to the gameplay. Just like with soccer where you can’t use your feet or basketball where you must dribble the ball, the broomstick makes Quidditch more challenging."
I thought this was an incredible answer. I was expecting a silly response of some sort, but I had never thought about the broomstick in this manner. Having an obstacle to work around in a sport makes it more challenging and makes you have to work as a team that much more. You can’t just run at a dead sprint everywhere. You must think and use your strategy to get the better of the other guy.
I was starting to realize how in depth this game is. So, I asked if there was just as much strategy and teamwork to Quidditch as there is to most other sports? Coach McKay fired back:
"“Oh, for sure. Now, some teams will just kind of freelance and make things up as they go, but not us. Both teams for TAMU have their own physical playbook with different formations and plays. As far as teamwork goes, there’s a tremendous amount that is required in Quidditch. TAMU is in the Southwestern Region, which is considered to be the toughest. The teams are more physical, therefore working together is more important, not just to execute plays, but to keep everyone safe.”"
At the talk of safety, I had to ask if Quidditch was a dangerous sport. To which, Coach McKay also responded:
"“You could call Quidditch players an insurance liability haha. Seriously though, the game can be pretty dangerous at times. Last year alone, we had four ACL tears, several concussions, and multiple sprained and injured joints."