QuidCon

03/07/2021

In the final keynote of QuidCon 2021, we'll be summarizing a weekend's worth of discussions, action items and learning in an address from Major League Quidditch, US Quidditch, Quidditch Canada, and the International Quidditch Association, as hosted by quidditch founder Alex Benepe.

See you at 7 pm Eastern!

03/07/2021

Later today we'll be looking at the rising stars of quidditch!

Elijah Franklin is one of our panelists. He is a 3rd year junior from San Jose State University and recently played for the San Francisco Fog for the 2019 WCQ season. He is also the captain for SJSU Quidditch for the 2019-20 season.

He says that ever since he joined SJSU Quidditch as a freshman, he has always wanted to keep pushing forward and being the best player that I can be while facing new challenges.

Catch Elijah, along with Billy Roscher, Carsen Olabaza,
Ian Scura, Kasye Bevers, and TJ Generette at 2:30 EST.

03/06/2021

TONIGHT Amanda Dallas - U.S. National (USNT) Coordinator - sits down with John Sheridan, Marty Bermudez, Sam Haimowitz, and Julia Baer of the U.S. National Team to show a behind the scenes look at the winningest international quidditch team of all time.

Find out what it takes to be on the U.S. National Team (from how they prep to game day), what it takes to win on the national stage, and what the team personality is like.

03/06/2021

Join us for "Building Bridges: Networking Opportunities in Quidditch in 5 MINUTES!"

We'll be doing breakout chat rooms for y'all hang out, get to know the other QuidCon attendees and rub shoulders with influential quidditch people. 🤝

03/06/2021

Stop the clock!! QuidCon starts NOW. Run to your computer to catch "Get Strong with Jo," "Community by the Numbers" or "Life After Quidditch."

03/06/2021

Catch Jeopardy! live at QuidCon

03/05/2021

We're saving you a seat at QuidCon 2021!

Events start TONIGHT with Keynote "From Diversity & Inclusion to Equity: Leveling the Quidditch Playing Field" by Yara Kodershah and Quidditch Jeopardy with Fast Break News.

Don't miss out on a weekend full of activities, networking, learning and discussion.

Tickets at: https://bit.ly/quidcontickets

03/04/2021

For , we sat down with one of QuidCon's original founders from 9 years ago - US Quidditch's Alicia Radford - to ask what she thinks about QuidCon's 2021 revival. Here's what she had to say:

Q: What was the inspiration for creating QuidCon? What did the founders hope to achieve?

A: In 2012, many of the first generation of quidditch team leaders and captains were about to graduate from college, and we wanted to facilitate the transfer of knowledge to younger leaders and build relationships and community across teams and regions... I think the shift to virtual programming [in 2021] is an excellent way to reproduce the spirit of the event while making it accessible to a much larger group of people. It also feels like a similar moment to the inception of QuidCon − after a hiatus of more than a year, there's a real need to pass on knowledge and skills and bring the community together.

Q: What does the future of quidditch look like to you? Do you think the revival of QuidCon will help the sport get to that point?

A: I think quidditch is such an exciting sport to watch. I hope the future of quidditch includes more opportunities for people to watch full games and tournaments, so we can build a broader fan base. I would like to see quidditch become a sport on the level of something like ultimate, with thriving leagues that accommodate multiple divisions/skill levels/competitive goals. I also want to see quidditch continue becoming a sport that lives up to its values by making the sport itself safer and building anti-racist organizations. There is so much content at the upcoming QuidCon that is aimed at all of this, and I'm so excited to listen and learn.

Read the full Interview at:
http://bit.ly/revivingquidcon

Photo Credit: Erik Jaworski

03/04/2021

Next Gen Quidditch: Read All About It!

Or, you could just meet up with the brilliant minds of QuidCon live this this weekend on Zoom instead. Meet us there to talk about (virtually) everything you've ever wondered about quidditch.

03/03/2021

What does the future of quidditch look like? How many people even play quidditch? What are we going to do about the challenges that quidditch is currently facing?

Hear from US Quidditch, Major League Quidditch, Quidditch Canada and the International Quidditch Association on what's going on in quidditch from the leagues' perspective and where they see quidditch going in the years to come. Discussion will focus on current issues in quidditch and the actions being taken to address current issues.

"The State of Quidditch" features Mary Kimball (USQ), Ethan Sturm (MLQ), Amanda Dallas (MLQ) and Yara Kodershah (QC) and Pauline Raes (IQA).

03/02/2021

Time is running out! Don't forget to buy your tickets and workshop add-ons for this weekend.

🎟️: https://bit.ly/quidcontickets

03/01/2021

The amount of talent at QuidCon 2021 is headline-shattering! Capture a little spark of inspiration from quidditch's best and brightest for yourself this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

02/28/2021

LIFE AFTER QUIDDITCH
Saturday, Mar 6, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

How do quidditch skills translate to other areas of life? How does quidditch shape what you do next? Hear from people who used quidditch as a foundation for their next steps.

Steve DiCarlo founded the Hofstra Flying Dutchmen, captained the Lost Boys and co-founded the Los Angeles Gambits. He helped start the annual Heroes vs Villains Invitational to give his region the chance to play the best teams from across the country ahead of Nationals, and founded the Western Championship Quidditch league to allow for competitive play during the quidditch off-season.

Steve has used the leadership, management and social skills he acquired through quidditch to run a comic book store alongside his Gambits co-captain Tony Rodriguez, and has used the writing skills he fine-tuned while running the first major quidditch analysis blog to freelance for a number of top news sites.

02/28/2021

Want to make a DEI action plan for your team, but not sure where to start? Stop by Christian Barnes' workshop "DEI & Leadership: Working with People of Different Backgrounds" at QuidCon 2021 for skills and resources on making your team accessible and welcoming for all types of athletes.

Christian Barnes has been volunteering in quidditch since 2013 across many different roles at MLQ, USQ and the IQA. He is currently MLQ's Interim DEI Director and Referee Manager, as well as part of New York Titans management staff. In the past, his roles ranged from coordinator positions to USQ Gameplay Department Manager and IQA BIPOC Committee Manager. Christian is a renowned Head Ref, Lead Assistant Referee, and Snitch. He is passionate about advocacy and engagement and has been one of several voices leading the charge on creating meaningful change for BIPOC quidditch players and community members in the past year.

Read his op-ed here: http://bit.ly/christiansthoughts.

Buy your ticket add-on for his workshop at: https://bit.ly/quidcontickets.

MLQ opened Black History Month with some of our past, present and future DEI-related action items. USQ released their census data, highlighted members of the community and hosted their Black History Month celebration. We are seeing quidditch organizations take feedback and start bringing ideas to action, but the question remains:

Is there more that should be done?

To help answer this question, we'd like to close Black History Month with an op-ed by our DEI Interim Director Christian Barnes: http://bit.ly/christiansthoughts.

02/27/2021

Movers and shakers in the quidditch world share their "ideas worth spreading." Glean a little of their expertise to keep for yourself at QuidCon 2021.

02/26/2021

Just one week out from QuidCon. 😳 Start the countdown, schedule your panels, and buy tickets at bit.ly/quidcon2021tickets. Can't decide which panels to attend? Check out the speaker spotlights on our page!

02/26/2021

From players to volunteers to fans, there's something for everyone at QuidCon 2021! Join US Quidditch, Quidditch Canada, and Major League Quidditch online next weekend to learn how to improve your:

🤾‍♀️ Playing skills - Learn about strategies for each position, strength training, and film review!
🎽 Volunteering Capabilities - Become a better ref, livestreamer, or tournament director!
🤝 Team Culture - Lay foundations for better DEI, a healthy team environment, and better playing experiences!

You can also find:
💡 Workshops that let you leave with an action plan for your specific project or team.
🏋️ Activities from live workouts to quidditch trivia to networking.

Don’t miss out, get your ticket today at https://bit.ly/quidcontickets.

02/25/2021

Saturday, March 6, 2:30 PM EST:

"Safety in Quidditch: Concussions, COVID & Injuries"

Remember all those discussions, questions, and posts about injuries, health and safety in quidditch in recent days? Now's your chance to learn more about next steps and best practices for the health and safety of players in the sport with leaders like Arjun Patel.

Arjun is a physiotherapist, specializing in rehabilitation of sports injuries and concussions. He is the current chair of the York-Scarborough District of the Ontario Physiotherapy Association, and serves on the national board for the Private Practice Division of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association.

Arjun has been playing Quidditch since 2012. He currently works with Quidditch Canada as a safety consultant where he has helped launch several safety initiatives.

Don't miss out on the conversation! Buy your QuidCon tickets today at https://bit.ly/quidcontickets.

02/24/2021

“More than Just a Body on Field"

Catch MLQ coaches Rachel Heald and Jeannette High at QuidCon 2021 as they chat with other members of the community about addressing sexism and transphobia in quidditch.

🎟️ Get Tickets (Pay What You Want): https://quidcon.carrd.co/

02/23/2021

Sunday, March 7, 10 am (EST):

US Quidditch Team Leads and Department Managers will be available to answer all your questions live at QuidCon's "Q&A with USQ."

USQ Livestream Coordinator Team Lead Michael O'Connor is one person who will be available for questions. He says "A big ask of the community and a huge initiative of our team at USQ is making game footage more accessible, entertaining, and equitable. I believe I can give in-depth and accurate answers to questions surrounding those subjects." Tune in next Sunday to hear more about USQ projects and initiatives.

You can submit your questions for USQ here:
https://forms.gle/YtKDAsopzJNC3jTm6

02/22/2021

20K reacts and counting! Hear from the maker of this video - Billy Quach of Billy Quach Films - on Saturday March 6 at "Making Quidditch Fun to Watch: Video Production from Highlight Reels to Livestreams." 🎬

Get QuidCon Tickets Today at: https://bit.ly/quidcontickets

02/21/2021

Friday, March 5, 8 pm (EST):

Equity & inclusion advocate Yara Kodershah asks the big questions about how to level the quidditch playing field and create space for everyone. Join us for our Friday night Keynote as Yara talks through how the quidditch community can address inequity in systems and structures, and bring about holistic and collective change.

For over seven years, Yara has worked to support community development by centering anti-oppression and anti-racism frameworks. She is looking forward to exploring the possibilities of quidditch as a tool for community building and social change with you.

Buy your quidcon tickets today at https://bit.ly/quidcontickets.

02/19/2021

Survey says... we need your help! Fill out this form (🔗: bit.ly/quidconfamilyfeud) to have your opinion featured live at QuidCon's Quidditch Family Feud panel. But hurry, the form will close after the first 100 submissions.

02/17/2021

Drumroll please....

Schedules for QuidCon 2021 are now live! 🎉

Join 150+ leaders in the quidditch community for 40+ panels ranging across topics in gameplay, marketing, DEI, physical training, quidditch history and more! Buy your tickets today at https://major-league-quidditch.ticketleap.com/quidcon-2021/.

All times are in Eastern Time (EST/ET).

Key:
White - Keynote
Light Blue - Activity
Peach - Webinar
Medium Blue - Panel
Orange - Workshop

02/12/2021

Announcing Quidditch Jeopardy with Fast Break News at QuidCon 2021! Join us for fun quidditch facts, history and news highlights in gameshow form. Test your knowledge as you watch, or sign up today to be a contestant on either Quidditch Jeopardy: The Force Awakens OR Quidditch Jeopardy: The Rise of the Kids.

Sign up to be a contestant on Fast Break News' Jeopardy tournaments at https://forms.gle/qpTZW5o7ogXdiD33A, and don't forget to buy your tickets for QuidCon 2021 at https://quidcon.carrd.co! See you there. ✌️

For such a young sport, Quidditch boasts an impressively rich history— filled with powerhouses and underdogs alike. That’s why FastBreak News is kicking off a brand new retrospective project.
 At QuidCon, we will be hosting Quidditch Jeopardy: The Force Awakens. This tournament is perfect for those of us that love flexing their knowledge ❤, but struggle to flex their muscles