Quidditch Rules

A quidditch team is made of 7 players: 3 chaser, 2 beaters, 1 keeper, and 1 seeker. Each team also has one captain.

At all times, all players, except the seeker (and sometimes keeper) must be in the boundaries of the Quidditch pitch, Identified by the field.

The chasers on each team are responsible for throwing their quaffle (a volleyball) through a hanging goalpost (suspended hula hoops).

Player’s (all positions), are not to touch each other, or any other player, nor can they take a quaffle from another player’s possession. A chaser, who scores with their quaffle through the goal post, earns ten points.

Beaters are the only players that can be in possession of a bludger (dodgeball). Bludgers are thrown by beaters at Chasers, (not Keepers or Seekers).

A bludger that hits a chaser causes them to drop their quaffle where they stand, and the chaser then returns to their goal posts before playing (Possesion of the quaffle is then determined by whomever claims possession of it once dropped).

Chasers are not to catch or block a bludger thrown at them, any contact to them or their possesions (quaffle, broom), counts as a hit.

Keepers are the only persons who can stand in close vicinity of a goalpost. This area can be made clear by a box surrounded the posts, but a general rule of discretion calls for all other players to stay 10 feet away. Only one keeper per team and keepers are not to leave their assigned area, unless they are retrieving an out of bounds quaffle.

A quaffle thrown out of bounds may only be retrieved by a referee or a keeper, it will then be thrown back in by whomever retrieved it.

Seekers are the only players that can catch a snitch. The snitch is a third party player who is clearly identified by a yellow Jersey, or pennant. The snitch and seeker are free to roam and run around a prescribed area that is larger than the field of play. A seeker is responsible for catching the snitch, and is considered to have done so when the snitch is tagged (or a flag taken, akin to flag football).

Neither seekers nor snitched are to be hit by bludgers.

If a seeker catches the snitch and returns to the quidditch pitch the game is over, and their team earns 150 points.

Broomstick rule –all players (not snitch or referee), are to be in possession of their broomstick at all times. If a player drops a broomstick a foul may be called. Players cannot trade broomsticks while on the pitch.

If a player desires he/she can return to the sidelines and exchange a broomstick with a new player.

If a foul is commited the offending team‘s keeper must defned the goal post against a free shot, which a chosen chaser can perform uninhibited.

Team captains can call timeouts. Seekers are expected to use discretion for timeouts and be aware that they are also asked to stop the play, upon their noticing of the call.

Referees are responsible with beginning the game, releasing the snitch, before play, calling fouls, assigning free shots, retrieving lost balls, and scorekeeping.