By 
(Photo courtesy of Sarah Knowlton)
By: NICK WORT
Staff Writer
IU South Bend’s Quidditch team will have a spot in the International Quidditch Association (IQA) World Cup Tournament, according Sarah Knowlton, team president .
IUSB’s spot first belonged to Marquette University, but they dropped out. After two other teams declined the invitation, IUSB was given the chance to compete.
“We had two fundraisers started and a request for a third one started that night,” Knowlton said. “I called the guy back around 11ish and said ‘Alright, we’re taking [the invitation].’”
“The team has really came together,” Knowlton continued. “We have something to look forward to. It’s like everyone has pulled together, every single person on the team. It was amazing.”
This is the first time IUSB has participated in the IQA World Cup. This year the tournament will be held in Myrtle Beach, N.C., and will host more than 80 teams from all over the world.
“The first game and the first team in our pool is the University of Texas at Austin, and they won last year.” Knowlton said. “The thing about the teams in the South is that they get to practice outside all year round. We have to practice in the SAC, but we can’t tackle, we can’t go as hard. We have to put towels underneath our hoops because they can’t touch the floor.”
IUSB will also be competing against Stanford and Rutgers. Knowlton thinks they have a chance against the teams, “and I think we can hold our own against Texas,” she added.
The team estimates that they’ll need to raise $2,750 dollars for the trip. They’ve set up donations websites and have been tabling on campus. According to Knowlton, they have also put in a request with the SGA and the Club Sports Council, as well as hosting an off-campus bake sale and an on-campus t-shirt sale.
“With the Go Fund Me donation site and the bake sale we’ve made about $900 to $1,000,” Knowlton said. “We raised $315 dollars just off of cupcakes and cookies alone.”
“We’ve already confirmed, so we’re going kicking and screaming if we have to,” Knowlton added. “I have a lot of faith we can do it, I mean we’ve raised a lot of money so far.”
The team plans on leaving Thursday evening, March 3, and arriving midday on Friday. The actual tournament doesn’t begin until Saturday, but IUSB will be at the tournament location by Friday evening.
“We have to be there super early on Saturday. They have a march-in with our team and a banner, and it’s part of this huge opening ceremony,” Knowlton said. “Our first game isn’t until 11 a.m. though.”
Even though the tournament will have many teams from the Midwest, the only teams from Indiana will be IUSB and Ball State University.
“This is our third year, so we’re still growing and developing a little. Some of these teams have been around for a long time,” Knowlton said.
“We’re a small campus, it’s hard to get people. A lot of students have jobs here. Everyone on the team has a job and everyone on the team has a big heavy class load,” Knowlton added. “We’re still growing and developing. We get better and better every year. We were so close to actually qualifying this past year that I think we could have a chance to actually qualify next year, instead of getting in by default.”
To donate to the IUSB Quidditch Club’s fundraiser, visit their donation page at www.gofundme.com/7r4xqk. For more information and live updates on the IQA World Cup, visit the World Cup website at www.iqaworldcup.com.
