Canadian Quidditch

Canadian Quidditch (also known as ice quidditch, Quidditch Quebecois, and Eistod) is a wizarding sport played on ice. Initially a modified version of Quidditch created with Canadian winters in mind, it has since taken on a life of its own—a success cemented by the formation of the National Ice Quidditch League (NIQL).

Like Quidditch, the object of the game is to score more points than your opponents. Each goal is worth ten points, and catching the snitch is worth one-hundred fifty points. The game ends when the Snitch is caught or an agreement is reached between the captains of both teams. But the similarities end there.

Instead of brooms, Canadian Quidditch is played on ice, which constantly changes; sudden quicksand pits, magma rifts, stalagmites and lagoons are a common feature. Portals riddle the rink like potholes. Teams consist of six players instead of seven, and bludgers are made of iron. More importantly, magic is allowed, albeit in limited, wandless quantities (e.g. levitation, pushing, freezing, hexes).

In Canada, some European countries such as Russia and Sweden, and certain cities within the U.S., its names are used interchangeably. 'Eistod' is a growing favorite as of late, particularly among separatist fans, but in the right cities (which is all the provinces in Canada, save Quebec) simply "quidditch" will do.

History

Canadian Quidditch began as a solution for Canadian winters, when the wind and snow were so heavy that flying simply was not an option, and not everyone could erect or sustain a suitable cover, magical or otherwise. Inspired by Muggle stick-and-ball games, particularly ice hockey and shinny, a group of enterprising Canadian wizards adapted Quidditch to a new platform before adding their own twists to the new game. This was sometime during the late 1700s.

In 1875, the first formal ice quidditch organization, Canadian Quidditch Association, was formed. Rules were made, standards were set, and everyone who played was expected to follow them. While initially met with resistance among those who enjoyed their games with bloodthirsty abandon, they quickly gained traction with everyone else. On January 8, 1876, the first game conducted under official Association rules was played. From then on, the number of teams only grew, until there was enough to hold the first national championship of Canadian quidditch in 1886, at the Wizarding Montreal Winter Carnival.

Game

While the general characteristics of Quidditch were kept, the first of its key differences begin with location. Canadian Quidditch is played in a massive ice rink capable of irregular, unpredictable terrain. During normal play, there are six players per side on the ice at any time, one of them being the Keeper. At the start of the game, quaffle, bludgers and snitch are released. A complex algorithm keeps the terrain tranfigurations brief and randomized.

Within certain restrictions, players may control all balls (except the snitch) with magic. Chasers may use it to levitate, push, pull, and snap the quaffle away; Beaters may erect shields over their teammates, and have the most leeway with curses. Given the difficulty of wandless magic, any player who interacts with the quaffle and bludgers may resort to hexes and certain curses, though they are liable for penalties. Keepers are under stricter restrictions, but their area is warded against bludgers and therefore safe from them.

Due to the solitary and breakneck nature of their job, Seekers wear a uniform that makes them intangible to all but the terrain, the snitch, and any spell – harmful or helpful – thrown their way.

Due to the extremely rigorous, cross-country athleticism required to merely cross the rink, games are divided into three twenty-minute periods, which may see a different line-up at the start of each one.

As it is in muggle hockey, bodychecking another player into the boards is permitted, for the same purpose: a means of stopping the quaffle's progress without stopping the game. Games that are, are restarted with a "faceoff", in which two players "face" each other and, at the drop of the quaffle, attempt to gain control of it. The player who succeeds initiates a "powerplay" for their team; if a goal is scored during a powerplay, it is worth twice the points.

Penalties

In ice quidditch, infractions of the rules lead to play stoppages. Some infractions result in the imposition of a penalty to a player or team. In the simplest case, the offending player is sent to the "penalty box" and their team has to play with one fewer player on the ice for a designated amount of time. Minor penalties last for two minutes, major penalties last for five minutes, and a double minor penalty is two consecutive penalties of two minutes duration. A single minor penalty may be extended by a further two minutes for causing visible injury to the victimized player. This is usually when an unauthorized hex or curse is cast.

Penalties are usually incurred when players act beyond the boundaries of their roles, or use unauthorized spells. Chasers may not erect shields or interact with bludgers; Beaters may not interact with the quaffle or Keeper; Keepers cannot create shields or interact with the quaffle in any way except to block it; Seekers may not interact with any ball except the snitch. Any outright fighting (physical or magical) may result in a major penalty for the instigator. Tampering with equipment and the balls themselves is strictly prohibited; those who are caught will face suspension.

The National Ice Quidditch League

The National Ice Quidditch League is a professional ice quidditch league composed of 20 active clubs. It is considered the premier professional ice quidditch league in the world and one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada (third only to Quodpot and Quidditch).

The Bedivere Cup

The oldest and most prestigious team award is the Bedivere Cup. It is awarded annually to the league playoff champion at the end of each season.

The National Ice Quidditch League was organized on December 22, 1912, in Montreal, Quebec, after the suspension of operations of its predecessor, the Canadian Quidditch Association (not be confused with the Canadian Quidditch League).

Teams

The NIQL is divided into two conferences - Eastern and Western - and four divisions: Atlantic, Metropolitan, Pacific and Central.

Eastern Conference

Team	City	Description	Notes
Atlantic Division
Boston Banshees	Boston, MA	American team.
Detroit Ridgebacks	Detroit, IL	American team.
Montreal Mammoths	Montreal, QC	Canadian team.
Vancouver Voyagers	Vancouver, BC	Canadian team.
Yarmouth Yetis	Yarmouth, NS	Canadian team.
Metropolitan Division
Coventry Cavaliers	Coventry, VT	American team.
New York Ravens	New York, NY	American team.
Pittsburgh Paladins	Pittsburgh, PA	American team.
Salem Mavericks	Salem, MA	American team.
Washington Wolves	Washington D.C.	American team.

Western Conference

Team	City	Description	Notes
Pacific Division
Calgary Knights	Calgary, AB	Canadian team.
Edmonton Eagles	Edmonton, AB	Canadian team.
Los Angeles Aces	Los Angeles, CA	American team.
San Jose Hellhounds	San Jose, CA	American team.
Wetaskiwin Giants	Wetaskiwin, AB	Canadian team.
Central Division
Chattanooga Champs	Chattanooga, TN	American team.
Firestone Furies	Firestone, CO	American team.
Minnesota Mooncalves	Rochester, MN	American team.
Nashville Vipers	Nashville, TN	American team.
Steinbach Steelers	Steinbach, MB	Canadian team.

Notable Players at Absit Omen

• Grigory Gonchar, a Beast Handler and Koldovstoretz alum who almost went pro.
• Maksim Markov, Captain of the Los Angeles Aces (Chaser).
• Vasily Gonchar, Chaser for the New York Ravens.
• Dmitriy Lapin, Chaser for the Montreal Mammoths.
• Maria Nazarova, Captain of the Nashville Vipers (Seeker).
• Semyon Yurevich, Seeker for the Los Angeles Aces.