The Magic of Quadball and the Prague Pegasus

Based on the popular fictional game of quidditch, as developed by J.K. Rowling for the world of Harry Potter, quadball is a real-life sport that has been gaining in popularity in the past decade.

A mixture of rugby, dodgeball, and handball, it is a game that offers plenty of fun.

Quadball originated in the United States, but has since spread all over the world, including the Czech Republic. The first Czech team was founded in Olomouc by a student who discovered the game while on Erasmus in Norway. Today, Czechia has quadball teams in cities including Brno, Plzeň, and Prague.

But first, what are the rules of the game?

Quadball is played in teams of seven players, all of whom are mounted on a (broom)stick throughout the match. Each team has three chasers, two beaters, a keeper, and a seeker. The goal of the chasers is to shoot a deflated volleyball through one of the three hoops set on each side of the pitch. Each score is worth 10 points.

The keeper is the player that defends the hoops, while the beaters distract the chasers by hitting them with bludgers (deflated basketballs).

The seeker is the player that joins the game at the 17-minute mark. Their role is to catch the “snitch” – a smaller ball tied to the back of a referee that runs around in an attempt to escape the seeker. Once one team’s seeker catches the snitch, the game is over.

“The games usually last for 20-30 minutes, meaning 40 minutes with the breaks,” explains Matěj Vodrážka, a seasoned player of the Prague Pegasus, the Prague-based quadball team.

Founded in 2016, Prague Pegasus started with only 3 players. The team has grown quite significantly since then. “I would say that I met around 50 players here altogether, but there are about 15-20 people that come regularly,” says Matěj, who joined the team in 2019. “We’ve had players from Turkey, Greece, Egypt, all around the world.”

Indeed, while most players are Czech, the Prague Pegasus team is English-friendly, and welcomes any newcomers – be it local or expat – with open arms. In fact, one of the most important aspects of quadball is the community-building, according to Sylvie Řezáčová, a seasoned player who also serves as one of the coaches.

“One of my favorite things about quadball is definitely the community. For example, if you want to visit a different country, you can just message the local team and ask if you can join. Or if you go to a tournament, you just instantly get a lot of new friends,” says Sylvie. “We even have some couples who met through quadball and are now together.”

Moreover, quadball is an inclusive, LGBTQ-friendly game. There is a specific “gender rule” that dictates no more than 4 players per team can be of the same gender. As such, quadball welcomes anybody who wants to join. You do not even have to be a Harry Potter fan!

“Yeah, I would say that only half of the people here are actually Harry Potter fans. Others just heard about the game from their friends, came, and enjoyed it so much they stayed,” says Sylvie.

However, the sport’s link to the world of Harry Potter did cause some issues. While the game was originally known as quidditch, which is the official name of the magical broomstick-based game in the Harry Potter books, it had to be changed in 2022 to quadball, due to trademark disputes with Warner Bros, according to Matěj.

Moreover, other sources claim the name was changed to cut ties with J.K. Rowling, who has been a subject of controversy due to her anti-trans statements.

Regardless of the name change, quadball keeps on growing. There are many official tournaments all around the world. The biggest European tournament is called European Quidditch Cup and the 2023 edition was held several weeks ago in Germany. Prague Pegasus participated. They also finished the official season of the Czech League, and are awaiting their next tournament in August.

The Prague Pegasus team hopes to keep growing. For now, they are all running the team and practices as volunteers, driven by their love for the sport and the community. Since there are no official quadball stadiums/fields in Prague, they reserve a grass pitch in Letná Park every Wednesday and Sunday. And the practice is open to anybody.

“It’s very easy,” laughs Matěj. “Just take some sports clothes, and a water bottle, and come and join us! We provide all the equipment needed for the game.”

“I’ve learned so many things through quadball, and may of them are not even sport-related. The community here is very strong. So, come and join,” concludes Sylvie.