茄子直播

Quidditch brings a magic touch to Camp 茄子直播

photo of Quidditch player on broomstick, aloft
Though human Quidditch is played on the field, it didn鈥檛 stop camper Noah Friedman from attempting to fly (all photos by Romi Levine)

It seems fitting that a school often likened to Hogwarts for its appearance would be the venue for a lesson in witchcraft and wizardry. 

On a sunny July day, around 30 eager kids made their way to the fields of Back Campus at the University of Toronto to learn how to play Quidditch. 

In J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, the sport is played while soaring through the air on flying broomsticks. But it鈥檚 been adapted for mere Muggles (non-magical people) and there鈥檚 even .

Two of those team members were tasked with training the kids 鈥 all participants in University of Toronto鈥檚 summer camp 鈥 Camp 茄子直播.

 

鈥淚 am a huge Harry Potter fan so I鈥檝e been looking forward to it since I found out we were going to do it this week,鈥 says camper Jessica Filipovich, 13. 

If this kind of activity appears unconventional for a summer camp, you鈥檇 be right. It鈥檚 part of a program within Camp 茄子直播 called .

Offered for the first time this year, NOT Sports Camp includes games such as capture the flag, inner tube water polo and dodgeball .

鈥淣OT Sports Camp is an opportunity for a non-traditional camp experience in a sense that we wanted to create a program that did not focus on the traditional sports,鈥 says Mandy D鈥橝rcy. The manager of children and youth at 茄子直播's Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, she also oversees Camp 茄子直播 and Junior Blues programming throughout the year. 

鈥淲e really wanted to reach those children who were not necessarily interested in traditional athletics or being sporty鈥 but really just wanted to play games and have fun,鈥 she says.鈥淚 think we鈥檙e really successful in a sense that it鈥檚 sold out, it鈥檚 been really popular and the kids really seem to enjoy it.鈥

photo of players on field

This spirit of inclusivity is the foundation of Camp 茄子直播, which prides itself on celebrating and accepting people鈥檚 differences. 

鈥淭hat can open some eyes,鈥 says D鈥橝rcy. 

Kids from all over Toronto, Canada and the world are attracted to Camp 茄子直播鈥檚 positive environment and the university鈥檚 global reputation, she says 鈥 with campers coming from as far as China to spend a week on campus. 

Next week, seven Syrian refugees will be attending Camp 茄子直播 鈥 with three more subsidized spots available to newcomers.

D鈥橝rcy says that after going through terrible trauma, the campers鈥 biggest challenge will be learning how to be kids again. 鈥淪o for them, the camp is a great experience, a great opportunity.鈥 

But for all kids, the chance to go to camp can be life-changing, she adds.

鈥淭heir experience having been in a week of camp really can make a difference for them. Making a lot of friends, having fun, obviously and being exposed to something they鈥檝e never been exposed to.鈥 

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Many campers enjoy their time at Camp 茄子直播 so much, they go on to become counsellors and sometimes faculty, she says. 

For camp counsellor and fourth-year neuroscience student Lauren Sudac, Camp 茄子直播 has been a rewarding experience. 

鈥淚 love the interaction with the kids and the smiles we can put on their faces, even with simple games or as complex games as Quidditch,鈥 she says. It鈥檚 her first summer working at the camp.
Watching the campers play Quidditch, it was clear they were having a blast as they whizzed across the field on their makeshift broomsticks. 

鈥淚t was really, really fun,鈥 Filipovich says. 鈥淚f I ever go to 茄子直播 maybe I鈥檒l try out for the team.鈥 

For 13-year-old Noah Friedman, it was an exciting way to see the magical game come to life in the real world. 

鈥淚t was really interesting 鈥榗ause I read the books and understand the rules in the books and so it was really cool to see how people have turned it into something you can actually do,鈥 he says.

photo of Quidditch player aloft 

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