Okay so I could barely contain my emotions while I was making these. But here’s the story behind them.
For the first set of pictures, the picture is on top is from the 2nd Annual Brotherly Love Cup this past October. The picture on the bottom is from this past weekend at the 2nd Annual Briarcliff House Cup. In October we had just started our team, so we attended the tournament as spectators. Priding our sloppy next day band braids, our wands, house color bows, and our band jackets. In the 7 months following that tournament, basically every member of our original team left. We were desperate for players, desperate for a chance to compete. By some crazy sequence of miracles and our endless perseverance, we had a few of our players back as well as a handful of new ones by March. And they were good; they were incredible, actually. We had a team, and there was an upcoming PA tournament in about a month. Completely attainable. We practiced until we bled, and we even scrimmaged weekly with a local college team (Swarthmore, every day was incredible with you guys). We fundraised, bake sales every single week. The idea of paying for brooms, hoops, balls, uniforms, and fees seemed totally impossible. But then our team, our amazing team, came through with flying colors. Made hoops. Paid fees. Looked around their houses for balls. Baked, sold, bought at bake sales. Chipped in for uniforms. Convinced their friends to join. Everything that seemed impossible happened. Even after the PA tournament got cancelled, they still came to practice and gave their all. Two weeks before the Briarcliff House Cup, we sent their captain an email. Explaining everything we’ve been through as a team, and even while registration was due months ago, they let us compete. Again, the impossible had happened. So 7 months later, we’re standing in New York in amazing uniforms, our house colored bows are now the color of the positions we play, instead of standing around fangirling and playing with our wands…we’re signing a paper as captains after our first victory. The parallelism between these two pictures blows my mind (considering both were totally accidental). And looking at them and thinking of how much we’ve grown, how much has changed, and how completely beautiful our experience with our team has been to get us to this point, makes me realize the power people coming together. More specifically people coming together to play quidditch.
Now as far as the second set of pictures goes, the one on the left was taken at the same Brotherly Love Cup, and the one on the right was taken at the same House Cup. These pictures amaze me for most of the same reasons. But really in these pictures, I see more of how far we’ve come as captains, friends, and people. Happier, closer, and actively participating in what we love. Which is amazing, when you think about it.
Thanks team, for everything. For this wild experience that none of us will ever forget. And thank you to anyone who has helped us get where we are today. You all taught me so much about determination, perseverance, leadership, teamwork, and what can happen when you put your mind to something. I’m proud of all of you. And I love you co-cap’ :).
If this is how the past 7 months have gone, I’m more than thrilled for what lies ahead for at least our next two years of quidditch (we’ll see where we go after high school :))…even though I’ll miss our seniors. Love ya, Haven Quidd.
