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Here's what to expect from MLQ's 2022 season

Here's what to expect from MLQ's 2022 season
Major League Quidditch's 2022 season is officially underway, and to mark the occasion, we're checking in with the league's Jack McGovern. We're talking standout players, events, and teams, plus an update on the Quidditch name change. Be sure to order all of your official MLQ gear exclusively through VII Apparel Co.!

VII: What's new with the MLQ this season? 
Jack McGovern: Our two Canadian franchises are back! The Ottawa Black Bears and the Toronto Raiders are playing their first games since 2019 due to border restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The entire league was suspended for the 2020 season of course, but cross-border play remained shut down for the 2021 season, so only the American teams got to return to the pitch. We are really excited to have the Black Bears and the Raiders back and looking forward to seeing what they can do. Toronto opened their season with a three-game sweep over Cleveland last weekend, so the year has started well for them!

VII: What are the teams to look out for in 2022? 
JM: The Austin Outlaws and the New York Titans are the returning finalists from 2021. Austin won their third Benepe Cup and enter the season as the heavy favorites, having just added a large contingent of players from the college national champion squad at the University of Texas. New York comes into 2022 with a new coaching staff and was not originally predicted by many analysts to win the East Division, but they just absolutely showed out in their season opener last weekend against the Washington Admirals, who were labeled as the team to beat heading into the year, and won two out of three games. The Minneapolis Monarchs, an expansion team in 2019, are also looking to defend their North Division title in 2021, which was only their second season in existence! They are hoping to string together a couple division titles in a row like the three-peat that the Indianapolis Intensity last achieved from 2015-2017.

VII: Who are some standout players to keep an eye out for? 
JM: Thirteen new players were just added to Team USA and nine are playing in cities with an MLQ team this summer! They are pretty spread out too so chances are there is a national team player on a team near you. Here is the complete list: Rachel Ayella-Silver (New York Titans), Justin Cole (Washington Admirals), Taylor Crawford and Ian Scura (Boston Forge), Ryan Davis (Charlotte Aviators), Miguel Esparza and Daniel Williams (San Antonio Soldados), Erin McBride (Austin Outlaws), and Darian Murcek-Ellis (Kansas City Stampede). 
There are also a number of returning Team USA players from the Austin Outlaws, Boston Forge, New York Titans, and Washington Admirals. Team USA is preparing to host the International Quidditch Association World Cup in Richmond, Virginia next year, so this summer is a key season for players with hopes of representing their country on home soil to prove themselves on the pitch.

VII: What are some of the big events fans should put on their calendars? 
JM: We are staging our first-ever North Division Championship in South Bend, Indiana on June 23-24. With the return of the Canadian teams and the Rochester Whiteout shifting over from the East Division, the North Division now has six teams as opposed to five members like the other two divisions. In response, the league decided to split the North Division into two halves of three teams for the regular season and then host a playoff-style tournament to determine the divisional qualification spots for the league-wide MLQ Championship in Howard County, Maryland on August 20-21. The North Division Championship gives the league a chance to put on another marquee event in a great city and shine a spotlight on the often overlooked franchises in the middle of the country.
In the same vein, the two Canadian teams, who usually compete in separate divisions, will play against each other for the first time and contest a  three-game series in Toronto on July 30. The Scavenger Showdown, named for the beloved mascots of each franchise (which are a raccoon for the Raiders and a black bear for the Black Bears), will determine bragging rights at the highest possible level north of the border.

VII: What's up with the name change — any progress with that? 
JM: Yes! As you might have heard, Major League Quidditch and US Quidditch, the governing body for the sport in the United States, are in the middle of a process to change the name of the sport. We have conducted surveys of players, staff, and fans and are currently analyzing the data and seeking feedback from legal teams. We feel it is an extremely important decision for the sport to be able to continue to grow, so we want to make sure to get it right. Sorry that I can't provide more information, but you will hopefully be hearing from us soon!

VII: Anything else noteworthy you'd like to add? 
JM: We got off to a great start last weekend and we are thrilled about the schedule for the rest of the summer! Check and see if games are being played anywhere near you and get your tickets now!
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Amanda Dallas advocates for more inclusivity in quidditch

Amanda Dallas advocates for more inclusivity in quidditch

In honor of National Girls and Women in Sports Day on Feb. 5, Savage is highlighting some of our favorite female athletes in some of our favorite sports throughout the week. Next up: Quidditch player Amanda Dallas.

Amanda Dallas, simply called Dallas by those who know her, has been playing quidditch for nearly a decade. She's the co-commissioner for Major League Quidditch, a board member with US Quidditch, and coordinator for the US National Quidditch Team (USNT). When she's not in quidditch mode, the North Jersey resident works in NYC as a technical project manager for IT and security at Better.com. Take it away, Dallas!

Savage: How did you get into playing quidditch? What drew you to the sport? 

Amanda Dallas: I’m not your average quidditch player. There’s no strong connection to Harry Potter here — I didn’t even read all the books. A friend of mine in college co-founded the NYU team and recruited me to play. I was very much against it in the early stages and thought it was way too weird — and to think, I didn’t even start playing during the capes era! The people on the NYU team, however, won me over, so I stuck around longer than intended. Ultimately, I ended up enjoying how fast-paced, physical and unique quidditch is. I was drawn into volunteering by Alex Benepe, one of the sport’s founders, noticed the potential for growth and now here I am!

Savage: What's unique about being a woman in the world of quidditch? How do you think being female in this sport compares to other sports? 

AD: It’s an entirely different experience sharing the field with all genders and not just your own. Sure, you can do so in rec, intramural and pickup leagues. But those are nowhere near as competitive and certainly not as physical. Inclusivity is literally built into this sport’s DNA and, you can be not only one of the best females at a position, but one of the best of any gender. Unfortunately, it’s rare to get that opportunity in sports. 

Savage: Are there any challenges to being a woman in quidditch? 

AD: There are numerous challenges, as I’m sure you can imagine. The most prevalent being the frequency of which you’re underestimated solely for being a woman playing a full-contact sport with men. It becomes even more challenging when you’re a female coach in a sport where, like most others, the primary gender of coaches is male. In some of the early years I was overlooked. Now that more people are familiar with me and what I’ve done, I’m underestimated a lot less, but there were times when I would raise an issue to referee and they’d look to my male teammate for confirmation or dismiss me entirely. There are still hiccups here and there; even after nine years I don’t always get credit for what I do. Just last year an opponent came up to me at USQ Cup to praise our male head coach (on The Warriors) for how well he trained the beaters — for which the primary training responsibilities fall to me.

At all levels, but particularly the collegiate level, there are still women and other genders outside the binary that aren’t being treated the same as their male counterparts. I ran a fantasy tournament last summer where only women and those outside of the gender binary were permitted to attend. As part of the tournament, we hosted workshops to go over basic skills: cutting, tackling, throwing, etc. The number of players that showed up to the throwing workshop, specifically, was horrifying. Some of the players had been on notable, high-level teams for well over a year and yet no one took the time to just explain basic throwing dynamics to them.  

There is no quick fix to this, but there are small changes individuals can make. Male coaches need to spend just as much time with females and those outside of the gender binary. They’ll spend hours fostering a male chaser’s skill set but then disregard that their female chaser — who goes to the right spot, can score if she gets the ball but struggles to catch a pass — could be an absolute game-changer if they just practice catching for a few more minutes each practice. I’ve been so fortunate to work with some of the most talented women in this sport on both The Warriors and the USNT, and I can tell you, they didn’t all walk onto the field as the stars that they are today. They worked for it and someone worked with them. 

Savage: Thoughts on bringing more women into quidditch?  

AD: MLQ is currently working on some new youth and gender initiatives to implement in the future. As for what currently exists, last season we introduced the Coleman Clause. Named after Lisle Coleman — a queer non-binary individual who has really pushed quidditch, as a whole, to make strides toward equality for all genders — the Coleman Clause is a coach hiring policy requiring each MLQ franchise to fulfill at least one of the following requirements in their coach hiring process. A team must:

  1. Have at least one applicant for Head Coach or Assistant Coach that is a gender-minority player; OR
  1. Hire at least one gender-minority individual as a Head Coach or Assistant Coach; OR
  2. Have a pre-existing Head Coach or Assistant Coach that is a gender-minority player

for the upcoming season.

In our first season with this policy we added four female coaches and retained one from the season prior. Fortunately, we did not have to penalize any teams, thus, all met the requirement. 

In addition to the Coleman Clause, we also introduced a new requirement for all MLQ managers and coaches. All MLQ managers, assistant managers, head coaches and assistant coaches are required to complete Athlete Ally’s Champions of Inclusion, a free comprehensive online curriculum for coaches on LGBTQ+ respect and inclusion within athletics.

Lastly, MLQ currently has a volunteer opening for an MLQ Diversity and Inclusion Manager. We created this role in the hopes of finding someone passionate about and knowledgeable in the development and execution of strategic initiatives and programs related to diversity and inclusion. It’s our hope that having someone specifically dedicated to this role will increase the participation of LGBTQ+ athletes and athletes that are both female and identify outside of the gender binary. 

Savage: Who are some of your favorite female quidditch players? 

AD: Hallie Pace of the USNT and Texas Hill Country Heat is easily one of the most inspiring — not just women — but athletes in quidditch. She’s small in stature but is an absolute beast on the field. It’s uncommon nowadays to see two women in a beater set together on pitch, but if Pace is on a team, it’s just an expectation that a double female set is somewhere in that arsenal.

Second to Pace in my book is my Warriors teammate and USNT chaser Lindsay Marella. Marella is a natural-born athlete and just transforms any quaffle line she plays on. She can tackle anyone, cut and has a cannon of an arm. Marella truly is one of the elite athletes in this sport, regardless of gender. But even with the accolades she has achieved, she continues to work harder every day to improve, stays humble and advocates for other genders outside of the binary.

Savage: What are your hopes for the future of the sport? 

AD: I truly hope the sport continues to grow its gender and diversity inclusion and become more accessible to all. There are still many issues we have yet to solve and many minds we have to change, but nothing is impossible. Quidditch has grown at an incredible pace and as long as volunteers and athletes continue to push the limits of innovation and take risks, there’s a bright future ahead of us.

 

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5 Questions with QPL Director Jack Lennard

5 Questions with QPL Director Jack Lennard

Team Savage is gearing up for the Quidditch Premier League Championship in Cardiff, Wales on Aug. 25. We'll be there selling gear, so be sure to stop by for a replica jersey—they're discounted to $39 through Sunday. Can't wait for Saturday? Check out our QPL Pro Shop online, and read our Q&A with QPL director Jack Lennard.

Savage: What are some of the biggest accomplishments of QPL this season? How is the league evolving? 

Jack Lennard: Following on from such a successful first season was always going to be a challenge, but I’m really proud of how we responded to feedback and kept the experience of the league at such a high level. We added two new teams, the Scottish Thistles and the Welsh Dragons, made the teams smaller to allow for more game-time for players, and are having our Championship in Cardiff Arms Park, a truly spectacular venue. The league itself is evolving really quickly—we’re always setting our sights on the next challenge, and the next milestone!

Savage: Are there any memorable matches you'd like to call out here? 

JL: The battles between the East Midlands Archers and the West Midlands Revolution came to a climax in Birmingham, where the West Midlands won an incredibly tight contest to squeak ahead of their rivals in the league on point differential—so that was a fantastic way to set us up for the Championship! 

Savage: What teams have you enjoyed following through their season? 

 JL: The London Monarchs have been a joy to watch this season. They play such attractive quidditch, they’re a really strong team. Watching the Eastern Mermaids bounce back from a zero-win season last year to a pretty high seeding for Championships after coming third in the Southern Division has been fun. It really shows that the fortunes of teams can ebb and flow over the years, which makes the entire league more attractive to spectators. And of course, our two new teams, in Wales and Scotland, have had debuts to be proud of—I can’t wait to see their fans cheering them on in Cardiff!

Savage: What can we expect from the championships? 

JL: It’ll be an incredible event. Cardiff Arms Park is another large professional sports stadium, so for the second year running we’ll be offering a venue for quidditch that can’t be matched in other UK competitions. That comes with all the amenities, facilities, and luxuries that those venues afford—so expect great views, great streaming, and an amazing location right in the centre of Cardiff. It’ll be a perfect celebration of the ambition that the Quidditch Premier League embodies.

Savage: Will there be anything new or different in the next season for QPL?

JL: Next season we have our big European expansion—five new teams across France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, which is so exciting! UK teams won’t be forgotten about either, we have some surprises for them… but all that can wait until after Cardiff, where we send off the 2018 Quidditch Premier League season with a bang!

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It's Championship time for MLQ. Let's look back on the season.

It's Championship time for MLQ. Let's look back on the season.

Major League Quidditch is hosting its Championships this weekend in Madison, Wisconsin, and the Savage crew will be in attendance cheering on our favorite teams. To celebrate another successful season, we're getting all misty-eyed and reminiscing on some of our favorite moments from the past few months. 

By the way, save 30 percent off our entire collection of Major League Quidditch jerseys by using the code BROOMSUP at checkout! 

Major League Quidditch

MLQ Jerseys

MLQ Womens jerseys

US quidditch team

MLQ uniforms

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US National Team Wins the Quidditch World Cup

US National Team Wins the Quidditch World Cup

After facing off with quidditch teams from all over the globe, the U.S. National Team won the International Quidditch Association's World Cup this weekend in Florence, Italy. Savage couldn't be prouder to rep this crew, made up of some of the best players from throughout the country. 

To celebrate, we're offering 15 percent off all USNT Quidditch gear, including jerseys, shorts, headbands, joggers, and more. Use the code REDEEMTEAM when you check out. Act fast because this offer is only valid today! (July 2)

 

 

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Are You Ready for the IQA World Cup? We Totally Are

Are You Ready for the IQA World Cup? We Totally Are

The International Quidditch Association's World Cup is scheduled for June 27-July 2 in Florence, Italy, and Team Savage is pretty darn excited. We have partnered with US Quidditch and the US National Team to provide uniforms for this year's competition. Our very own Dan C. is even taking one for the team and will travel all the way to Italia to rep Savage at the event. What a nice guy.

Here's a slideshow of some of the highlights. Check out the full collection—including jerseys, shorts, joggers, and a pretty sweet headband—over here.

 

 

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US Quidditch Cup 11 Recap

US Quidditch Cup 11 Recap

Earlier this month, the Savage crew headed to Texas for the US Quidditch Cup 11. Over the course of the weekend, we witnessed some incredible playing from nearly 90 teams—it was one of the biggest quidditch events ever held!

The University of Rochester Thestrals beat the No. 1-ranked Texas Quidditch in the college finals, and Texas Cavalry (sporting their Savage quidditch jerseys) won the community finals. 

Savage's Austin Bartenstein loved seeing our home state represented in Texas. "I was excited with how many Virginia teams were representing at Nationals: Hometown Richmond (the REAL U of R), JMU, UVA and Virginia Tech were all there," he says.
High winds made setting up shop a challenge for the Savage crew on Day 1, but we still managed to sell out of our Quidditch Life gear. If you want your own Quidditch Life jersey or tank, pick it up on the Savage shop!
Read a full event recap on the USQ site. And see more great photos by Nick Wagner at American-Statesman here.
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7 Questions with Austin Outlaws player Augie Monroe

7 Questions with Austin Outlaws player Augie Monroe

Savage is on a mission to highlight players from our sponsored teams across multiple sports. Catch this and other "7 Questions from Savage" as we take you into the minds of athletes around the world! In preparation for the MLQ Championships, we continue the series with MLQ player Augustine Monroe. 

VII: Augie, please tell us a little about yourself. 

AM: I've been living in Austin, Texas for awhile now, but I'm from Brownsville, Texas. I play for the Austin Outlaws in the MLQ and the Texas Cavalry in the USQ. I was on the first Team USA for Quidditch. I also work for a nonprofit as a social worker and case-manager. Hope for the Warriors is a nonprofit based out of Virginia that provides services to wounded service members, their families, and families of those killed in action. 

VII: How did you find your way into the world of Quidditch? 

AM: Growing up I was never a standout athlete. I was in the shadow of my older brother who was a star quarterback. But I worked hard at developing athletically. I played some football, ran some track, and played a little JV basketball in high school. When I got to college, I kept training for general athleticism, not knowing how I would apply it. Quidditch presented itself—a friend of mine was telling me about it. Though I didn't know what the hell he was talking about, I gave it a shot. I was by far one of the worst, but the people were great and I wanted to stick with it. I loved the physical contact and the all-inclusive nature of the sport. It aligned well with who I am as a person. 

VII: And it's paid off. Can you tell us about those accomplishments? 

AM: I played and co-captained or the University of Texas and we won the USQ championships in 2013, 2014, and 2015. Now I play for the Texas Cavalry and we won the championship in 2017. 

VII: Do you count one of those as your favorite memory on the field? 

AM: When we first won the USQ championship in 2013, we dominated. We had lost the year before to Texas A&M... We had the same corps of players and we waited and trained. We'd also been recently recognized by the University, so when we won we got to light the UT-Austin tower. Anytime a sports team wins a national title, the tower lights up orange. We did it three times, but the first, yeah that was the best. 

VII: Do you do anything special after a big win or prior to games?  

AM: Before games, I like to stay to myself mostly and get my head right. I might listen to some music; I appreciate "Ante Up." After wins, I do a little binge eating. I keep a list of foods that I put off and I spend some time knocking things off that list.

VII: If you could liken your style of play to any animal, what would it be? 

AM: A deer? I guess some people might want to be like a bear or something, but I typically avoid contact offensively. I'd say I'm difficult to get a hold of... like a deer. 

(Edit: Augie wanted to text SAVAGE with a follow-up answer. A fox

VII: Anything final you want those listening to know? 

AM: Don't underestimate women. I grew up in a place with a lot of machismo, so one of my favorite things about this sport is getting to see women knocking dudes on their ass. 

Find Augie in League City competing with the Austin Outlaws for the MLQ Championships August 12-13. He'll be the one that's playing like a deer.  

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