By: Aggi Dilimanto Prabowo and Andrew Kasimir
There are rumours going around about a tournament called the Asian Quidditch Cup (AQC) and – while nothing is official yet – Quidditch Indonesia got in touch with a few people in the Asian quidditch community to find out what is happening. Quidditch Post’s Andrew Kasimir sat down with a few more individuals.
Quidditch Indonesia (QID): What is your name and where are you from?
Hao-Ting (HT): I am Hao-Ting from Taiwan. I study and work in the United Kingdom.
Andrew Kasimir (AK): I am Andrew Kasimir from Malaysia.
Lance Leo (LL): My name is Lance and I come from Malaysia.
Charmaine Goh (CG): My name is Charmaine Goh and I am from Malaysia.
Alex Nguyen (AN): I am Alex Nguyen from Vietnam.
Jessica “Jiamin” Lang (JL): I am Jessica “Jiamin” Lang from Suzhou, China.
QID: Do you play quidditch or are you just a fan of the sport?
HT: I play quidditch and of course I am a fan!
AK: Huge fan of the sport and I play as much as I can.
LL: Yes, I play quidditch, but I'm also a fan of the sport.
CG: Yes, I do play it! It is the only sport I've ever been active in.
AN: Yes, I do play quidditch.
JL: Yeah, I do play.
QID: How did you come to know about quidditch?
HT: The university I was at in the UK had a team, and I was invited by a friend to attend one of their practices.
AK: I was introduced to it while studying at Murdoch University in Australia.
LL: A friend invited me to come along and try it out.
CG: I heard about it while browsing the Internet when I was earning my Psychology degree. Then, about two years ago, Andrew Kasimir introduced me to it.
AN: I got into quidditch when I was in university in the United States.
JL: I found out about the sport at a summer camp in 2010 that took place in Princeton University. I later crossed paths with quidditch again in the form of a university club video at an international student orientation program.
QID: What team do you play for and which position?
HT: During competitive games I am a beater, but during casual games I play chaser or seeker. This past season, I was affiliated with two UK teams, Leeds Griffins and HogYork Horntails, but I am not sure which team I will play for next season when I return to the UK.
AK: I play for the Damansara Dementors, Murdoch Mandrakes, and Perth Phoenixes as a chaser.
LL: I play for the Damansara Dementors and I play either chaser or keeper.
CG: I play with the Damansara Dementors. I usually play the beater position.
AN: I play for HogwartsVN GiantsQuid as a chaser.
JL: I play for the Ohio State Quidditch “Mighty Bucks” either as a chaser or a beater.
QID: Are you affiliated with any other quidditch communities?
HT: I am the Mandarin Translator for the IQA and also the founder of Quidditch Taiwan, which aims to promote quidditch in Taiwan.
AK: I founded the Damansara Dementors and I am also the Asia Editor for the Quidditch Post.
LL: I just play quidditch, nothing else.
CG: I help co-manage the community team (Damansara Dementors) and introduce the game to new people. I work together with Kasimir on media communications and help spread the word of quidditch in Malaysia. Apart from that, I am also part of organising committees during fantasy tournaments. While recruiting new members, we [Damansara Dementors] are also in the midst of bringing together a national quidditch team for Malaysian. We are also planning to fully set up the Malaysia Quidditch Association to support the growth of the sport in this diverse country.
AN: I co-founded HogwartsVN, which is a Harry Potter fan club in Vietnam, as well as the GiantsQuid quidditch team.
JL: I am a photographer for USQ and the General Adviser for the Chinese Quidditch Association.
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| Jessica Jiamin Lang is a photographer for USQ | Photo Credit: Nikki Smith Photos |
QID: Have you heard about Quidditch Asia and the Asian Quidditch Cup?
HT: I am in close contact with the organisers and founders of Quidditch Asia.
AK: Yup. I am also working closely with a few people from around Asia to make the AQC happen!
LL: Yes, I've heard a lot about Quidditch Asia.
CG: Yes, I have. The Malaysian representative is Andrew Kasimir and it is amazing to see how passionate people are putting effort together to organise this tournament.
AN: Of course! It is going to be hosted in Vietnam!
JL: Yeah, of course!
QID: Are you able to share any information on the Asian Quidditch Cup?
HT: All I know is it is going to take place in Vietnam in the summer of 2016.
AK: Vietnam will be hosting and it will be at the end of July 2016. Right now we are hoping for teams from China, Taiwan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Australia to participate. The only problem is that the AQC is clashing with the timing of the IQA’s Global Games, which is equivalent to the FIFA World Cup. We decided to go ahead with the AQC because financially it would be very difficult for the majority of Asian teams to make the trip to the United States, Europe, or even Australia for that matter.
LL: If I am not mistaken, it’s going to be some time in July 2016 in Vietnam.
CG: Vietnam will be hosting the first Asian Quidditch Cup in July 2016. Some of the teams that will be taking part are China, Vietnam, The Philippines, Australia, Malaysia and hopefully Indonesia as well!
AN: We’re planning on having the tournament in summer next year. Currently we’re expecting five to seven teams from around the region from countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, China, the Philippines, and Taiwan.
QID: Are you planning on going to that event?
HT: I would love to, but it really depends on my work schedule. I can't promise anything until there is more information.
AK: Yes!
LL: Yes, I am going to the event.
CG: Without a doubt.
AN: We’re hosting, so yes!
JL: I am definitely planning on being there.
QID: Are you excited about the event?
HT: Definitely.
AK: Super excited!
LL: I am so excited for the event. In fact, I’ve been excited since the moment I heard about it two months ago!
CG: Absolutely. This is the first ever Asian Quidditch Cup, and it will be great to showcase what Asia has to offer on a global scale. On the local front, this will help to grow the game and introduce it to the masses.
AN: Super!
QID: Do you have anything to say to anybody who doesn’t know what quidditch is?
HT : This sport is great for those who love strategy, intensity, and a sport that supports gender equality. Try it out to see how the sport balances all these values with full contact!
AK: Try it out at least once. If you don't like it, fine, at least you tried. But you will most probably like it. Do not be afraid about not being fit enough, or not being a sporty person. Just do it!
LL: Quidditch is not just some nerdy made up game. The game actually has a lot of dynamics to it like any other sport. I hope in the future I'll see more athletic people joining quidditch.
CG: To keep an open mind and come try this quirky, exciting hybrid sport. Many people are quick to judge quidditch as a game for geeks or nerds, or crazy Harry Potter fans, but they change their mind when they find out that it is a very physical and tactical sport.
AN: A lot more people take the sport seriously than you think. It’s not just a bunch of nerds running around. It really doesn’t matter if you’re into football, basketball, or track. In fact, if you’re good at any of those, you’ll do pretty well in quidditch. Give it a try, it’s a lot of fun!
We can expect to see the Asian Quidditch Cup hosted by Vietnam in July 2016. We look forward to more details being released such as competing teams, venue, and dates.
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