MLQ has begun taking steps toward creating more diverse media content for the purpose of both retention and recruitment. To the latter, we are forming a project team to build a recruitment plan for HBCUs that includes creation of marketing materials like the reel in this piece. If you’d like to join, email us at [email protected] or reach out directly to Interim DEI Director Christian Barnes and People Operations Director Jamie Lafrance.

This summer changed the way a lot of the world reflected on internal biases and the way Black people are seen and valued. With the continued advocacy of Black Lives Matter gaining additional support amidst the murders of too many Black bodies—from Breonna Taylor and George Floyd to Dominique Alexander—more conversations spawned throughout the world, and the quidditch community was no different. Posts in popular forums and organizations shifted and centered on Black voices and experiences. After the BIPOC Town Halls hosted by MLQ and USQ in July, one major takeaway was the lack of visibility for Black athletes in the sport. In response, and inspired by DEI Strategist James Hicks’ idea to build a recruitment plan for HBCUs, MLQ moved forward with a first step: a media project to center Black players in a film of their own. 

Any emails sent to [email protected] will be forwarded to USQ teams within the area of the inquirer in addition to MLQ teams. If a relevant USQ team is not readily known by those monitoring the inbox, they will be forwarded to USQ directly for distribution.

MLQ worked with Billy Quach, the Let It Fly Media Creative Director and an NFL content creator, to pull highlight film from across MLQ and USQ. With contributions from filmmakers such as Gerry Taylor and Ariel Heiblum, this project showcases some of the Black athletes already performing on pitch. The creation of this reel, however, revealed even more about the limited representation of Black athletes in our sport. As a result, we sat down with Olive Jim-Daniels and Shadé Jaiyeola, two Black women who have played quidditch at an elite level. Jim-Daniels has played on four USQ teams in the Southwest: Baylor University (2014-15), Austin Quidditch (Spring 2018), University of Texas (2018-19) and Texas Hill Country Heat (2019-present). Jaiyeola has played internationally:
– IQA: UBC Thunderbirds (2013-14), Paris Titans (2014-18), French National Team (2017-20)
– MLQ: New York Titans (2018-20)
– USQ: The Warriors (Fall 2016, 2019-present), The Rogues (2018-19)

We discussed their thoughts on the barriers Black women face in garnering representation and respect in quidditch. This reflection helped evince two specific areas of opportunity: creating content that values Black female athletes in gameplay conversations and analysis, and creating space for Black athletes through visibility and accessibility.

A Community Disengaged
Quidditch has gone through many development stages as the sport has moved from perceived Harry Potter LARPing to the full-contact, mixed-gender sport that we play today. With the sport’s shift to higher physicality and higher intensity, female and non-binary athletes and players outside of the gender binary were discounted as if they couldn’t complete with their male counterparts. They were often only valued when conforming to, and supporting, said counterparts. This ideology still subconsciously exists in the way players are represented online and through word of mouth, which leaves a low expectation of players who are not white men, and also leads to the tokenism of players who fit multiple underrepresented populations.

The easiest way to increase the visibility of quidditch players is through conversation, and–when reflected on–these conversations exhibit how we view the small pool of players who are Black and women at the highest competitive levels of the sport. What makes a game interesting? And interesting to whom–who’s watching? The community pays more attention to high-level, flashy plays, and frames conversations around more conspicuous performances.  For instance, great beater play is frequently defined by male engage beaters more than free beaters. Consensus around great quaffle plays focus on the decision making of the ball carrier, over the consistent positioning of a wing chaser. And who is often found to fill these looked-over, devalued roles? Female and non-binary players and athletes outside of the gender binary have continuously been relegated to free beater and wing chaser positions, not necessarily because of their unique prediliction for that specific role, but, more often than not, due to a lack of trust in the talent of these players. 

While the aforementioned genders at large are affected by this, this impacts Black women even more deeply. This is demonstrated by the clear lack of visible champions for Black women, especially on rosters at the top of the sport. Even in our highlight reel, which pulled film from nearly every quidditch filmmaker with the intent to increase representation and visibility, the absence of Black women is demonstrative.  

Players who do not see representation on top-tier rosters struggle to see a future for themselves. To help solve this, we need to recenter conversation to include more than flashy all-stars. In the analysis of the sport’s elite teams and talent, conversations silo and hyperfocus on a select group of “great” athletes. When we talk about the teams we believe are on the top, we only talk about a select group amidst their rosters. We need to work on looking beyond perceived superstars, or we risk icing out developing players who are putting in hard work. If we can’t give appreciation across the board or deeper into these rosters, how will we give credit to our smaller populations that aren’t represented? With 21-person rosters winning medals at MLQ and USQ championship events, how many of those 21 are actually celebrated? How many champions wearing the same medals could have and should have been highlighted, but aren’t?

Creating Space
As team members, Black players face different situations in the sport. Supportive interpersonal relationships and good team culture can help create a safer community, but do not account for the specific traumatic experiences we face in the US. Traveling to and interacting with new places for tournaments constantly begs the question, “Will someone make an issue of my Blackness?” Black female players must face this for their race and their gender, and figure out if their community’s allyship will extend to advocacy that can defend and comfort a teammate after a racist or sexist incident occurs. When you’re underrepresented among your team, can you expect them to understand the different ways that events affect you. How prevalent will those differences present themselves and what will that mean for a new player who has the potential to become a great player?

While a lot of effort goes into creating our own spaces in this sport, there are barriers other than just social and personal to keep us here. We also need to face the reality that financial costs particularly affect Black players in this sport and there needs to be more done for retention, not just recruitment. 

Final Takeaways
As a community, the creation of photographic and filmed content needs to better highlight the diversity and talent that already exists in this sport. This not only includes demographic diversity (race, gender, location), but diversity in team roles, strategies, and playing styles.. Emphasis on ball carriers or engage beaters every game overlooks players who thrive and compete in free beater and wing chaser areas, athletes who work just as hard as their teammates but d never see their efforts reflected in content. Celebrating these efforts will help create more visibility, but it’s important to remember that community allyship doesn’t stop with the recognition of high-performance Black athletes, and Black female athletes. It’s also imperative that we create a place for more diverse players to exist and perform by questioning how we think, interact with and advertise the sport within and outside of our community. White male athletes have never needed to question if they have a place in the sport. No one else should either.