July Quidditch Player of the Month - Hugh Podmore
Canadian quidditch players may be one of the IQA’s best-kept secrets. We’re talking ‘who is Quinksy?’ and ‘how does Benepe keep his hair so silky-smooth?’ levels of secrecy.
 Here at Coach’s Oval, we’re lifting the veil of secrecy with a new Quidkid of the Month feature. Every month, we’ll bring forth one of Canada’s Elite competitors for your scrutiny, admiration, and enjoyment.
 Our first tribute is Canada Day Fantasy Tournament MVP Hugh Podmore, formerly from McGill Quidditch. You may recognize him as the friendly ginger with a whiteboard whose roommate hunt went viral a couple weeks ago. Hugh was generous enough to take some time from his busy schedule of house hunting and Internet fame to chat with us. Brooms up!
 Welcome, Hugh! We’ll start with the basics. What school, program, and year are you in?
I just finished my undergrad in Physics at McGill and now I'm going into the first year of a Masters in Earth and Space Science at York University
 What brought you to quidditch, and how long have you played?
My friend Ben Cohen (who was coach of the team at the time) and I had a summer afternoon at one of our favourite bars where we had a few drinks and talked about the strategies of various sports, baseball and quidditch for him, soccer and ultimate for me. I think that was probably when I first decided that I was going to at least go to a practice, and that was two years ago. After the first practice I just kept coming back for more until they asked who wanted to buy jerseys and I kinda thought "yeah, I guess I play quidditch now".
 What position do you play?
I play chaser and occasionally keeper.
 What is your jersey number and is there any significance to it?

Haha, last year my number was 69 because I have little to no shame sometimes. This year my number was 7 because that's the original number for a right winger in soccer, which happens to be my position, and if you've seen me play quidditch you'll notice that I almost always attack down the right hand side.
Everyone always compares me to Ron Weasley because of the hair, so I'll take that to mean I should be in Gryffindor. Plus I suck at finding things.
 What would your patronus be?
Oh wow, I really don't even know, does anyone until they first produce one? I feel like Psycho-Pantrono-Analysis must be a thing in the wizarding world, like you sit down on a couch and produce a patronus and someone in wireframes and a goatee tells you what that means about your personality.
 What has been the best moment of your quidditch career so far?
That would have to be last season's semi-final win over Carleton in overtime at the Canadian cup. Simply an unbelievable game from
both sides, I couldn't stop shaking for at least 10 minutes afterward. Carleton's team really stepped up this year, big ups to them.
 What has been the worst or scariest moment so far?
Going into the overtime part of that game? Haha, don't think I've ever had a case of nerves as bad as that.
 What do you think is the best thing about quidditch?

Definitely the people, it's an amazing community, one of the nicest I've ever known, with an incredible work hard play hard kind of
attitude. Quidkids are enthusiastic, inclusive and all around great friends to have.
 What aspect of quidditch do you have the most difficult time explaining to those unfamiliar with it?
"It's really physically demanding in terms of fitness, no, really. Guys stop laughing." "It's actually really easy, you really don't
notice the broom at all."
 Describe quidditch using as much innuendo as possible.

Quidditch is a game in which 14 playas of mixed gender grip hard shafts, put them between their legs, and play with their balls. There are three chasers and a keeper who penetrate the opposing team, while the two opposing beaters try to slap the chasers with their balls. The two seekers take it in turns to try and grab the butt of a neutral party, who is dressed up in costume, and the game ends when the one ball belonging to the neutral party achieves full release at the hands of a seeker. Male/male, female/female and male/female body contact are all assured, but as often as not players will finish having only used one hand.
 Who would be on the starting lineup of your all-star quidditch team?
Do I get to be on it? A big part of my ideal lineup is team chemistry, and ain't no chasers got better chemistry than myself, Jenn Beer of McGill and Ben Cohen, formerly of McGill and now of Skidmore, (Although in reality Devin Sandon - RIT, Phil Palmer and Kathryn Nagel - Middlebury, and Robyn Fortune, Wiz and Mark Mcbride of McGill are also dangerously chemical and talented).
For keepers I gotta put Patrick Qi Wang of McGIll this year, he was our rock, although I was really impressed with Adam Palmer from York at the Canada Day tournament.
For beaters honestly the toughest beating combo I've ever played against is Stephen "V" Camozzi and Anisha "$lumz" Chadda of McGill, you just cannot score against them when they have BS, but of course I have to give a shoutout to Alex Bassa of Ottawa, I'm always intimidated to go up against her.
Finally, for seekers the one and only Alexander Graham "Belle" who proved in decisive fashion at the Canada Day tournament that he is still the granddaddy of Canadian Seekers.


C: Me, Ben Cohen, Jenn Beer for best chemistry. Wiz, Phil Palmer and Kathryn Nagel for best talent.

B: $lumz and V, with Alex Bassa yelling at $lumz to take a sub

There you have it, a little McGill heavy, but I didn't go to WC this year, so I don't know the state of the field outside Canada.
 Team you would most like to play against in a tournament?

America's Finest, love cutting that team down to size in the name of Canada. Or the old Midd dream team that no one could beat for 5 years.
 Top 3 non-quidditch hobbies?
Ultimate Frisbee, Rock Climbing, Kiteboarding
 Provide some words of wisdom for the quidditch players of the world
Chasers: Develop your short passing game, it's the most underrated but deadly offensive tool you have. Do catching drills. You don't have to go for the big hit, just grab and hold on and wait for a beater; just fall over if you have to. Do catching drills. Most teams almost never pass to their girl chasers, if you think about it that's like intentionally playing one down for an entire match, which is stupid. DO CATCHING DRILLS. 

Beaters: Sub more often, beating is a mental game and your decisions suffer worse than you think they do when you're tired.

Seekers: Uhhh... Be more like Belle?
 ...and just in case you missed it, he wants to be your roommate!
