2014-2015 Annual Report

2014-2015 ANNUAL REPORT 1 Welcome Letter From the Founder CONTENTS This year, like every year of our five-year-old, rapidly developing Thank you for another wonderful year for our sport, and for the past ten years since Welcome Letter 2 organization, has been a year of growth and change. Between our quidditch sprung up at Middlebury College. I have been so lucky to be part of this From the Founder 3 Our Organization 4 founding as a nonprofit in 2010 and today, our annual budget craze since it began, and so fortunate to be joined by so many amazing people over the About USQ 4 has grown from $68,000 to over $400,000. We’ve transitioned years. We took it from a handful of teenagers on a field in Vermont to a fully-fledged Impact 6 Strategic Plan 8 from being an all-volunteer organization to being led by paid league with thousands of members—not to mention dozens of leagues taking off Programs 10 employees. We’ve also transitioned from being the International around the world! That is an amazing accomplishment, and something I will always Membership 10 Events 17 Quidditch Association to US Quidditch. be proud to have been a part of. Education & Training 24 In the 2014-2015 season, 148 teams participated in our While I will remain involved with USQ as a non-voting 4) Take every opportunity to learn how things Initiatives 28 nine events, which brought an economic impact of over Board Member Emeritus, this is my last annual report as (products, organizations, businesses, objects) are made. Our People 30 $1.5 million total to the cities that hosted them. We served CEO and Commissioner. I thought it would be appropriate And when you can, try your hand at doing it yourself. It 32 Donors over 4,000 people and certified over 400 officials, coaches, to sign off by sharing the seven most important things I will expand your mind and give you a much greater respect Financials 34 and tournament directors. have learned during my time with the league. I believe for all things that other people have built, and the people This year, we were able to accomplish more than any these are applicable to any leader, including team captains who built them. previous year. Although our numbers of official teams and and coaches. So without further ado: 5) Try not to be offended by other people’s anger.They players held steady, we increased or improved services in a 1) Never forget to have fun! If you’re not having fun are just trying to express themselves, and you may be able number of additional areas: playing or organizing quidditch, you’re not doing it right. to learn from them. And it’s hard to do this in the internet • We created a tournament director certification It won’t always be fun, but it should be most of the time. age, but remember that you are not required to publicly program that ensured every official game was run by Sometimes in the grueling work of organizing a league or a state your opinion about everything. someone with a baseline understanding of tournament team, you can get too wrapped up in the responsibility and 6) When leading a team, always try to show up first planning and USQ policies. stress. You’ve got to strive to keep things light-hearted and and leave last. Provide direction and clear expectations, • We expanded our referee training program, creating humorous whenever you can to the best of your ability. You but listen to their opinions and allow them plenty of space eight new resources and rolling out a longer-term (and everyone around you) will be much happier. to do their thing. Make their wellbeing your priority and plan to create an additional paid quidditch official. 2) Listening is one of the most vital responsibilities they will give that back tenfold. • As part of a year-long focus on safety, we required that any leader (and perhaps even any person) has. It is 7) Above all, remember that quidditch was made in the a certified EMT or athletic trainer to be present at impossible to follow all of the advice you hear, but asking spirit of fun and exploration of the human imagination! It every official game, and we embarked on a tackle a lot of questions and coming from a position of clear is up to you to define what that means and how to realize development project with the help of an expert understanding will enable you to make the best decisions that dream, and I hope that the sport and league never from rugby to assess the safety of physical contact and earn the respect of others—even if they disagree. truly separates from those ideals. in quidditch and recommend improvements. 3) Don’t use electronic communications when you Thank you all again, from the bottom of my heart, for In July we released USQ’s first strategic plan (see pages are angry. You will inevitably fail to get your point across these ten amazing years at the birth of our sport. I am so 8-9), which lays out USQ’s goals and priorities for growing effectively. Cool down and come back to it later. Approach excited to see where quidditch goes in the future. I look quidditch and the organization over the next three years. people directly and privately, and always try to speak over the forward to contributing to the league however I can, and Like Alex, I’ll always be so grateful for the eight years I’ve phone or in-person to people you disagree with—internet perhaps some day I’ll be back on the broom. For now, I am spent playing, volunteering, and working for US Quidditch. spats are almost always counterproductive. By the same excited to attend the next US Quidditch Cup as a spectator I’ll shortly be transitioning out of the organization, but token, don’t be afraid to be yourself, speak up, and speak for once...although I bet I won’t be able to resist the urge I’m leaving it in the most capable hands—with the most your mind… but you will always have a more receptive to do some volunteering, too. I wish the best for all of you hardworking and dedicated staff and volunteers, and the audience if you do those things respectfully. in your future endeavors, quidditch and otherwise. most passionate players who will continue to do the work needed to make this sport succeed. Thank you. Alex Benepe Co-Founder & Board Member Emeritus Alicia Radford Acting Executive Director 2 3 OUR ORGANIZATION About US Quidditch OUR MISSION US Quidditch is the national governing body for the sport of quidditch. USQ advances the sport by organizing events and programs that build community and empower all genders to compete together. OUR VISION We envision a future where every person in the United States is aware of quidditch as a sport and has opportunities to play and engage at all levels. OUR VALUES • We establish the foundation for long-term sustainability through regulations, innovation, and expansion. • We provide competitive opportunities for every level of athlete. • We build a safe, inclusive, and respectful community. • We strive to be a leader in gender inclusivity for all age groups. “Quidditch is different. SO different. I love the full contact, I love • We create meaningful community partnerships. the co-ed, I love the different player positions, I love the people • We develop and empower future leaders. on my team, I love being a part of something big, I love the whole Founded in 2010, we serve over 4,000 athletes on almost 200 teams nationwide and quidditch atmosphere. Quidditch changed my life. I lost 50 pounds provide a range of services, from hosting nine major tournaments and supervising my first season, I became much healthier, I made friends, I found regular season competition, to training and certifying referees, snitches, and tournament directors, offering grants, and working to expand the sport into younger age groups something that made my life so much happier. I love the fact that through outreach programs at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. even after I graduate, I can join a community team and still play the thing in life that makes me happiest. I’ve played softball, football, volleyball, soccer, basketball, etc, but I have never fallen so deeply in love with another sport like I have with quidditch.” — An Allendale, MI player 4 5 “I love that women can be physical. It’s not something you find and coming from a background of four years of water polo, I am glad I don’t have to give the physicality up.” — A Santa Barbara, CA player “Quidditch is the first place I’ve been able to really Our Impact express my gender identity without judgment.” — A South Region player EMPOWERING ALL GENDERS TO COMPETE TOGETHER The work we do fosters a community that enables participants to grow and develop THE FOUR as leaders; participate in a fun, unique sport, often for the first time; and compete in MAXIMUM RULE “I love that I can play with and against a group a gender-integrated league that breaks down gender stereotypes in sports. USQ Rulebook, page 18 of people who are open minded, caring, and who Sports are one of the only staunchly gender-segregated A common refrain among our players is that “A quidditch game allows play quidditch for the love of the game.

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