Rachel Robertson: Tell me about the Quidditch team’s recent tournament win?

Vincent DeMarco: It was our second tournament of the year. We played against Franklin and Marshall, Dickinson, Muhlenberg and Juniata.

RR: Is there a Quidditch league you play in?

VD: There is an International Quidditch Association but we don’t participate in the IQA. We instead play teams in the area who are around our level. We’re entirely run by students. We get a budget from student government. We have a team of 20 students, 14 of them are new players.

RR: For someone who isn’t too familiar with Harry Potter, what is the goal of Quidditch?

VD: The goal of Quidditch is to put quaffle through the hoops—there are three hoops for each team. There are three chasers and a keeper on each team whose goal is to put the quaffle through the hoops. There are two beaters on each team who basically play dodgeball with the bludgers to stop the other team from scoring. Around the 18-minute mark the snitch enters the game. It’s 30 points if you catch the snitch and 10 points if you score the quaffle.

RR: What position do you play?

VD: I personally am a beater. We generally have set positions but we have a few players who play more than one.

RR: How does Quidditch compare to Quidditch in the books and movies?

VD: As in the books it’s still a full-contact sport, but the major difference is that we play it on the ground instead of flying.

RR: What other sports can Quidditch be compared to?

VD: It has a very similar feel to soccer or handball. It has elements of rugby and dodgeball too.

RR: How did you find out about Lafayette’s Quidditch team?

VD: One of my very good friends who I met the first day of school was Blair Gallante ‘15 who was the president at the time. She basically told me I had to play. Of course I went, I signed up and I was sold ever since.

RR:  Who is your favorite Harry Potter character?

VD: I kind of want to say Dean Thomas.

RR: Which house?

VD: I like to think of myself as a Gryffindor but most likely I’m a Hufflepuff.

RR: Favorite book from the series?

VD: I really liked the Goblet of Fire.

RR: What’s your favorite song?

VD: I really like Zedd’s recent remix of the Zelda theme.

RR: What is your favorite class or professor at Lafayette?

VD: I live in the statistics house so I connect with the statistics professors a lot. So Trent Gaugler would have to be it.

RR: What is your favorite food?

VD: Chicken Cordon Bleu

RR: What is your favorite quote?

VD: “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”