For the month of November I will be focusing on the future of quidditch. Quidditch has strong core aspects that, if promoted, can draw new players and fans, ensuring the sport’s future.
Currently most quidditch teams are player-coached and have a small management team. Player-coaches split time between focusing on both their own and their team’s development. Team management raises money from small scale fundraising and player dues to fund event and travel expenses.
As the sport grows, the expectations for teams will grow with it. To stay competitive on the field, teams will transition to dedicated coaching staffs to develop players and strategies. Team management will manage sponsorships and recruit players.
Coaching Responsibilities
Quidditch strategy covers a wide variety of player responsibilities. Each of the four positions requires unique skills.
As teams expand, their coaching staffs will structure around both player positions and phases of the game.
In the NFL, coaching staffs are split into three departments, offense, defense and special teams. Quidditch could adopt a similar style, offense, defense and snitch on pitch.
NFL head coaches typically specialize in either offensive or defensive play, while overseeing the team as a whole. Each department also typically has a coordinator under the head coach, with positional coaches under them. Quidditch has much smaller rosters than gridiron football, so purely positional coaches would likely be overkill.
I foresee quidditch coaching staffs to consist of three or four coaches.
Offensive Coach
The offensive coach develops and instills offensive strategy. Since the quaffle is the scoring ball they are responsible for the general chaser development and team-wide offensive skills.
Offensive coaches develop both set offense and fast break strategy.
Defensive Coach
The defensive coach develops and instill defensive strategy. They are responsible for general beater and keeper development and team-wide defensive skills.
Offensive coaches develop both set defense and fast break strategy.
Snitch on Pitch (SOP) Coach
The SOP coach manages the SOP phase of the game, after the seekers have been released. They are responsible for general seeker development.
During the SOP phase, offensive, defensive and positional strategies change with the score. The SOP coach needs to account for each scenario.
Head Coach
The head coach manages overall team strategy and ensures that transition between offense, defense and SOP is accounted for.
For some teams the head coach may also take on the role of the offensive, defensive or SOP coach
Management Responsibilities
Team management staff has the potential to grow much larger than the coaching staff.
Like in other sports, teams will have financial and operations management responsibilities.
Financial Managers
Financial managers oversees raising money through sponsorship or events and spending that money on event fees, travel, equipment and whatever other needs a team has.
Operations Managers
Operations managers recruit players and oversee coaching, player development and player well-being. They also are responsible for setting a team’s schedule.
General Manager
The general manager is responsible for overseeing team management. As quidditch governing bodies evolve team rules will change. The general manager ensures the team is meeting these league rules.
In the Present
Presently team management and coaching structures are moving towards this system. I encourage new teams to develop a strong plan which will help their longevity.