The Coach
June 08, 2021 7:31 AM
Schoolwide Quidditch Extravaganza by The Coach
The Quidditch season had long since been running and running rather well in the coach's opinion. Sonora's team had played teams from several other schools and won more often than they'd lost, although they were hardly winning them all. Still, it was good for students to lose sometimes and to learn about good sportsmanship in all circumstances. Some of the players, the coach knew, needed that lesson more than others.With a bonfire coming up at the end of the year, big events in spring term were usually small events in spring term. Still, recruitment was on the coach's mind as the year came to a close and students would be looking ahead to their futures at or after Sonora. With some of the players graduating, including some who had been around for all or most of their school careers, it was important to get people interested in the game who hadn't yet shown an interest in playing and to maintain the school's general good feelings about the sport. It wasn't like everyone enjoyed watching Quidditch, but in the coach's not-so-humble opinion, everyone could enjoy attending a Quidditch game.
To that end, an all-Sonora spectacle was hosted on the Pitch to allow students to come watch a friendly rivalry and to allow Sonora students, both subs and regulars, to play together. They had managed to recruit a few extras, between siblings and friends of current players, so they had two full teams of Sonora students going head to head. The coach had been sure to mix them up so it wasn't regular players versus subs and the teams were pretty well balanced now. It also meant a fair amount of showing off, as there was less pressure on actually winning the game this way. Before and after the actual game, students who weren't on the team could also enjoy some air time, flying around on their own or on school brooms and enjoying the nice spring weather. Otherwise, there was food the elves had kindly set up in concessions and plenty of social opportunities for students in the stands to enjoy. Feasts and games were some of the only school-wide events outside of the year-end events and the coach enjoyed the opportunity to be part of bringing everyone together.
OOC: This is an opportunity for everyone to socialize regardless of what classes they're in and it can be assumed that it's a pretty low-key affair for some casual fun. Please consider include details of where/when your character is posting in their title so others can participate (ex: [pre-game, flying], [during game, stands], etc.). House points will not be awarded for posts here; it's purely a fun opportunity. :)
Subthreads: Friendly chatters. [post-game, Mara] by Leonor De Matteo with Mara Morales
Goodbye, Pitch. [Pre-game, player] by Evelyn Stones
Someday, I'ma play too. [during game, stands] by Zeus Brooding-Hawthorne-Smith with Oz Spellman, Mary Brooding-Hawthorne
Whoo-hoo!! [In Game, Flying] by Valentine Duell
Yay. Sports. ['Spectator', Concessions area] by Iris Cobb with Ian Malone
Take this joke seriously (tag Hilda) by Jeremy Mordue with Hilda Hexenmeister
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The Coach
Schoolwide Quidditch Extravaganza
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The Coach
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Iris Cobb
June 10, 2021 5:31 PM
Yay. Sports. ['Spectator', Concessions area] by Iris Cobb
Iris could not wrap her head around what all the fuss was about with Quidditch. There were just a bunch of people flying around on brooms trying to throw a ball back and forth. At the end of it all, one side had thrown the ball better than the other side. Yay? She just could not quite see the point. It did have a few redeeming qualities, she had to admit. For one, it kept Billy busy, that was a very good one. For another it... umm... well she supposed it did get her outside right now and dong things that weren't learning related. That was good as well. For third... she sniffed the air about her, at the moment it was letting her get some snacks that she otherwise wouldn't have access to.Doing her best to ignore the whooshing of the players on the field and the cheers and exclamations of excitement from the other spectators, Iris made her way towards the concession stands. There was something over that direction that smelled wonderful, and she was going to find out what it was and maybe what sort of magic was necessary to make it. As she approached, there was another gasp of excitement from the crowd and Iris reflexively looked up towards the players against her will. As far as she could tell they were just flying around, the same as always.
"I jus don' get it." She muttered aloud pulling her attention back to the food that was nearly in front of her now. Someone else was looking for whatever was making that aroma as well, looking around them she finally saw what she was seeking. "What is that exactly?" She asked them without taking her eyes off of it.
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Iris Cobb
Yay. Sports. ['Spectator', Concessions area]
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Ian Malone
June 17, 2021 1:20 PM
Assuming that's incredibly sarcastic, I totally agree by Ian Malone
When it came to Quidditch, Ian didn't just not care about it, he actively didn't care for it. It was a dangerous violent sport that could end in major bloodshed. Severe or permanent injuries could be a result. Players could end up with concussions, broken bones or worse.And because of that, Ian could not see why anyone would want to play. He did not understand at all why anyone would knowingly take that risk. Especially considering all the diseases that were out there waiting to strike. Why would anyone purposely put them self in harm's way, when they could keep enjoying good health while they had it?
It would be different if, for example, there was some sort of...purpose to it. There were dangerous jobs out there that had to be done such as being an auror or researching deadly creatures up close. Jobs Ian would never ever want to do himself but at least there was a need for. Quidditch was something that,as far as he could see, had no purpose whatsoever and people were risking their well being for no real reason.
And while Ian didn't want to criticize those who played who might otherwise be perfectly intelligent people, it just seemed like a very...stupid thing overall. So he didn't at all get why the school was throwing some big event to celebrate an idiotic, dangerous game that had no real point. The Teppenpaw didn't like to be self-righteous but he honestly felt morally against such a thing.
Of course, this was an opinion he didn't think was a good idea to share with many people. Because people would think he was self-righteous and dislike him and to be honest, Ian very much did want to be liked. Despite the fact that there hadn't been enough people for each house to have it's own team in many years-a good thing in his opinion-overall the popularity of Quidditch, baffling as it might be to him, persisted enough that Ian was pretty sure that if he made a big stink over something that presumably only he had moral objections to, everyone would hate him and he'd be a huge outcast. Which would be among the worst things that could happen.
Plus,the second year had never been one to rock the boat anyway, even if he hadn't felt completely alone on the issue. He was sure there were others who didn't like Quidditch, but simply not liking something didn't always mean a moral objection.
Still, Ian was not about to support the stupid thing so the day of the Extravaganza found him inside his common room reading a book. Until, that is, he unfortunately got hungry enough that he couldn't take it anymore. As he sincerely doubted that it was possible to get food in the Hall at this time, it meant he'd have to go out to the concession stands. Ian groaned inwardly, really not wanting to venture out there but having no choice. He gazed around trying to decide what he wanted, other than to get back inside and away from the stupid event.
It all actually smelled really good. The Teppenpaw was about to get in line when he heard someone speak to him. He turned to address the girl, whom he recognized from class. "I think it's the pumpkin pasties." He replied.
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Ian Malone
Assuming that's incredibly sarcastic, I totally agree
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Iris Cobb
June 19, 2021 12:07 PM
It is, so I guess you do. by Iris Cobb
"Pumpkin pasties?" Iris repeated back questioningly as Ian answered her question. "They smell wonderful, are they any good?" She'd known that pumpkin juice was a thing around the school and it wasn't a taste she had acquired. It was just weird. However, these things smelled a little like Ma's pumpkin pie, and if they tasted anyway close they had to be good."What..." she began before another bellowing cheer erupted from the crowd and interrupted her. She shot the people in the stands a menacing glare, which as a mob they seemed to not notice. "What," she tried asking Ian again, "are you thinking about getting?" There was quite a selection of things at the food stand and she figured that while she was here, she should probably get more than just the pumpkin pasties.
Another roar erupted from the crowd and she sighed exasperatedly once again. Looking over the playing field, she just saw the players flying around again as always. "What is so exciting about that?" She inquired to nobody in particular. She wasn't sure what Ian's thoughts on the game were, but that didn't really matter. If he liked it, maybe he could explain it to her. She didn't have high hopes though, Billy hadn't succeeded on that front.
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Iris Cobb
It is, so I guess you do.
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Ian Malone
June 19, 2021 4:48 PM
Awesome, I like agreement by Ian Malone
Ian was not terribly used to talking to girls that he wasn't related to. The rational part of him knew that they were just people but he also had been raised to be gentleman which meant he wanted to treat them like ladies. Plus, there was that part of him that wanted to be cool and confident. Of course, the logical part of him laughed at that part and told it that that was impossible, that it wasn't part of the Teppenpaw's character. Because what people thought was cool and liked were types like Stanley or Quidditch types, which was definitely not Ian. He was just never going to be outgoing and sporty and confident. What he was interested in was good grades and healing and not getting hurt or sick. He was a nerd, pure and simple."They're good if you want something sort of sweet."He replied, ignoring the cheer that went up from the stands. Ian had no idea what the crowd found so exciting, Were they cheering because someone had failed to get hurt? That was the only thing that would make the second year happy during a Quidditch match. "I was thinking of getting a burger and some fries." Ian added. He wanted something a bit more...substantial than just sweets but he felt adding that detail might make him sound like one of those snobby stick-in-the-mud types who never had fun. Who never did something just for pleasure despite the fact that having a burger was pleasurable. They were tasty and not especially healthy although they did have protein. Even though Ian wanted to be a Healer, he was not the sort who kept to a strict regimen of diet and exercise, simply because those were things he didn't find all that pleasurable, especially given his overall dislike of sports.
And he did eat sweets, they just weren't what he wanted right now. Ian wanted a meal.
Before he could say anything else, whether cool or potentially damaging and alienating, Iris spoke. The second couldn't help but smile. Someone agreed with him, at least to an extent. Okay, so maybe the Crotalus wasn't questioning the morality of having an event celebrating a sport that had no point but did have the potential to maim people beyond total repair, but she didn't seem to find it interesting either "Honestly? I've never been sure either. Like, some people find it a fun thing to play but I've never gotten the appeal of flying around and having metal balls hit at you. To me that sounds like a great way to get brain damage and spinal cord injuries." Oops, that was probably a wrong thing to say, but then Iris didn't seem to think Quidditch was a worthwhile pastime either. " Sorry, I want to be a Healer when I grow up so I think of those things." He added, by way of explanation. "And watching it....I mean, yeah, I don't get that either."
Ian continued "I mean, not that I don't do things that are just for fun." Because Merlin knew that he didn't want to be that person who only did things for self improvement because those people always came across as self-righteous jerks, "just that I don't think it's fun watching something where people might get seriously hurt. And I definitely don't think it's fun to do something where you could get seriously hurt." There was also the fact that Ian actually wasn't all that great at sports to begin with but he decided not to mention that.
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Ian Malone
Awesome, I like agreement
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Iris Cobb
June 20, 2021 5:40 PM
It can make things easier by Iris Cobb
Iris liked sweet things. They were one of the nice things about coming to school. Sweet things were something of a rare thing at home as sugar was something they had to get from town. They had fruits and honey and such, but nothing like some of the sweet things she had found at the school. As such, she eyed up the pumpkin pasties with eager delight. His comment about getting a burger and some fries reminded her that she should probably eat something other than just the pasties."That sounds good to." Honestly, it sounded alright, but one was supposed to eat proper food before indulging in sweets and the burger sounded just as enticing as anything else she could see that that had for 'normal meal food'. So she would get a burger a few fries, and some of those lovely smelling pumpkin pasties. Excellent.
Iris was a little surprised that Ian wasn't a fan of the game either. It seemed like most folk here were bewitched by it. The way Ian described it though, it sounded like some form of torture. She glanced again up at the players and caught sight of her brother gleefully swatting at one of those metal balls, sending it careening across the field in another direction. Was he in actual danger? She shook her head gently. "I think the game is a bit silly, but if those things could happen and it was that dangerous, they wouldn't actually let kids play it would they?" Glancing about the ground of the field she spotted the medic's tent. "The medic would fix up anyone that actually got hurt, right?"
That did lead to another thing he had mentioned which peaked her curiosity. "You're going to be a healer?" Ian was one year above her, so in Billy's class. As far as she knew, Billy's grand plan for his life was to wander aimlessly around the world. Not much of a career choice. She hadn't even started to think about what she would do once she graduated, that was still years and years away. Perhaps Ian had the best idea though and figure it out soon so that appropriate focus could applied. "What made you decide that?" She asked curiously.
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Iris Cobb
It can make things easier
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Ian Malone
June 21, 2021 4:40 PM
Indeed by Ian Malone
Ian could have kicked himself. He was pretty sure Iris's brother (or some relative of hers) was playing. He would have probably freaked out if Olivia was playing and someone else mentioned to him that those things could happen. Of course, the odds were that Ian would have been the one telling her that long before she even dreamed of playing. Anyway, the idea of Olivia playing Quidditch was on par with the thought of her dating. In other word, too terrifying to contemplate. Fortunately, she didn't seem to be growing into the sort who'd play.Still, he felt bad.He shrugged. " Sorry, I mean, most things they can patch up pretty well, like broken bones and whatnot. I'm just the sort who thinks of the worst case scenario when it comes to disease and injury. I didn't mean to make you worry. Still, you're right, it's an incredibly silly game and even taking out the terrible risk of getting hurt-which by the way,even if you don't get like, life altering, permanent injuries, it would still hurt like crazy to get any at all-there isn't any real point to it."
Basically, in Ian's mind, all it was was people risking pain for no reason at all.And regardless of the exact odds of multiple concussions causing permanent brain damage or getting paralysis from a bludger to the spine. He knew there were some people who got a kick out of tasking risks but Ian had literally never understood that. It was as strange to him as people hurting others, physically or otherwise.
Maybe he'd said too much though, showing his nerdiest and probably most uptight side, to Iris. Still, she didn't seem to like the game or see the point of it either. He assumed she'd come out here to support her brother or maybe, as he didn't think she was from a magical family,see what it was all about. And come to the conclusion that it was silly. Maybe Ian could make a new friend by bonding over a mutual dislike of Quidditch. Basically any common ground could be a jumping off point.
Of course, Iris might well be wondering why he was out here if he hated the game so much. "I came out for food, I wasn't even watching." The second year added, hoping he didn't seem self-righteous on that one either. After all, the alternative was seeming like a hypocrite.
Then Iris asked him about his desire to be a Healer. Which admittedly was a much more personal topic to him. "I hope to be." He looked down. "My mom has an immune deficiency and while she's on a medication that helps and she's better than when she was our age, it made me want to go into the medical field, hopefully in the immunology specialty, to help people like her. So, I read about a lot of healing stuff, though I don't always understand it." Ian told her. He worried about his mom a lot.
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Ian Malone
Indeed
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Iris Cobb
June 22, 2021 5:51 PM
I guess it makes arguing harder by Iris Cobb
Iris was glad to hear Ian confirm that the medic was capable of fixing up her stupid brother if he got terribly injured from playing a stupid game. She watched the players fly about a bit in seemingly erratic patters around the balls. "I suppose they've just accepted that fact." She shrugged before turning back to Ian. "Permanent injuries would be bad, but pain... well, there's not really any escaping it, so you may as well learn to live with it." She certainly wasn't someone who enjoyed pain, but she'd had enough of it to learn that it wasn't the end of the world either. She was pretty sure her brother was farther along that path than she was, she wondered how much of it he even felt at this point. More than once, she'd seen him stumble back home bruised, bleeding, limping from some 'adventure' he'd gone on that day. He'd still have his inane grin plastered across his face as he told everyone about his adventure while Ma did her best to patch him back up.Immune deficiency? Iris wasn't sure what that was, some kind of sickness she guessed. That made her feel a bit bad for Ian, it wasn't any good to have a sick mother all the time. "I'm sorry to hear that," she responded, "I hope she keeps getting better." As reasons for choosing an occupation, that one was pretty good. Unfortunately it didn't really help her think about what route she should go. In theory, on the mountain she'd apprentice to someone and from the way things had been sounding, it may have been for the teaching position. That hadn't really thrilled her. Now however, things were different. She had a whole new set of opportunities, which left her family trying to fill her spot at the same time. She had some mixed emotions on that subject.
"I'm sure you'll make a fine Healer," She responded to Ian finally. "I'm still not sure what route I should go. When do we need to decide?" She guessed she had at least another year yet because Billy hadn't said anything, but that wasn't exactly a reliable measure.
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Iris Cobb
I guess it makes arguing harder
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Ian Malone
June 24, 2021 4:02 PM
Well, I don't really like arguing by Ian Malone
"Exactly,so why seek it out? I mean if pain is part of life, if illness and poor health and accidents will happen, why do something that increases the odds of these things happening?And for no real reason. I mean, there are dangerous jobs that have to be done and that's one thing, there's a reason for it. Quidditch is something that is rather pointless." Ian replied.He was doing it again. Sharing too much of an opinion that he probably shouldn't. Generally speaking, he wasn't the sort of person who was very free with doing that. He preferred most of the time to keep his thoughts and ideas to himself, for fear that people would judge them and him and potentially make fun of him for them. And his views on Quidditch were one of those opinions he most felt he should keep to himself, because of how popular it was,especially with young pureblood boys. Ian was the one who was different.
And he didn't really know Iris and her brother was playing, so maybe he shouldn't share so much. It wasn't as if the Teppenpaw thought that the people who played Quidditch were bad people themselves, they just...had a really weird idea of what was fun. Ian's objection was more with a school and a culture that would celebrate such a thing. Not just the danger, but the aggression of it all. The fact that he wasn't very good at sports wasn't even the main factor.It really was that Ian took issue with the possibility of serious injury.
Still, he hoped Iris didn't think he was judging her brother so he was glad for the change of subject. Even this subject. He nodded. "Thank you." The second year replied. He worried about his mom a lot. Most of the time she was okay, but she ran the risk of picking up stronger, more serious bugs. And the idea that he might bring something home to her was even more terrifying.
"And thanks for that too." Ian added. "I certainly hope I will be." He listened to Iris's question and replied. "You don't really need to worry until after CATS. That's at the end of fifth year. I'm pretty sure most people don't know real early." He only knew because of his mom.
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Ian Malone
Well, I don't really like arguing
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Iris Cobb
June 27, 2021 3:47 PM
I don't mind, as long as I'm right. by Iris Cobb
Iris wasn't really quite sure what to make of Ian's point. He had one she supposed, if it was going to happen, why encourage it more? She could see some logic there, but on the other hand, if it was going to happen why not get good at handling it? It was a bit like practicing anything else, wasn't it? She for one would like to be prepared and ready to handle whatever pain came upon here when it inevitably did. It seems like if she avoided any sort of getting hurt up to that point she'd be terrible at handling it when that happened. If she knew how it felt, and how to manage it, when it happened things would go easier. It certainly seemed to be working that way for Billy anyway, it almost seemed as though it didn't matter how beat-up he was when he got home, he was still functioning just fine.However she suspected that with as adamant as Ian seemed to be on the subject, she probably wasn't likely to change his mind anytime soon. That was fine, he was allowed to live his life the way he wanted to. So, she just shrugged and gave him a bit of a smile. There was one thing she could agree with him on though, "Quidditch does seem awful pointless. Oh well, to each their own I suppose."
She sighed a visible sigh of relief when Ian said that she had until the end of her fifth year to figure out the rest of her life. She would have it figured out before then naturally, but it was good to know when the deadline was. "That's good, I wonder what sorts of jobs are all out there?" She really only knew of the ones on the mountain, and she hadn't really seen any new ones here at the school yet. Healer, teacher, cook, gardener.... was that all there was to life? Well, alright also Billy's 'world explorer' which she wasn't entirely sure was an actual job.
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Iris Cobb
I don't mind, as long as I'm right.
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Ian Malone
June 27, 2021 9:13 PM
Well, everyone thinks they're right by Ian Malone
"Agreed." Ian replied. "On both points."He felt kind of bad. Had he insulted Iris's brother with his views on the sport since Billy was playing? Had he offended her on the Pecari's behalf? He probably wouldn't like it if someone insulted Olivia although, that was hard to imagine since she was three and it was kind of hard to insult a toddler. Ian imagined someone insulting his mother instead. Or being insensitive to her condition. Yeah, that would totally infuriate him. Actually, being rude about someone's disability or medical condition would probably make him mad even if it wasn't his mother."I'm sorry though if I insulted your brother and offended you." Ian apologized. "For what it's worth, even though I think it's a stupid dangerous game and don't understand why anyone would want to play, I don't think less of your brother as a person for playing it." Billy Cobb had never really seemed mean or anything, had never bullied Ian for being unathletic and nerdy. Of course, they didn't have much in common and hadn't really spent any time together, but he'd never sought out the Teppenpaw for torment so he was probably okay overall as a person.
Besides, Ian's disgust for the game was more the fact that it was so celebrated when it was so dangerous than anything to do with individuals playing it. On some level, that might have to do with his own lack of athletic prowess and the expectations of a certain type of masculinity in society that he didn't fulfill, though thankfully nobody in his family ever pressured him about it. However, the main issue to him was still safety and risk of permanent injuries. "If playing Quidditch makes him happy, I mean, as much as I don't get why, like you said to each their own."
"There are tons of jobs out there, I mean, I'm sure there are ones I don't even know about." Ian replied. As he'd never wanted to be anything but a Healer, it wasn't something he'd explored. Still, he figured Iris wanted to know about jobs specific in the magic world. "Well, there are like fields related to all the classes we take. There's creating new spells and potions, working with plants or animals. You could teach any of them. You could make wands or brooms. " Although Iris was probably not interested in the latter. "There are government jobs and Aurors, whose job it is to catch dark wizards. It's really all about what you like and what you're good at. Is there anything in particular you find interesting?" Ian asked "Of course, the person you really should talk to about this is Mr. Row, it's his job."
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Ian Malone
Well, everyone thinks they're right
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