Meet the Team |
SQT: Journey to the Cup
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“SQT on three! One! Two! Three!”
The Slytherin Quidditch Team proudly shouts their team name in response. This is how SQT usually announces the end of practice. But there is still plenty of daylight on this chilly afternoon in December. The Quaffle has already been put away, but Scarlet Leslie-Lewis throws a different ball into the air: The Golden Snitch. The team scrambles onto their broomsticks and take off after it. Moments later, Will Lestrange lands on the turf of the Quidditch pitch, his broom in one hand and the Snitch in the other. This is how the team selects its Seeker for each game. And so far, it has been working. A skillful catch against Sirius Fudge in Slytherin’s victory over Hufflepuff is more than enough proof that Lestrange is one of the best fliers in the game. Being able to outmaneuver an entire team of gifted fliers to secure the Snitch? That is just a typical SQT Seeking practice. Lestrange, however, is unimpressed with his own performance. He does not celebrate his triumph against his teammates, nor the one against Hufflepuff. Instead, he goes straight into analyzing his play. “[Lestrange] is always looking for ways to improve his game,” says teammate Cody Lewis. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him satisfied with a win. Holding himself to that kind of standard is what puts him in the top tier of Quidditch players.” Darcey Goode is the next person to land. She was hot on Lestrange’s heels the entire time. After a game-ending catch against Ravenclaw this past November, Goode has established herself as a talented Seeker in her own right. Going into the season, Seeker was a huge question mark for SQT. Now, it seems the team has several options going forward. But how did so much change in so little time? A lot of credit goes to Scarlet Leslie-Lewis, who has become something resembling a Seeking coach for the team, working closely with the Seekers and giving them plenty of practice. In the week leading up to the Ravenclaw match, she set up four practice matches for Goode, a relatively inexperienced Seeker. There were no doubts about Goode’s ability on a broomstick, but there were definitely some growing pains during practice. “I learned by making mistakes in all of them,” explains Goode. “And I made sure not to make them again.” Slytherin seems to have found not one, but two answers for their Seeker dilemma. Now the real challenge for SQT is balancing their talent between Quaffle and Snitch. Despite being the two frontrunners in the Snitch game, Goode and Lestrange are also two of the team’s most prolific goal-scorers this season. “I can’t wait to see them chase together,” says Lewis. “They’re going to give Keepers nightmares. We’ll just have to find a third option at Seeker.” Darcey stifles a grin. “Now that sounds like fun.” Inside the Locker Room with the Chasers
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