Aces Are Wild
Prof. Cody Lewis
March 2018
“I think I want to take Cody up on his offer,” Will said.
My offer being a half-joking remark I made to Scarlet about Seeking against Ravenclaw. SQT’s usual Seeker, Amy, wasn’t going to be available for the match, so I thought it would be funny to put my name up for consideration.
“Oh,” I responded. “Yes, I would like to tryout for the role of Seeker,” still not taking the whole situation very seriously. After a quick botting session (I had definitely lost a step in the trivia department), Scarlet gave Will and me a logic puzzle, which I solved in very much below average time.
That somehow qualified me to Seek for HOL’s top Quidditch team.
When I retired from SQT just under two years ago, there was some discussion about what my next role would be. I briefly played with the idea of being SQT’s coach, a position that actually existed in the early days of Quidditch. But with the experienced Darcey Goode and unlimitedly talented Will Lestrange at the helm, I’m not sure how much I would have been able to do for the team.
Even as the words, “I could Seek,” escaped from my vocal cords, I’m not sure I really saw myself becoming the team’s Seeker, even for just one game. This was a position reserved for the Calindra V. Riddles, the Allison Jennifer Blacks, the Faye Rodericks of the world. And while I hope that years from now, my name is spoken by Slytherin Quidditch players with that same type of reverence, it will definitely be for my skills with the Quaffle, not the Snitch.
Moments before game time, SQT convened in our traditional Skype group. The captains sent in the lineup and it was official: I was going to Seek for SQT.
And that’s when they hit me. Nerves. I’ve played in something like forty Quidditch matches during my time on HOL, and sure, I’ve been nervous before. But I’ve never let nerves get the best of me like I did before that match.
“I’m hoping Ravenclaw just forfeits Snitch,” I said, knowing it was a pretty unlikely possibility. RQT’s been pretty stacked with players so far this year.
“You know you can do it,” Will told me.
“I can do it,” I repeated.
I won’t go into too much detail of what happened in that match. My opponent, Shiloh Adlar, already published her take on how Snitch played out (although I’d like to mention that while she did have a beat on me towards the end, I saw the Snitch first!). Overall, it wasn’t a very convincing catch for me – I made a few too many rookie mistakes that should have cost me the match.
It was an important moment for me though. Not just because it was my first time Seeking for SQT, and not at all because I caught the Snitch, but because it helped me realize what my role on SQT is.
I’m not going to go back to being a full time player, I’m not going to be a coach, I’m not even going to be SQT’s Seeker. But whenever they need me, whatever they need me for, I can do it. I’m the Ace up their sleeve. The wildcard.
“I think I want to take Cody up on his offer,” Will said.
My offer being a half-joking remark I made to Scarlet about Seeking against Ravenclaw. SQT’s usual Seeker, Amy, wasn’t going to be available for the match, so I thought it would be funny to put my name up for consideration.
“Oh,” I responded. “Yes, I would like to tryout for the role of Seeker,” still not taking the whole situation very seriously. After a quick botting session (I had definitely lost a step in the trivia department), Scarlet gave Will and me a logic puzzle, which I solved in very much below average time.
That somehow qualified me to Seek for HOL’s top Quidditch team.
When I retired from SQT just under two years ago, there was some discussion about what my next role would be. I briefly played with the idea of being SQT’s coach, a position that actually existed in the early days of Quidditch. But with the experienced Darcey Goode and unlimitedly talented Will Lestrange at the helm, I’m not sure how much I would have been able to do for the team.
Even as the words, “I could Seek,” escaped from my vocal cords, I’m not sure I really saw myself becoming the team’s Seeker, even for just one game. This was a position reserved for the Calindra V. Riddles, the Allison Jennifer Blacks, the Faye Rodericks of the world. And while I hope that years from now, my name is spoken by Slytherin Quidditch players with that same type of reverence, it will definitely be for my skills with the Quaffle, not the Snitch.
Moments before game time, SQT convened in our traditional Skype group. The captains sent in the lineup and it was official: I was going to Seek for SQT.
And that’s when they hit me. Nerves. I’ve played in something like forty Quidditch matches during my time on HOL, and sure, I’ve been nervous before. But I’ve never let nerves get the best of me like I did before that match.
“I’m hoping Ravenclaw just forfeits Snitch,” I said, knowing it was a pretty unlikely possibility. RQT’s been pretty stacked with players so far this year.
“You know you can do it,” Will told me.
“I can do it,” I repeated.
I won’t go into too much detail of what happened in that match. My opponent, Shiloh Adlar, already published her take on how Snitch played out (although I’d like to mention that while she did have a beat on me towards the end, I saw the Snitch first!). Overall, it wasn’t a very convincing catch for me – I made a few too many rookie mistakes that should have cost me the match.
It was an important moment for me though. Not just because it was my first time Seeking for SQT, and not at all because I caught the Snitch, but because it helped me realize what my role on SQT is.
I’m not going to go back to being a full time player, I’m not going to be a coach, I’m not even going to be SQT’s Seeker. But whenever they need me, whatever they need me for, I can do it. I’m the Ace up their sleeve. The wildcard.