Magical Hogwarts

[div style="width:50%;opacity:0.5;font-size:0.85em;border-bottom:1px solid #ffffff;"]MONDAY, 22 JULY 2002, 2:30 PM[/div]

[div style="width:450px;font-family:Abel;font-size:14px;text-align:left;"]ÔÇ£Sports teaches you character, it teaches you to play by the rules, it teaches you to know what it feels like to win and lose-it teaches you about life.ÔÇØ
ÔÇò Billie Jean King[/div]

"Good afternoon," Liliya enunciated clearly in her admittedly affected English, coloured by an unmistakable southwestern Ukrainian accent. It was the safest language to use for anyone that didn't have a Translation charm; few of the attendees were likely to know Ukrainian or Russian, and as far as her own linguistic skills were concerned, Portugese was right out. She beamed at all of the people who had come to her training session, standing before them in her league team uniform - a Munsell red robe with a royal yellow hem and metallic-looking grey "scales" on the hood and down the back of the spine, covering a white camisole tucked into khaki breeches. While she had also brought her national team uniform - a white robe with strong azure sleeves and hood, decorated with the tryzub of the country's coat-of-arms on the hood, back, and shoulders - she had felt more comfortable this afternoon wearing her own team's colours.

"My name is Liliya Yureyivna Wolanski, and I am the Captain and Lead Chaser of the Zhytomyr Zalizazhyvoty, or Ironbellies, a Ukrainian member team of the Russian Quidditch League," she introduced herself to the (she assumed) considerable number of attendees that would be unfamiliar with her work. "I am here today, and you are here today, not because I am a Chaser but because I am a Captain. This workshop is today about teamwork. To play together well, to win two League Cups and come in runner-up two other times," she muttered, "you must innately understand and get along with the people that you are flying with. A team whose members get along has a vast advantage over a team whose members do not. So it is in life also. When you enjoy your job, and you enjoy the people you work with, you are more effective and so are they.

"We will do a scrimmage today!" she announced. "No serious scrimmage, just a little something to loose up and start to have fun with each other. So, drop everything except your brooms, and we will count off on our teams. One team will be the 'Stars' and one team will be the 'Wings.' Line up by your position, please!" As the attendees hurried to follow her orders and stood in a line, she went right down each group of players pointing at each person, "Stars, Wings, Stars, Wings, Stars, Wings..." until everyone was accounted for. There were more people than two teams needed, so there were some reserve players. "Reserve players we will switch out throughout our scrimmage," she assured these people. "This is not an official match, it is a learning experience."

Once the teams were settled, she stepped back and said, "Now then, please meet with your teams and quickly introduce yourselves, your strengths and weaknesses. Listen to each other and think of how you all can best work together to play well. I will select 'captains' in a moment and then we will play!"

Esmeray was bouncing on her heels with excitement as she gripped her bran new firebolt in her hand. She had never been this close to so many real Deveritch ÔǪ errr Quidditch players before. Her heart raced as she glanced at them in their crisp uniforms their confident forms proudly displaying their colors. She would do anything to be among them.?á It must have been only through will of the jinn that her brother was able to talk her father into signing up for this Quidditch Professional ran training course. The details of which did not grace her thoughts, because she was here, and she was eager to get on her new broomÔǪ
 
She was lucky her father had purchased a translator charm for she knew almost no English and was quite impressed that http://www.magical-hogwarts.com/index.php?action=profile;u=22916' rel='nofollow noopener' target='_blank'>@Liliya Wolanski was fluent in the British language. The initial excitement dulled as she heard the similar words that her own captain would lectureÔǪ The get along with and work together is more effective and efficient speech.?á Esmeray would have rolled her eyes if this speech came from anyone else but a quidditch professional. The promos of a serious scrimmage kept her focused and she quickly chose a spot within the line.

She smiled as she was designated a ÔÇÿstar,ÔÇÖ then craned her head to note others who were allocated to her team. But it was the next instructions quickly introduce yourselves, your strengths and weaknesses that made fear creep up her back and nibble at the back of her cranium.?á She was hoping not to share that she doesnÔÇÖt play quidditch, and that the hours of time she spent on a broom could be counted on her fingers of one hand.?á She did want to be automatically placed in with the Reserve players and not have a chance to fly much.

Her mind raced to find a solution as the lines dissolved forming two amoeba forms. She decided to skirt around the issue by not quite telling them that she is not quite proficient on the broom. She stood with her back straight, chin up and her broom subconsciously held behind her leg and back as if the sight of it would give her away

My name is Esmeray. I am a sixth-year student at Kolbostorez and play Chaser for the House Tigrova. I been told I have a great throwing arm. As for weaknesses, I am  Here it is, where she should lie. But she could not think of something else to say. Her mind tripped as she searched for some other flaw What was one of her weaknesses? Maybe she should just make up something Like being afraid of heights. No that would keep me off the main team. Instead she skirted around the truth. She continued in Russian after a bit of a pause, I am more use to playing Deveritch then quidditch.

If they donÔÇÖt understand the difference, she thought to herself remembering a number of dumbfounded Durmstrang students that never heard of the sport. Then they are just dumb and deserved to be kept in the dark. Feeling better she relaxed her shoulders and gave a smile, turning her attention to the next person who spoke up to introduce themselves.

Proudly Liliya watched as the majority of the students followed her directions, as she counted off the teams and then watched them get together and discuss their strategic providences. She listened from between the two huddled groups as they each gave out their pros and cons as players. Some, such as those from the United States, were not quite as practised playing the broomsport as those from Europe and Asia, with the exception of some of the Koldovstoretz students whose experience with Quidditch ranged from "it's not as fun as Deveritch" to "I've barely even heard of this." Predictably, the Hogwarts and Durmstrang students talked a good game and were probably quite skilled to have been so invested in this opportunity here in Brasil; also predictably, the Mahoutokoro students were more silent and less boastful, but had a look of keen observation as they looked at not only their teammates but also across the field at the other huddle. Liliya had never been to the Japanese school but knew that they studied flying, Quidditch, and other broomsports with a grave discipline.

She waited politely for about eight minutes, long enough for every flier there to go around at least once and for some mild conversation as well. "All right then!" she finally clapped her hands and rubbed them together with gleeful anticipation at seeing all the young athletes gearing up for the match. "Stars, on me please! Wings, meet at the other end of the pitch, and choose your starting players."

Mounting her broom with one foot lazily, she floated over to the Stars goalposts and observed the half throng following her. "Right then. As I heard some of your talents, I have some good ideas for team play here which I'd like you all to demonstrate to the Wings team. We'll switch two players every three plays, all right?" Watching as most of them nodded assent and some stared blankly at her, she went on by choosing her starting lineup. "http://www.magical-hogwarts.com/index.php?action=profile;u=25441' rel='nofollow noopener' target='_blank'>@Miss Aysoy," she began, "right Chaser." She selected her left and rear Chasers, left and right Beaters, an American girl for the Keeper and a Chinese boy for the Seeker.

"Now, I don't want to get too technical, so here is the basic idea behind the playstyle I would like you all to attempt for this set of drives," she used her wand and summoned a clipboard from where she had left it on the ground at the base of the centre goal. "Quick passes between all three chasers, weaving motion by the Beaters between them all, and you should all gradually veer as a group toward the left goalpost, narrowing as you approach. But then, and Miss Aysoy this will be at your discretion, when you have the Quaffle and are a very short distance from the goals, you will veer anywhere except right, and then abruptly throw it through the right-hand hoop. I am relying on the strong arm you mentioned," she smiled at the Turkish girl.

"Does everyone understand?" Seeing another round of nods, she gave the children a thumbs-up and then flew alone to the centre of the pitch. "Come to the centre circle! Get yourselves ready!" she yelled, and once she was ringed by the players, she kicked open the box and let the Bludgers and Snitch fly out. Then she picked up the Quaffle, eyed both centre Chasers calmly, and tossed it straight up into the air. The game was on!