If Quidditch Was A Real Sport, Which Athletes Would Play?

In honor of the upcoming new Harry Potter movie, I felt that it would only be appropriate to dedicate an article to Quidditch, the fictional sport that is depicted throughout the popular book and movie series.

Therefore, in this article I will put forth a hypothetical scenario: Imagine that Quidditch suddenly became an actual sport and a new team was recruiting the world's top athletes to play.

Who should be selected for this challenge?

Here are my picks.

Chaser: Alexander Ovechkin

Hockey's most prolific scorer would be the perfect fit for the chaser position. After all, the purpose of a chaser is to score points, and few athletes have as natural a knack for this as Ovechkin.

His tendencies towards speed, physicality, and aggressiveness would all bode well in the world of Quidditch.

Chaser: Ivano Balic

That's right—Ivano Balic.

You probably have never heard of him, but Ivano is one of the top team handball players in the world today. Like Ovechkin, Balic is all about scoring and athleticism, attributes that should complement the chaser position quite well.

Furthermore, team handball is played by throwing a ball through a goal, just as in Quidditch.

Therefore, his abilities would translate exceptionally well to this fictional game.

Chaser: Michael Vick

He may not be wanted in the world of football anymore, so why not give him a shot at a new sport?

While his character may be an issue, Vick is a hard-throwing left-hander who should make an immediate impact throwing the ball through the goal.

Furthermore, his speed and athleticism would make him a game-breaker in this fictional sport.

Beater: Albert Pujols

Say what you want about the man, but nobody in the world can hit a ball like Albert Pujols.

Luckily for us, that is exactly the job of a beater in Quidditch—to hit an iron ball away from your teammates and towards the opposition in an attempt to, well, pretty much knock them out. Albert has both the power and bat control to do just that.

Beater: Phil Mickelson

Phil Mickelson may not be as popular as Tiger Woods within the realm of golf, but his left-handed swing would be perfect for the second beater position in Quidditch.

After all, Phil has the swing to hit the ball hard, as well as the brawn to withstand the beating that comes from the position. Also, the fact that he is left-handed would make him an ideal fit on the right side of the Quidditch pitch.

Keeper: Tim Howard

Tim Howard, the goalie for USA's up-and-coming national soccer team, would have great potential as a Quidditch keeper.

He has the size, athleticism, and experience as a goalie necessary to excel at this difficult position.

Seeker: Usain Bolt

Who better to play this incredibly important position than Usain Bolt?

As the fastest man in the world today, Usain definitely knows how to move fast, and he would need to do just that in order to catch the Golden Snitch and win games for his team.

Furthermore, his long reach at 6'5" would allow him to stretch out for difficult grabs at key points in the game.