Innovation or Tradition: Debating the Removal of Brooms from Quadball

Authors: Ally Manzella and Tad Walters

Embracing Legacy and Thriving Together: Ally Manzella’s Side of the Continued Presence of Brooms in Quadball

Quadball enthusiasts find themselves at a crossroads, contemplating the essence of the sport, particularly in relation to the use of brooms. Delving into the spirited discussion, as seen on several discussion platforms, we uncover a compelling case for why brooms should undeniably remain an integral part of Quadball.

The retention of brooms in Quadball is of course a nod to the sport's rich legacy, an acknowledgment of where it all began. The distinctive sight of players deftly navigating the pitch on broomsticks is a hallmark of Quadball's identity, a tradition that has made the sport unique since inception. Stripping away this iconic element risks eroding the very foundation that sets Quadball apart, diluting its unique charm and historical significance, clashing with sports already created like handball, basketball, rugby, etc.

The use of brooms in Quadball is not merely a superficial adornment though, it introduces a level of challenge that elevates the game to new heights. We all know there is a physical and mental demand when it comes to moving nimbly with a broom between our legs. I remember my first college practice…I looked like I was about to poop my pants when I first tried to run. However, this just furthers the athleticism needed to strategically maneuver around the pitch. I believe this adds a true dimension to the sport itself. The unique combination of agility, coordination, and quick decision-making sets Quadball apart as a sport that demands not only athleticism but also a distinctive skill set, making it a captivating spectacle for both players and spectators alike.

In the realm of inclusivity, the presence of brooms in Quadball takes on a paramount role. Beyond the physical challenges, the strategic use of brooms levels the playing field, allowing individuals with diverse physical capabilities to excel. You can think of brooms as a current handicap. Personally reflecting, without them, those who may be a former O-Line football player could totally wreck me. I fear that there will be an increase of lowering shoulders, driving and leaving their feet calls IF a broom was not in place. Therefore, eliminating brooms might inadvertently exclude a cohort of potential players who, through the current inclusive environment fostered by the sport, could find their passion and place within the Quadball community to diminish. In keeping brooms ensures that Quadball remains a dynamic and accessible space for individuals of varying abilities.

After numerous conversations with women and gender non-conforming players in my circles, more than half claim they would quit the sport if brooms were eliminated. In an environment where Quadball is always striving towards inclusivity and diversity, the current players I know that are holding up this diversity said they would leave the sport. Talk about recruitment all you want but what about retention of our current players?

Inclusivity extends beyond physical differences; it encompasses the continued creation of a unified community within Quadball. The shared experience of learning how to maneuver with a broom creates a unique bond among players, forging a strong sense of camaraderie and belonging. Retaining brooms is not just about upholding a tradition; it's about preserving the vibrant tapestry of diverse backgrounds and experiences that make Quadball a microcosm of unity and acceptance.

The debate over the role of brooms in Quadball is not a mere matter of nostalgia; it's about safeguarding the uniqueness aiding the retention of current and future players. Brooms are not a relic of the past but a crucial element that propels Quadball into a future where legacy and progress coexist harmoniously. That is why I believe we should not strip Quadball of its unique identity by the elimination of brooms just because we think it would recruit more college players to feed towards the club pipeline.

Shaping our Future and Sharing Our Community: Tad Walter’s Side of the Removal of Brooms in Quadball

“I'd play if it wasn't for the brooms”

“You really run around with a broom between your legs?”

“This would look cool if it wasn't for the brooms”

I've played this sport for 13 years, which includes playing for a small private school, then co-founding two club teams in two different regions, and coaching a small private school. In that time I've tried to recruit HUNDREDS of people to the sport. I'm voracious in my recruiting and in my want to share the sport with others, often talking about Quadball whenever the opportunity arises to try and normalize it. The number one reason I've been told people won't even try the sport is because of the brooms between our legs.

If we want Quadball to grow, we need to get rid of the brooms and embrace other significant gameplay changes.

The problem, as I see it, is that the sport is seriously declining from when I started in 2011. World Cup V (the original name of US Quadball Cup) had 96 teams competing from five countries, in three divisions, and with 8 high school teams. Dozens of official/unofficial teams existed but didn't compete at the national level.

This season there are only 70 teams that have played official games, period. Fewer than that will attend US Quadball Cup this year. There are hardly any unofficial teams and high school Quadball is basically non-existent.

I'll admit the solution isn't necessarily to get rid of the brooms. But ditching the brooms IS the solution that makes the most sense and would have the most immediate impact on numbers in our league. So why are people still wanting to play with brooms?

When discussing this topic with my peers and reading through public forums, people mention that the broom is what makes Quadball unique and different from other sports. While it is true that the broom is a noticeable part of our game, let's not forget the other things that make our sport unique. First, we are a gender-inclusive sport that allows people to openly present as their preferred gender without being filed into the gender binary. In regards to gender, Quadball is light-years ahead of many sports in the race to reach the equilibrium between competition and gender inclusivity. That's something we can continue to do without brooms. This is reflected in many comments where people mentioned they'd still play regardless of whether there are brooms or not because they love the community so much.

Second, Quadball is one of the few sports with multiple balls in play, and the only one I can think of where three different games are happening at the same time (quadballing, beating, and seeking). The synergy between these positions is needed to succeed in the sport and is what makes the sport interesting. This will continue to happen without brooms as well.

Third, many players say that the brooms act as our sport's unique handicap, like “dribbling a basketball” or “using your feet in soccer”. I'll admit this is a talking point I'll use when trying to convince people to see past the brooms, but it's not quite true.

Brooms, dribbling a basketball, and using your feet in soccer all act as things that help differentiate their sports from others and a specific skill you have to learn to play that particular sport. Dribbling a basketball and using your feet in soccer become skills that people train at for hours, and use to elevate themselves as players. Those skills are scalable. This doesn't exist for the broom in Quadball. No one is putting the broom between their legs at a higher level than anyone else. No one is using their broom so much smarter or more skillfully than anyone else, that they're considered a better player. One of the reasons Jon Jackson is better than most chasers isn't because he has better “broom skills”.

I'd grant this opinion more leeway if the brooms made people only catch and tackle with one hand, but we already have two-hand tackling! And most teams preach using two hands for catching. It's common sense to just get rid of the broom, we've already done most of the work.

Another common reason people note for keeping brooms is player safety in relation to tackling. The idea is that without brooms, people can run faster and hit harder. There is truth to this point as well, but it is important to look at this within the context of people’s understanding of contact in the sport.

This may be a tough pill to swallow, but as a sport that brags about being full contact, we don't tackle much. In fact, there's a significant portion of our community that won't tackle and others who can't handle being tackled safely and legally without being injured. At one point there were even players on Team USA who refused to tackle. There is only a small percentage of Quadball players that I think could physically handle the harsher tackling from a competitive American football or rugby game.

Most teams spend little to no time on real tackle practice, leaving players to fend for themselves and either rely on past sports experiences or put in the individual effort to learn how to tackle and be tackled. Especially in the college game, this creates a wide divide between players who tackle often and players who don't. This often leads to injuries, especially when intertwined with other factors like player size disparity, misogyny (Per Alex Pucciarelli’s recent AQD post), and general reckless play.

The contact people complain about is already happening and will continue to happen with or without brooms. Will people be able to run faster and hit harder without the brooms? Yes, but only if we decide that's where we want the sport to go without brooms. The lack of brooms can lead to contact rules changing, which could provide better and safer conduct. It's on the US leadership staff to create and test contact rules that keep players safe and create a fun, well-built sport.

For what it's worth, I like our sport the way it is right now. There are tons of rules Quadball could change alongside getting rid of brooms to keep it a sport that's comparable to what we have now but is more marketable to new people. Obviously, there are tons of questions to answer, like “How can you tell who's beat” but those will be answered in time if we keep an open mind.

By keeping the core aspects of our sport and embracing our unique community while still exploring ways to improve Quadball's marketability, we can change the course for Quadball and see a new era of growth in our sport.

Editors: Faith Edens and Tanner Bonheimer