QUIDDITCH BALLS

     QUAFFLE -  is spherical in shape (although it is shown with four large dimples in the films, appearing more as a tetrahedron), bright red in color, and approximately 12 inches (30 cm) in diameter, and about the weight of a footbball but hollow. It is explained in Quidditch Through the Ages that the Quaffle is enchanted to fall very slowly through the air when dropped to prevent players having to continuously dive to retrieve it. The backstory of Quidditch explains that the red color was instituted to create a stronger contrast between the Quaffle and mud. The Quaffle is also enchanted to make it easy to grip with only one hand. There is only one quaffle, unlike the bludgers. If the chaser throws it through the hoop they score 10 points for their team.

  BLUDGER - are round, jet black balls, made of iron. A Bludger is 10 inches (25 cm) in diameter. They are described as being bewitched to fly without any visible means of propulsion, although they do retain inertia, which makes them unable to change speed or direction swiftly. Their purpose in the game is to be an obstacle: they fly around attempting to knock players off their brooms indiscriminately, it is the Beater's job to protect their teammates from the Bludgers and at the same time aim them towards the opposing players.

 THE GOLDEN SNITCH - often referred to as simply the Snitch, is a small golden ball the approximate size of a walnut (roughly 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter), developed by Bowman Wright (1492–1560). In the films, the wings on the Snitch are gold, although in the books it is described as having silver wings. The winged Snitch is enchanted to hover, dart, and fly around the pitch, avoiding capture while remaining within the boundaries of the playing area. Each team has a designated Seeker (most seekers are the lightest, fastest, and smallest players on their team), whose only task is to capture the Snitch. The seeker who catches the Snitch scores 150 points, and strictly speaking, only the capture of the Snitch will end the game

QUIDDITCH PLAYERS

         Each team is made up of seven players, consisting of three Chasers, two Beaters, one Keeper and one Seeker.

         The Chasers progress up and down the pitch passing the Quaffle by hand amongst themselves while keeping it away from the other team, in an attempt to score goals by throwing it through one of their opponent's three goal hoops which scoring 10 points. In this respect, the game is similar, as Harry suggests in the first book, to "basketball on broomsticks with six hoops".

         The Keeper will protect the three goal hoops, in much the same way as a goalkeeper in association football.

         The Beaters are armed with wooden clubs that are similar to, but shorter than, baseball bats. They are tasked with protecting their team-mates and the seeker (mainly) from the Bludgers by knocking these balls off course or towards opponents.

         Finally, the Seeker, usually the lightest member of the team and equipped with the fastest broom, is tasked for searching for and capturing The Golden Snitch. Seekers are the only players permitted to touch the Snitch. The seekers, like Harry Potter, are usually small, agile, and stealthy.

        Each team includes a captain, who may play any of the four roles. The captain helps the team practice and chooses the team players after the tryouts.