One chaser down..two to go on Quidditch Pitch

Captain Derry Four

June 08, 2013 2:33 PM

Teppenpaw Practice/Try-Out by Captain Derry Four

Looking at the list of people signed up for Teppenpaw's Quidditch Team, Derry could see he was going to have as much or more of a Challenge just filling the roster as he'd had with any of the organized activities last year. Arista and Kate had both graduated, as had Kirstenna the year before. So since their last competetive game, Teppenpaw had lost three players. Derry himself hadn't even been an Assistant Captain then, since his only year as Assistant had been the one when no games had been played. Kate had done her best to train him for it anyway, and he remembered Kirstenna's Captaining well enough that he thought he'd do all right, if only he had the players to lead.

Unfortunately, according to the list in his hand, he had one Beater (himself), a brand new Seeker from the bench, and a former Chaser willing to do whatever. He assumed his own Assistant Captain, Laurie, though not on the list, intended to reprise his role as Beater as well, so Beater was taken care of. Unfortunately, that still left two Chaser slots (assuming Carter returned as Chaser), and Keeper to fill. A team could not be fielded with only one Chaser and no Keeper. Or, at least, it couldn't expect to do very well if it did go out to the Pitch short those three positions.

After taking down the list and before heading out to the Pitch, he had replaced his sign-up sheet on the bulletin board with a very large poster with glowing letters that advertised:

TEPPENPAW TRY-OUTS GOING ON NOW!
SUPPORT YOUR HOUSE!
JOIN THE QUIDDITCH TEAM!
WALK-ONS AND FIRST YEARS VERY WELCOME!!
NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY!

Derry hoped dearly that would encourage more people to come so he could fill out his roster a bit more, even if they were all muggleborn first years who had never held a broom before their first flying lesson a week ago. Ideally, a Keeper should be fairly skilled and able to defend the goals from talented opposing Chasers who made it past the Teppenpaw Chasers, but other Sonora Teams had just put in their worst player on the assumption that a body blocking the goals was better than no body blocking the goals, and Derry supposed he could do that if he had to. If he didn't get a good enough turn-out today, he'd have to draft someone to sit on a broom in front of the goals on game day if worst came to worst. With enough bribery and puppy faces, maybe he could get Reggie to do it. . .

"Hi, everybody," he greeted once he thought everyone who was coming had joined him on the Pitch. "I am Derry, your new Captain this year." Even people who hadn't known him before this year would have seen him get called up as the year's Head Boy, but he figured the first years probably had other things on their minds during the feast and, besides, he had been horribly ill that night and he looked much more healthy now that the bug had passed. "Laurie Stratford is your Asssistant Captain, and we're both Beaters, so there's no openings for that position. We need everything else though. Carter, you signed up for whatever, so I think we need you most as a Chaser again, if you're all right with that? Brielle, we do need a Seeker, so that's you, unless we have anyone else here who wants to try out for it?" He looked around to see if any hands went up as volunteers.

"Beyond Seeker, we still need two more Chasers and a Keeper. Anyone not on the list, could you give me your names and which positions you want to try out for? Once I've got those, we can get started with the try-outs. In the meantime, Laurie, Brielle, Carter, you can start with flying a lap around the pitch while I talk to the new folks."

OOC: Anyone not signed up, please respond to Derry's question. Anyone who is signed up (or Laurie) can write a post about flying your lap unless or until we get people to try-out against. If we have no walk-ons (please, join us, walk-ons!) , pretend the last line reads 'you can start with flying a lap around the pitch while I wait to see if anyone else is coming.'

Subthreads:

You did say walk-ons were welcome right? by Dimitri Porter, First Year

One chaser down..two to go by Carter Browning with Enion Whitebriar, Carter

Seeking to belong... by Aubrielle Thornton

Walking into a Chase... by Darina Porter

1 Captain Derry Four Teppenpaw Practice/Try-Out 189 Captain Derry Four 1 5

Dimitri Porter, First Year

June 08, 2013 5:55 PM

You did say walk-ons were welcome right? by Dimitri Porter, First Year

Dimitri saw the announcement posted up on the board in the common room and was rather intrigued. Quidditch tryouts? How awesome! he thought to himself as he headed back up to his dorm room to change his clothes and grab his broom. He opted for what his father referred to as “street clothes” and put them on. His dad had insisted he pack a pair of faded blue jeans, a print t-shirt and a pair of sneakers. Dimitri chose a pair of Vans because they looked enough like sneakers to pass as them and they actually looked respectable with his normal manner of dress. He debated on whether or not to wear his school robes over the outfit and decided against it. This was an outdoor activity afterall and the robes just didn’t seem appropriate for this sort of thing. After lacing up his shoes and giving himself the once over in the mirror hanging up on the back of his dorm door, Dimitri headed out of Teppenpaw Commons and outside towards the pitch.

He sauntered over to where Derry, was it, was standing giving the other scant members who had already shown up, his welcome speech. Dimitri listened with interest and then watched as the others who were already named took to the air to fly laps as instructed. He walked up to Derry and put his hand out, introducing himself. “You must be Derry,” he began politely. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I’m Dimitri Porter. I wish to try-out for the Keeper position.” Once introductions were made, Dimitri gathered his broom and mounted it for the lap around the Pitch they had been instructed by Derry to take. He kicked off of the ground and joined the others who were already doing laps while they waited for any other potential players to arrive. Dimitri had always been fascinated by the game of Quidditch, but never really had the chance to play himself. He had always been busy with some re-enactment event or sewing class his mother wanted him to be involved in instead. He would much rather be flying around, but he never told his mother that. He shrugged to himself. It could be worse he thought. She could turn me into a girl entirely. He didn’t much care for that last thought. He indulged his mother for most of the activities she wished him to engage in and logically argued his way out of doing the others he knew no self respecting boy would engage in.

This time he was doing something that HE alone wanted to do whether his mother liked it or not. He knew she would try to object, but he also knew that he had his father’s help should that situation arose. For now he was content to fly the laps instructed until his next task had been appointed. He just hoped he didn’t have to wait long.

0 Dimitri Porter, First Year You did say walk-ons were welcome right? 0 Dimitri Porter, First Year 0 5

Carter Browning

June 08, 2013 5:57 PM

One chaser down..two to go by Carter Browning

Carter heard about the day for try-outs and geared up before heading out to the pitch with his new broom. He had gotten it for his birthday over the summertime since he turned 13 while still at school. He figured that since they were in short supply of players that he was probably going to be chasing again which was fine by him. He had a great time with it last time and wanted to keep doing it. He had spent almost all summer practicing with his dad and grandpa. He just hoped that they actually might win their game this year and at least make it to the championship game. They had fought so hard to win his first year, but missed it by only a few points. He was still sorta bummed over that one, but didn’t let it discourage him. Upon reaching the Pitch he waved cheerfully to Derry and took a spot in front of him.

He waited with Derry for the rest of the potential players to arrive and listened intently to Derry’s speech or pep talk (whichever it was). He nodded when Derry mentioned his name and the position he wanted him to take. “You got it cap,” he assured Derry. “I don’t mind at all. In fact I’m looking forward to it.” He knew that he was too. When Derry instructed him to fly a lap around the pitch, Carter nodded and hopped onto his broom. He’d been itching to try it out here at school. He kicked up off the ground and soared towards the goal poles. He whipped his way around the first pole and pushed his broom as fast as it would go. The feeling of the wind whipping through his hair, against his face and on his clothes felt strangely exhilarating. He couldn’t wait to be flying this fast with the quaffle in his hands and making the first goal. That was going to make all his hard work completely worth it. He finished the first lap and decided to go for another one. He figured he’d keep doing laps either until he got dizzy from them or Derry called him in to do something else, whichever happened first.

0 Carter Browning One chaser down..two to go 236 Carter Browning 0 5

Aubrielle Thornton

June 14, 2013 1:49 AM

Seeking to belong... by Aubrielle Thornton

Bri knew her fourth year would be busy: with classes, Quidditch, Baking Club, Book Club and the prospect of being a Library Assistant or Monitor, but she didn’t care. Bri never liked sitting still before and she wouldn’t start now! The Tepp had actually signed up for Seeker this year, having trained for it over the summer with Mira and Andri (Rina, Mitri, Ris, Clara, Ana, Airlea and Alix also joined their little game sometimes). Amongst them they had more than a full team which made Mira smile. Bri liked seeing her sisters smile and nothing would change that either. Bri also enjoyed watching how the kids had created two teams between them and even played some pick up games with each other. As crazy as things were for them and as abnormal as her family was, it felt normal to have a little competition between them. Ris and Mir had captained the teams and each were one Chaser and one Beater short of a full team, but it worked for them. The teams were even, two that had played on house teams and three that either hadn’t yet or would be trying out when they got to school.

Either which way, Summer was over and now it was time to go back to the drawing board. Emotions have been at a high/low even in the same day for the now fourth year. Her body was growing and changing and things were happening that she just didn’t understand. It was almost like she was on a roller coaster and she couldn’t get off. It wasn’t exactly a happy feeling for the Teppenpaw, in fact it sort of felt as if the ground was coming out from under her more often than she’d liked. She just chalked it up to getting older and part of her sort of understood her sister Addison more now than ever before. This weird roller coaster must be what Addi feels like.. Merlin… This bites… she thought to herself as she lay in her bed the morning of the Teppenpaw Tryouts.

With a sigh, she knew she had to get up and get herself together to go out to the Pitch, so she kicked her blanket off and got dressed. She covered her clothes (she wasn’t even sure it matched, so what did it matter?) with her Quidditch Robes, which she was glad for as her clothes had recently started not to fit so well around her chest area. If its covered, it’s not seen… right? she thought to herself with a shrug as she covered her outfit with her robes before walking out of the room into the Commons and down to the Pitch.

She walked up to the small group, including two of her cousins, Derry, Laurie and a few others and waved with as big a smile as she could push on her face. It seemed weird to her to be at Teppenpaw Quidditch without Arista, but she was all the way out in California near Uncle Bryan and not there at Sonora. It’s just weird… she thought, remembering how it felt to have her biggest sister there watching out for her. Now SHE would have to be the bigger sister/cousin (or one of them anyway) and that was just weird. Sonora itself felt weird without Arista, but she’d have to get over it, and she knew that. I just don’t want to right now… she thought as Derry greeted everyone and introduced himself and Laurie before talking to Carter. Then she heard her name and her head shot towards him and grinned when he told her she’d be Seeker unless anyone else wanted to try out for it. She glanced around and wondered if there would be anyone… Her cousins had already told her that they were planning on Keeper and Chaser, so there was no worries there from either one of them, it was just a matter of any other people from the house who showed up…

She waited to see if anyone would speak up, althewhile still listening to Derry tell them that once names and positions of the others were finished they were to start flying a lap around the Pitch. Brielle waited until anyone else (including her cousins) spoke, before mounting her broom and flying a lap around the Pitch, happy to be in the air, feeling the adrenaline beat passed her head and through her red hair along with the air and only came down when her lap was done. She landed by Derry and the others and waited to see what would happen next.

0 Aubrielle Thornton Seeking to belong... 0 Aubrielle Thornton 0 5

Darina Porter

June 14, 2013 2:04 PM

Walking into a Chase... by Darina Porter

Darina had been playing Quidditch with her cousins and Dimitri over the summer and she’d decided that she may want to join the team of whatever house she ended up in. Maybe…

She’d seen what her cousins had been doing and wanted to be somewhere that she can belong and be a part of a team. The only thing that worried the new first year was the fact that she could get hurt. Sure, she wasn’t scared of much, at least not much that was realistic anyway… But she still didn’t want to get hurt. But it would be fun to be on a team… she remembered thinking every time she’d walked by Derry’s sign up sheet in Teppenpaw Common Room. The way Bri and Arista talked about it, Teppenpaw wasn’t exactly a winning house, but that didn’t mean that it couldn’t become one… “Right?” she asked aloud, into the air. Nobody was there, and she scared herself momentarily as she realized she’d spoken out loud. She blushed in almost as bright red a shade as her sneakers and glanced down at them with a sigh, noting her bright yellow Capri pants and the same color shirt underneath her school robes. “Oh well…” she said, as she walked down to the Pitch to try out. She didn’t get her name onto the list due to the ping pong ball ‘to sign up or not to sign up, that is the question’ problem. But in the long run, the first year decided she wanted to belong more than she worried about getting hurt. Her older cousin wouldn’t let her get hurt, not badly anyway, and Rina was sure that the Head Boy wouldn’t let it either. She and Mitri had talked about maybe joining their house teams before school started, but their conversations stopped there.

The younger twin didn’t know if her older would come up to tryouts, but even if he didn’t, she still had Bri. After all, Bri was signed up for Seeker, and she really hoped to get it. Rina wanted her cousin to get it. She saw her on the Pitch and walked up to her. Rina was about to say hello to Brielle when Derry started talking to the group of them. Darina smiled and waved to Derry as he introduced himself and Laurie, his Assistant. Rina was a little surprised to hear that the male assistant for their team’s name was Laurie, but she shrugged it off, knowing she didn’t name him and it wasn’t up to her. Derry and Laurie were the Beaters, so that was set. A boy named Carter was asked to be Chaser again and when he’d said he’d do that, Bri’s name was called for Seeker. Bri didn’t say anything, but she looked around as if she was waiting to see if anyone else would want Seeker.

After that, he said they’d still need two more Chasers and a Keeper, and asked for the kids who’s names weren’t on the list to introduce themselves and say what position they wanted to try out for. Mitri had indeed came to the tryouts and spoke first for the walk ons. He said he’d wanted Keeper, which was actually the position Rina thought her twin would go for. She spoke up next, “I’m Darina Porter.” she said with a smile, “And I’d like to try for Chaser if that’s okay with you.” she said to Derry. She waited for anyone else to say anything before she mounted her broomstick and flew her lap around the Pitch.

0 Darina Porter Walking into a Chase... 0 Darina Porter 0 5

Enion Whitebriar

June 17, 2013 8:24 PM

And one more makes three! by Enion Whitebriar

This was it, this was his year to fly! Enion hadn’t made it to first string during his first year. That year, there had been a ton of competition, and as a first year he lost out to those more experienced. Then last year, Quidditch had been canceled so he’d lost his chance to make it onto the team. Now a third year, the Teppenpaw was determined to make it onto the team. The fact that not too many people had signed up made him feel a little better. At least this year he wouldn’t have to fight against a whole lot of other players just to get a spot.

That, and there were a lot of spots open on the team. He was good at all positions, being one of the younger males in the family meant that the older boys all took their favorite positions during family games, and he was left with whatever needed to be filled. Most of the time, he filled in for Beater, Chaser, or Keeper. Seeker was the one post he’d never gotten to play because his older cousins always took it.

A grin stretched his lips when Derry admitted that they needed two Chasers and a Keeper. He could do this, and he would help bring Teppenpaw to glory.

“I’m Enion Whitebriar, and I’ll give Chaser a go too,” Enion said, still grinning with anticipation. Joining the rest, he flew a circuit around the Pitch. The wind howled around him as he pushed his broom to the limit. He imagined the stands full of cheering fans, all there to see him play. But first, he had to make the team!

Once he was finished with the lap, his fingers itched to grip the Quaffle and test his skill against the would be Keeper. “Oi!” He shouted when Carter passed by, trying to get the other boy’s attention.

0 Enion Whitebriar And one more makes three! 0 Enion Whitebriar 0 5

Carter

June 27, 2013 3:40 PM

Pulling me out of the clouds by Carter

Carter arrived on the pitch for practice that day and was ready to go. When Derry told them to take a lap while they waited for the rest of the Quidditch hopefuls, Carter hopped on his broom and took off into the air. He began his lap around the pitch and just enjoyed the feel of the air whipping itself through his clothes and hair. It felt so refreshing just to let everything go and feel the wind ride through you sometimes. After the events up til now he was soo ready to focus on other things at the moment. Things that didn’t involve class work, homework and just all around family drama. Payton was currently going through the “terrible twos” and was throwing temper tantrums at the drop of a hat…at least she was when he left for school. His current letter from home contained a detailed apology from his mother on how sorry she was that his sister felt the need to “relocate” his model ship in a bottle. It had taken him three months of solid work and little to no sleep completing that project. Payton, it would seem, didn’t like where he had previously had the bottle containing said ship and decided it wanted to sit elsewhere. Elsewhere being the back patio where it landed when she chucked it out his bedroom window. She wasn’t tall enough to look out the window herself, but she was tall enough to reach the windowsill and drop it out the open window. His mother had been alerted to her activities by the peculiar “Uh Oh” that occurred shortly before the impending crash of broken glass and splintered wood.

Carter took the lap around the pitch as a way to channel some of the anger he felt over the lost hobby item and the amount of work wasted getting it done. He was about to make another pass around the pitch when he heard someone yelling at him. An unfamiliar “Oy” filtered through the air at him and upon hearing it Carter steered his way towards the boy who called and stopped just a foot or two away from him. He immediately recognized Enion from the Quidditch team and waved a breathy Hello to the other boy. Carter hadn’t realized that the lap had taken the air out of him until he had actually stopped. It’s a good thing he stopped me he thought to himself as fought to catch his breath. It was a good thing he had spent the summer training because that little stunt could have cost him big time if Enion hadn’t stopped him. He caught sight of the quaffle in Enion’s hands and grinned. Qidditch Practice…right he reminded himself. To get himself back on the ball (so to speak) he nodded his head to the ball in Enion’s hands. “Thanks for the wake-up call,“ he told Enion. “Hadn’t realized I had phased out like that.“ He grinned at the other boy trying to show his gratitude. “Wanna run some drills?’ he asked the other boy, hoping to get his head back into practice.

0 Carter Pulling me out of the clouds 0 Carter 0 5