SOUND OFF: Who Should Be Allowed to Use the Boston Common?

City park officials had barred Emerson College's quidditch club from using space on the Common for games and practices.

If it's a public space, shouldn't that mean anyone can use it? Boston Common officials banned Emerson College's quidditch team last week from practicing or playing games on the common, putting the team's season on the line and leaving them looking for a last-minute set of fields in the city, according to the Boston Globe.  Quidditch, the sport inspired by the one played in the Harry Potter novels, is a seven-on-seven game where players run holding brooms, trying to shoot a deflated volleyball through upright hoops. It's now played at more than 300 schools across the country.  Although the school has since been able to obtain a permit, the controversy remains over whether or not anyone should be able to use the fields without being …

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1:10 pm on Wednesday, September 19, 2012

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Art School Hockey Rivalry: Two Boston Colleges Compete in Brutal Showdown

Emerson College in intramural action lost lost Berklee College of Music in the 2010 Boylston Cup, held at Simoni Ice Rink.

Emerson's legions of hockey fans led by their fearless captain "Purple Man" couldn't bolster their team past Berklee's hard-charging offense, losing the 2010 Boylston Cup 12-2.  Originally held at Boston University's Walter Brown Arena, this is the 5th year the Emerson Lions have faced-off their club hockey team against the Berklee Ice Cats in intramural action.  This year the cup match was held at Cambridge's Simoni Ice Rink, with Berklee College taking home their 5th consecutive title victory.  While Emerson's crowd held depth in both volume and enthusiasm against Berklee's crew, it wasn't nearly enough to prevent the brutal loss. Berklee students were surprised to see not only that their school had competitive sports, but that their …

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Can a Hockey Team Defeat a Bunch of Quidditch Players on Broomsticks?

Emerson College's Quidditch and Hockey clubs face off in a Halloween spectacular on Boston Common.

(You've read our article now check out our Quidditch video to see those broomsticks in action!) Emerson College's World Cup Quidditch team is no stranger to stiff competition, having taken on some of the top teams in the International Quidditch Association during last year's World Cup.   On Halloween weekend however, they met on Boston Common to take on an unfamiliar opponent:  The Emerson College Hockey Club.  How unfamiliar?  Earlier that day, the hockey players didn't even know how Quidditch was played. Apparently, it's similar to soccer.  The chasers, or forwards, attempt to throw a ball through their opponent's hoop, scoring their team 10 points, while being blocked by the beaters, or defenders.   Oh, and there's one other thing: …

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Emerson Lions Volleyball Team Edges Out Norwich in First Round of Playoffs

The Emerson College Women's Volleyball Team defeated the Norwich University Cadets by a narrow margin of 3-2 Tuesday night in the first round of the Greater North Atlantic Conference Playoffs.

The number three seeded Emerson College Women's Volleyball team edged out the number six Norwich University 3-2 in the first round of theGreater North Atlantic Conference playoffs Tuesday evening on home court. Despite the close call, the win advances the Lions to the conference semifinals.  "We were inconsistent and I thought Norwich took it to us and fought hard," said Emerson Head Coach Craig Letourneau. "I thought we were very tentative. I felt like the youth of our team really stepped up big tonight, played loose tonight and were really going after it." Norwich had momentum going early as they took the first game 25-23. Emerson, whose confidence seemed shaken, gave Norwich the game point as they knocked it out of bounds.  Looking to …

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Emerson & Suffolk Weekly Sports Schedule - Nov. 1-7

Looking to get out and show support for Suffolk and Emerson athletic teams? Here's a composite schedule for this week's events!

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1 No EC contests scheduled. No SU contests scheduled. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2 EC Women's Volleyball vs. Norwich, GNAC Championship first round, 6 p.m. SU Men's Soccer @ Lasell, 2:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3 No EC contests scheduled. No SU contests scheduled. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4 EC Women's Volleyball, GNAC Championship, TBA No SU contests scheduled. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5 No EC contests scheduled. SU Men's Hockey vs. Assumption, 3 p.m. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6 EC Women's Volleyball, GNAC Championship, TBA No SU contests scheduled. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7 No EC contests scheduled. No SU contests scheduled.

Emerson Brings Quidditch to the Common

Emerson College brings the once make-believe Harry Potter sport to life every Sunday on Boston Common.

Strolling through Boston Common on a Sunday afternoon, it's not unusual to see various groups of people participating in a multitude of physical activities.  From kite flying to Ultimate Frisbee, and every sport in between. But you probably wouldn't expect to see a sport you thought only existed in a fantasy world: Quidditch. Yes, Boston Common is home to Emerson College's very own Quidditch league, comprised of five teams that play weekly in the fall and spring, bringing to life one of Harry Potter's favorite Hogwart extracurriculars.  These real-life players have mastered all of the details, too, with the exception of flying, of course. "I always thought it looked goofy and thought it was a joke," said Emerson Junior and Quidditch …

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Photo Gallery: I Spy on the Common

This week: A rained-out Halloween party and the Common Cathedral convenes for Sunday Eucharist in front of the Brewer Fountain.

A look at some of the surprising things going on in your front yard.

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Q&A with City Councilor Mike Ross (Part 2)

What are the challenges facing Beacon Hill in the future? Find out what Mike Ross thinks in the second part of our conversation.

I recently sat down with City Councilman Mike Ross over a plate of egg whites, toast and ham at the Paramount on Charles St. to discuss Beacon Hill, the future of the Common and Ross's plans to solidify Boston's status as a world-class city. Ross, who has represented the district that includes Beacon Hill, Back Bay, the West End and Mission Hill for 15 years, is in his second term as City Council president. He got his start in Beacon Hill by coaching little league at the Hill House and eventually moved into politics. Ross lived on Garden St. before making the move out of Beacon Hill to Mission Hill four years ago. Ross's mother is from Hartford, CT and his father a Jewish immigrant and Holocaust survivor who was rescued from the Dachau …

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