Quidditch 101 with Greg Lestrade!!

[di_intraining]

WHO: Greg Lestrade, Arthur and Victoria Kirkland on Saturday, and Hufflepuffs interested in trying out for the team and who might want some tips for it before the real tryouts. Saturday is locked to Arthur and Victoria, while Sunday is open to Hufflepuffs and other people who might be at the field on that day.
TONE: PG-13
RATING: PG-13
WHEN: 9/8/2012 (Saturday) and 9/9/2012 (Sunday)
WHERE: Quidditch field
WHAT: Saturday: Greg promised to help out Arthur and Victoria on their Quidditch skills. Sunday: Greg offers to take a look at what the skills of interested Hufflepuff Quidditch players and provide suggestions to improve their game before tryouts.
STATUS: Ongoing.

[Thankfully, the good weather from Friday has stretched over the weekend. If your name is Arthur or Victoria Kirkland, than Greg will be waiting for you on Saturday for your respective slots. Hufflepuff team prospects, come by on Sunday instead. Whatever it is, Greg's here to give pointers on improving your game. Gatecrashers are welcome on Sunday, but the whole field was booked for the private lessons on Saturday.]

Comments

[nobodyscrumpet]

Well, that makes sense. Especially as a Keeper.

[She nods at the advice.]

[di_intraining]

Let's practise a little of this. I think you've got the reflexes for catching the Quaffle, so if we get this right then we can move to practising on brooms.

[He'll spend a few minutes with Victoria going through this with her, until she's comfortable enough with catching the ball.]

[nobodyscrumpet]

Well at least we're moving in logical directions.

[She gives him a teasing smile, before earnestly going through his drills. Paying attention to everything he says. Taking him as seriously as any professor about now.]

[di_intraining]

[He's pretty satisfied with how well she can catch the ball on the ground. She's definitely got a quick eye and the reflexes to go with it, so basic catches can be done.

When she passes the ball back to him after awhile, he nods at her.]

Good job Victoria. Let's try on the brooms now. We'll hover above the ground, just enough so that your toes are barely off it, and then we'll continue practising catching. It'll be a little different when you'e flying, but I think you can do it.

[nobodyscrumpet]

[She nods and mounts her broom, hovering slightly. She hooks her ankles, a habit she seems to have gotten into. Then gets comfortable one the broom and then gives him a prepared look.]

Am I sitting okay?

[di_intraining]

[He takes a look, checking her posture.]

You need to sit back a little more; you're a little too in front. Also, try not to hook your ankle, because your legs actually help you to balance when you're on the broom.

[nobodyscrumpet]

[Unhooking her legs, Victoria straightens her posture.]

I hook them so I don't fidget when I ride.

[She pouts a little.]

[di_intraining]

Yeah well if you don't you might find yourself tipping over the side of your broom.

Right, that's better.

[He gets on his own broom and levitates so that he's at eye level with her.]

You ready? I'll throw the Quaffle to you.

[nobodyscrumpet]

Well that wouldn't be good.

[She watches him then nods.]

I'm ready.

[di_intraining]

[And Greg lobs the ball at her, hard and fast. It's a straight forward throw, so she should be able to catch it.]

[nobodyscrumpet]

[She catches it easily, and looks pleased with herself.]

[di_intraining]

[He'll build up the pace and the strength behind each successful catch, testing to see how far Victoria can go. In between he'll call out some encouragement to her for support.]

[nobodyscrumpet]

[She does pretty well only dropping the ball once or twice through the whole time, starting to look confident with what she's doing and looking very encouraged by his words.]

[di_intraining]

[Good, because he hopes she's ready for the last few throws. He's really putting her to the test, because he's lobbing it at her with just below what he puts into each swing of his Beater bat.]

[nobodyscrumpet]

[She grunts as she manages to catch, choosing to ignore that her glasses fall off somewhere in between the last few throws]

[di_intraining]

Well done Victoria!

[He grins at her before he notices her fallen glasses. Immediately he picks them up and hands them to her, taking note to brush off some of the dirt on them.]

[nobodyscrumpet]

[She smiles at him politely for returning her glasses.]

Oh, thank you, Gregory.

[di_intraining]

[He's so pleased that he doesn't even say anything about her calling him Gregory.]

I'd say you've got a really good grasp on being a Keeper. Pun not intended. But that's just a straight forward throw. We'll practise some proper goal keeping now, see how you'll react in a situation with someone trying to slip the Quaffle in.

[nobodyscrumpet]

[She looks amused at the un-intended pun, but manages to not actually giggle.]

I think I can manage that.

[di_intraining]

[He kicks off from the ground and waits for Victoria to get into position, before he starts. At the beginning he starts pretty simple, flying in one straight direction to throw the ball at the hoops. But as they carry on practising, he eventually starts a few tricks, throwing a few sneaky balls here and there to try and sneak one by her.]

This icon because she's holding a broom

[nobodyscrumpet]

[Victoria does pretty well for her self, blocking most of the balls but not always the more trickier passes. She almost falls to stop the last ball coming past, but manages to grab her broom after giving a small squeal of surprise.]

[di_intraining]

[Almost immediately he's right at her side, helping her to balance herself back on her broom again.]

Careful now! You alright Victoria?

[nobodyscrumpet]

AH! Thank you.

[She settles herself on the broom.]

I just over balanced a little.

[She looks at him]

You got over here fast, are you sure you should be a beater?

[di_intraining]

[It's only when she's properly seated again does he himself relax slightly.]

Beaters have got to be fast too if we want to catch the Chasers. We can't outfly Seekers of course, and we might not be able to match Chasers most of the time, but we can try to keep up.

[nobodyscrumpet]

I'm not really fast on a broom. It's why I'm going for keeper, but I've got really good grip.

[She gives a shy smile]

Otherwise I would have fallen just now.