The Pulse
Feb. 10, 2026

A sports organization that celebrates inclusivity at a time when exclusion of some amateur athletes is on the rise is inviting transgender and queer women and girls to try quadball.

"We super want to make sure that all trans folk know they're welcome in sport, and trans women are the ones who are even more under attack," said Jasper Whitby, a coach and board member for the Edmonton Quadball Association.

The "try-it" event will take place on Feb. 16 at Commonwealth Recreation Centre. Youth are invited to try the sport from 10am to 1pm, and adults can play 2pm to 5pm. Registration for the Family Day event is $5.

Quadball is "that weird, niche sport you've never heard of," Whitby said. "It is a chaotic and fun mix of handball and dodgeball and flag football, with the strategic aspects of basketball and soccer, but also things that you've never seen before."

The game is based on Quidditch, the fictional sport played on broomsticks in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. Quadball was invented at a fan convention in the United States in 2003, and spread quickly to countries around the world. Several years ago, the quadball community started to distance itself from the Harry Potter association. For one, it's hard for sports organizations to secure grants when the sport's name includes intellectual property. But for some leagues, including Edmonton's, the move was motivated by a desire for distance from Rowling's transphobic views and behaviour.

"There's few niche sports that have trans inclusion, and for us, the second J.K. Rowling is out here making these horrendous statements, we were like, 'Well, that's not going to fly for our sport that is so integrally trans-inclusive,'" Whitby said.

Inclusive team composition is written into quadball's rules. Most leagues use a gender‑maximum policy that limits how many players of the same gender can be on the field at once — typically three during the first phase of play, and four during the second. The rule recognizes that trans athletes should play in the category that aligns with their gender, not what they were assigned at birth, and explicitly includes non‑binary players. "Trans women are playing with cis women, cis men, trans men, (non-binary) folks — they're all on the team at the same time," Whitby said.

Events like this are needed, Whitby said, because of legislation like Alberta's Bill 9, which invokes the notwithstanding clause to protect legislation that limits participation in women's and girls' sports to those who were assigned female at birth, among other limitations that transgender advocates have described as harmful. The United Conservative Party government has said the legislation will protect the integrity of female athletic competitions.

Whitby said they've noticed an uptick in trans youth starting to play quadball since the legislation limiting transgender participation in sports was introduced. They said parents of trans children are relieved that the sport doesn't require parents to vouch that their child was assigned female at birth, a step now required for girls' sports teams at Edmonton Public Schools. "This is stress off of their chest in a very stressful time for parents of trans kids right now," Whitby said.

• Nearly 75 people registered to speak during Edmonton city council's urban planning committee meeting discussing infill developments on Feb. 9. The committee is debating City of Edmonton administration's recommendation to cap mid-block infill developments at six units. Allan Bolstad, representing the Alberta Avenue Community League, acknowledged the city's need for inward growth but stressed residents' desire to maintain their quality of life. Marty Pawlina of BILD Edmonton Metro highlighted the city's growth of 187,000 people since 2021, while Abdul Abbasi of the University of Alberta Students' Union advocated for affordable student housing.
• Students and staff are speaking out about a proposal from the University of Alberta to eliminate Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) from its hiring policy. The draft policy, expected to go before the university's board of governors in March, would remove the practice of favouring candidates from historically underrepresented groups when qualifications are similar. This move follows university President Bill Flanagan's announcement last year to shift from EDI terminology to "Access, Community, and Belonging." The general faculties council passed a motion opposing the policy.
• The Alberta government is investing $3 million through its 2025 Active Communities Initiative into two Edmonton-based sport and recreation projects. The Edmonton Minor Soccer Association will receive $1.5 million to develop a new multisport turf facility, expanding year-round training and community programs. The Edmonton Ski Club will also get $1.5 million to construct a new modern lodge, enhancing accessibility and programming for skiers and community groups.
• WestJet announced four new flights and enhanced east-west connectivity for summer 2026, including a new non-stop seasonal service between Terrace, B.C. and Edmonton. Starting May 19, the Edmonton-Terrace route will operate twice weekly. James Jackson of the Edmonton International Airport highlighted the route's importance for connecting Alberta with northern British Columbia's industrial sectors.
• A new Angus Reid Institute survey suggests that 65% of Albertans would vote or lean towards staying in Canada if a separation referendum were held, while 29% would vote or lean to leave. The poll of 979 Albertans, conducted Feb. 2 to 6, found 54% disapprove of Premier Danielle Smith's neutral stance on Alberta separatism. The Alberta Prosperity Project's independence petition needs 178,000 signatures by May 2 for a referendum.
• The Canadian Football League will host its inaugural Coach of the Year Celebration on March 25 at The Westin Edmonton. This event, preceding the 2026 CFL Combine in Edmonton, will honour the 2025 CFL Coach of the Year, the Hugh Campbell Distinguished Leadership Award recipient, and introduce the new Ted Goveia Football Operations Award. The celebration will serve as a fundraiser for Football Alberta, supporting local amateur football. The Edmonton Elks will also recognize provincial coaches at the event.

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• Nonprofit Week: Human Resources starting at 9am at Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations
• From Problem to Pilot: A Practical Approach to Evaluating AI Translation in Home Care starting at 12pm online
• Brad's Heart Month Fundraiser Lunch starting at 12pm at DON'YA Ukraine's Kitchen (Jasper Avenue)
• Community Grant Sessions: Coffee, Conversations & Funding Ideas starting at 1pm online
• Wildfire Festival: Wildfire Junior starting at 5:30pm at Rapid Fire Exchange
• Starting From Zero starting at 6pm at MKT Fresh Food | Beer Market
• Writers Corner starting at 6:30pm at Devon Public Library
• Writer in Residence: I Say, You Say, We All Say Essay starting at 7pm at Strathcona County Library

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• Feb. 17: An Evening with Edmonton's Historian Laureate at Edmonton Public Library (Jasper Place)
• Feb. 19: Mind Your Business: Making Sense of Big Data at Royal Mayfair Golf Club
• Feb. 24: Lean Derisking: Taking Your Proof of Concept to the Clinic online

Visit the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.

Test your crossword prowess and deploy a little of your Edmonton knowledge. Complete the puzzle.

For more fun with words, check out the Labo Spelling Bee on Feb. 16, hosted and judged by your crossword-maker.