Kicking a ball. Headbutting a ball. Nets. That’s something you would usually relate to football or American soccer – it’s the biggest sport in the world. But this isn’t soccer. This sport I’m describing is not very well known worldwide, not even in the United States. It’s much more prevalent in southeast Asia. It’s called Sepak Takraw, translated to English as “to kick a rattan ball.” But what exactly does that mean? Here’s a glimpse into the exhilarating sport of Sepak Takraw.
What is Sepak Takraw?
Nobody knows the true origin, but it’s said that Sepak Takraw came from an ancient Chinese sport called Cuju. The game was to have a ball filled with feathers and kick it to each other, ensuring that it never touched the ground. It was used as a military drill.
Southeast Asian countries created their version and names as listed:
- Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia: Sepak Raga
- Thailand: Takraw
- Laos: Kataw
- Philippines: Sipa
- Myanmar: Chinlone
- Cambodia: Sek Dai
The modern version was introduced in 1990 at the Asian Games in Beijing. From there, the southeast Asian countries formed a federation. They combined the names from Malaysia and Thailand, making it internationally known as Sepaktakraw.
What are the Rules?
Now, what exactly is Sepak Takraw? To kick a rattan ball, yes. It can also loosely translate to “kick volley.” Now you see where this is going. Similar to the popular volleyball game, Sepak Takraw focuses on hitting a ball into the other side’s ground and scoring a point. Since this is like volleyball with a twist, the rules are also like soccer. Thinking about “kick volley,” Sepak Takraw doesn’t allow the use of hands like soccer. It’s a combination of both volleyball and soccer!
The court is similar to badminton – small. There can be two to four players on each side (three players is more mainstream), and they’re allowed to hit the ball three times – one player can take all three hits if needed. Players can use their heads, chest, back, and legs. No hands! When serving, two players are beside the net in their quarter-circles. The serving player is in a small circle behind them. They’re placed like a triangle. Once the server kicks the ball across the net, they can break formation and play.
Each game is played in the best of three sets called regus. Each regu is played until a team reaches 21 points with a lead of 2 points. If both the teams are tied at 20-20, they play until they’re 2 points apart or until one team reaches 25 points.
In order to compete, teams are required to have 9-12 players. Each player can only play in one regu. So, that means each regu will have three players, and the remaining three players will be used as substitutions.
What does a game of Sepak Takraw look Like?
It’s a bit hard to explain what a game of Sepak Takraw looks like. You will have to see it for yourself:
Does the United States Have a Team?
The United States has multiple players across the country. They range from California to Minnesota, Kentucky, North Carolina, and New York. There is also a team USA that has won multiple medals at King’s Cup Sepak Takraw World Championship ranging from the early 2000s to 2019.
Minnesota has built outdoor Sepak Takraw courts for people to enjoy. As the sport gradually grows across the United States, Sepak Takraw has touched countries such as Germany, South Korea, Colombia, and Pakistan. Imagine an intense sport such as this being played and cast worldwide. Maybe in the future, Sepak Takraw could be added to the Olympics.
