Sepak Takraw kicks way to world stage

Sepak takraw, the traditional circle game which originated in Southeast Asia, is currently one of the fastest growing sports not only in Asia but also around the world. The game is a cross between soccer and volleyball played in doubles badminton court. Three players on each side fo a five-foot high net have three chances to kick a hand-woven ball to the opposing team by using only their heads, shoulders or feet. Kicks form the crux of the game. Hence, the word "sepak" or to strike with the foot in Malaysian language, came to being.

When it was first played 500 years ago in Southeast Asia, the sport set no rules. It was solely a recreational game in which players stood in a circle and tried to keep the ball in the air as long as possible without using their hands or arms. The ball used was made of rattan, which was very abundant in the jungles of Southeast Asia. The circle game provided the villagers of all ages with leisure, fun and a sense of shared community.

Meanwhile, to add pizzazz to the traditional mundane ball game, varying styles of sending and receiving the rattan ball were created. Thus, the dazzling display of body twists and turns were introduced. Today, sepak takraw has evolved into a highly competitive sport which requires acrobatic skills and mental alertness as well.

Sepak takraw’s net and court are of the same standards as for badminton matches. A team consisting of three members is called a "Regu." Two teams compete for higher scores by spiking a ball into the opponent’s court. The same rules for volleyball apply for the sport, except that players cannot use their hands, players can touch the ball three successive times, the position of the defense team is not rotated and net-in service is not allowed. A sepak takraw match is composed of three sets. The Regu scoring 15 points wins a set.

The sport was officially born in 1900’s, when takraw enthusiasts in Southeast Asia decided to add a net and set common rules similar to volleyball to make the game more challenging and competitive. An exhibition match was held in 1945 in Penang, Malaysia, where the sport received a tremendous response. From Penang, it gradually gained popularity throughouot the rest of the Malaysian Peninsula and Southeast Asia.

In 1960, representatives of various Southeast Asian countries met in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to establish a standard set of rules and regulations for the game. The sport was officially named "sepak takraw" in 1965 during the Southeast Asian Peninsula (SEAP) Games Federation meeting. A compromise among Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and Laos whereby "sepak" (which means kick in Malaysia), and the word "takraw," (Thai word for woven ball) was reached.

The same year also saw the game coming of age at an international level when it was introduced as an official medal event at the SEAP Games (now known as Sea Games). Since then, the game has taken great strides forward, making it as a medal event in the 1990 Asian Games held in Beijing, China and again at the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games. It was introduced as a demonstration sport in the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.

Now, the sport is included for the first time in the Milo Little Olympics.

Milo officials say the sport deserves a place in the Milo Little Olympics (story on A-20), saying the young should be exposed to a sport with historical traces rooted in our culture. In this way, the young people will learn to appreciate the sport more.