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Takraw Guide

Sepak takraw is ... exciting, fantastic, unusual, energetic, acrobatic, is an action.

What is Sepak Takraw ? For you maybe these words mean nothing... but not for long :) Someone told me this sport is "...soccer, volleyball and gymnastics played in one." And in my home opinion the most exciting things about this game are the discoveries of how much you can do with your feet. Oh yes, it's worth being played. This skill ball game, originated in Asia, today has become an alternative sport, which is quite popular all over the world.


History in brief.

So the history of this sport movement is as following... I think it's not a surprise for you that every nation has her proud myriad of cultures, arts, literature and traditional sports. It is recorded in the cultures of South-East Asia nations as early as in the 11th century that the game was played extensively - Takraw in Thailand, Sipa in the Philippines, Sepakraga in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, Ching Loong in Myanmar, Rago in Indonesia and Kator in Laos. It is also recorded that in one of his many trips, the merchant Marco Polo brought back to Europe a game from China which was kicking an implement into the air and counting the number of kicks, a style resembling today's sepak takraw game.
Sepak takraw is a skill ball game, which requires the use of the feet and head to keep the ball in the air in a targeted direction. Traditionally, villagers stand in a circle and display keen understanding and teamwork to help one another keep the ball in the air for as long as possible. It provided villagers of all ages with fun, recreation and a sense of shared community. This was the traditional circle game, evolved from many forms of kicking game. Today, the circle game is still popular throughout South-East Asia and has taken a hold as a form of recreational "sport for all".
In a new variation introduced by the International Sepaktkaraw Federation in 1996, players stand in a circle and receive different level of points for each passing kick. The circle event was included as a medal event in the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok in 1998. Sepak takraw using the net came about in the 19th century. In 1960, representatives of various South-East Asia nations established a set of rules and regulations for the game and called it sepak takraw. In 1965, th game was included in the South-East Asian penisula Games and since then, has made great strides with its debut as a medal event in the 10th Asian Games in Baijing, China in 1990.
The formation of the International Sepaktakraw Federaion by the Asian Sepaktakraw Federation in 1988 contributed greatly towards a global promotion of the game. Since then many countries outside of Asia have taken up the sport, including the United States, Canada, England, Finland, Germany, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand.
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  John's - Takraw Guide