5 Sepak Takraw Facts That Will Help You Understand the SEA Games 2017
Sepak Takraw is one of the ongoing sport at the SEA 2017. Its being held in Titiwangsa Indoor Stadium, Kuala Lumpur from 16 to 29 August 2017. Nine nations participated and Thailand ranked number one with reference to the latest round, Myanmar and Malaysia close behind.
Source: Malay Mail Online
While you may have seen the matches, you may not know these facts below that will help you better understand the sport:
1. The origin of its name. First played in the 15th century, the sport Sepak Takraw got its name from the Malay word for kick - "Sepak" , and the Thai word for a woven ball - "Takraw". The name was essentially a compromise between Malaysia and Thailand, the two powerhouse countries of the sport.
2. So where does it come from? A lot people may not know that many variations of the game evolved from Cuju, an ancient Chinese military exercise, where soldiers would try to keep a feathered shuttlecock airborne by kicking it back and forth between two people.
3, It's not foot voley. Sepak Takraw differs from foot volley in its use of a rattan ball, allowing players only to use their feet, knee, chest and head to touch the ball.
4.Ever heard of ISTAFf? The International Sepak Takraw Foundation (ISTAF) helds several major competition for the sport every year. It is now a regular game at the Asian Games and the Southeast Asian Games. The game has two types of event categories: The Regu and the Doubles Regu, the former comprising three players and the latter, two in each team.
5. Its History, in 72 words! As the game progressed, animal hide and chicken feathers that were once used for the balls were replaced by balls made of woven strips of rattan. The game was initially focused on displaying cooperative skills to exercise the body, strengthen our immunity and loosen the limbs after long hours of working. The formal rules were officiated by the beginning 1940, and teams from a number of Asian countries braced themselves to compete.
