GajaTakraw Industries Sdn.Bhd.
Sepaktakraw News From Busan, Korea 2002 | 30 Oct 2002 | Introduction to Sepak Takraw |
| 08 Oct 2002 | Circle Event: Revision Urgently Needed |
Introduction to Sepak Takraw
Imagine playing volleyball on a badminton court without using your hands and arms, and you gain some sense of the intense Southeast Asian sport of sepak takraw or kick ball.
Here is a sport where athletes contort their bodies like acrobats and even attempt back flips to spike a small ball with their foot, head or chest into the opponents' court at speeds reaching 140 km per hour. At the same time, the opponent will be soaring through the air to rise above the net and block the spike. The game proceeds at a mind-numbing pace, with the ball sometimes soaring high into the air.
Sepaktakraw competition at the Asian Games fits into three categories: the regu event, with three players and a reserve; the takraw circle event with five players and a reserve, and a team event consisting of three regus. Six medals (below) are up for grabs at the Asian Games.
According to the International Sepak Takraw Federation (ISTAF), each regu match proceeds for two sets of 21 points, with 20-20 tie-breakers broken with a two-point lead up to a maximum 25 points. If opponents split the first two sets, the match is decided by a third set of 15 points. In the case of a 14-14 score in the tiebreaker set, a two-point margin is required to win. Between sets, players take a two-minute break.
In circle takraw, which is very popular among native Thais, five players cooperate with each other to earn a high score while standing around a circle during three 10-minute periods. Although the original takraw ball was made of woven rattan, a plastic model that is a bit larger than softball and weighs 170 g (the women's ball weighs 150 g) has been used since the 1990 Beijing Asian Games. Play commences after a coin toss, with the winner choosing to serve or receive in the first set after a brief warm-up. One referee, two umpires and six linesmen officiate on the sidelines.
The tekong, or server, stands in a 0.3-meter radius circle slightly to the rear of center court, which measures 13.4 m by 6.1 m, about the size of a badminton court.
After being tossed the ball, the server must kick the ball across the 1.55-m-high net to begin play. Unlike volleyball, the ball may hit the net at any time and still remain in play.
Once the ball is sent aloft, the opposing team can touch it up to three times before sending it back across. In this sport, however, a single player can hit the ball more than once without faulting.
A team earns a point for a variety of reasons. These include their opponent failing to return the ball, touching the ball with any part of an arm, touching the ball more than three times before returning, touching the court line or touching the net with any part of the body.
Although resembling volleyball on the surface, sepaktakraw predates that sport by hundreds of years. Some date "sepak raga" to the 15th century as it is mentioned in the Malay historical text Sejarah Melayu.
Until the 1950s, the game was played almost entirely in the rural areas of Southeast Asian countries, but after undergoing significant changes in the 1930s such as adopting the net and general court size of badminton, it spread in popularity to cities.
The sport then gained a wider following in public schools and among football players until a formal federation was formed around 1960. Five years later, the game was unified with the adoption of international rules.
The sport's geographic hotbed continues to be Southeast Asia, although clubs have sprung up in places as far-flung as Canada and the United States.
At this year's Asiad, 10 countries are fielding sepak takraw teams. They are Brunei, China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The sport's largest contingent of 36 athletes belongs to Thailand, while Korea boasts 24, Myanmar 18, and Japan 11 athletes.
At the 1998 Bangkok games, Thailand landed five of six medals, losing out only to Myanmar in the women's team event. But K. Sujin, a Thai takraw coach, harbors slightly more modest hopes for this year.
Sometimes six, sometimes five, sometimes four medals, he said. I'm not sure.
All sepak takraw events will take place at Dongseo University in Busan.
The Dongseo University, Minseok Sport Center (left) is located on top of an extreme 45-degree steephill in Busan. Strong legs are required for one to reach the university from the main roads 800 meters below.
CIRCLE EVENT: REVISION URGENTLY NEEDED
The 14th Busan Asian Games Sepaktakraw event has been running smoothly to date. It has proven to be a successful item in the Asian Games, thanks to the management team, led by Mr. Lee Qoea Gyu, Secretary General of the Korea Sepaktakraw Association (KSTA).
Like in any circumstance, nobody and nothing is perfect though. We cannot please each and every individual; if we try too hard, we will please no one. There are definitely areas that need to be improved; as one experiences the new, they certainly learn. Here, the Asian and International Sepaktakraw Federation does play a great role (ASTAF & ISTAF respectively).
In our efforts to improve the management standards of the game, we should perhaps, bring forward, the following points, with regards to the Circle Event, to ASTAF and ISTAF:
- Look into the availability of electronic scoreboards for a more efficient counting system
- Revise the Circle event point system
- Revise and reduce the number of Referees used (current minimum of 7)
In this respect, ASTAF will take stock of the observations and feedback made available on the Circle event. ASTAF will relook on whether it needs to make changes to the event (e.g. 2 players only or target event).
In the spirit of the game, let us put our
hands and minds together for the betterment of the game. We must be
transparent and honest in office. Controversies and negative perceptions
must be ignored. We should remain positive and look forward in unison.
Questions or comments? info@gajahmas.com
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