| Description |
'Sepak Raga' is a traditional game played in the Malay states and neighbouring coutries. 'Sepak' is Malay for "kick" and 'Raga' is the ‘rattan ball’ used in the game. Traditionally, sepak raga was played by forming circle to kick, shoulder or head a rattan ball to the opposing players much like the current Volleyball drills.
The Objective was for the players to keep the ball in the air for as long as possible. The game can played as a team, group, or even solo.
Later in 1945, the net was introduced and the game it is played today came into being. The first official competition with the net and new rules was held at a Swim Club of Penang on May 16, 1945. It was the called Sepak Raga Jaring or Snwith reference to the addition of the net. Sepak raga jarring spread quickly throughout the rest of the Malay Peninsula and South East Asia. In 1965, The South East Asia Peninsular Games Committee eventually agreed that the sport would be known as "Sepak Takraw". Takraw is the ‘woven ball’ in Thai.
For Sepak Takraw, two opposing teams of three players each play the game, each team is permitted to hit the ball three times before it must cross the net, rather like in Volleyball. The difference is that it can be hit three times by some player.
Kicking is the most crucial factor in deciding the outcome of the game, a fluid overhead acrobatic kick to smash the ball. |
