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By Martin Dean
A few days ago whilst strolling along a main artery of Bangkok
I happened upon a number of youths involved in a game that at first
appeared to make absolutely no sense whatsoever. A number of young
and youngish men were keeping a small ball off the ground using
their legs, feet, shoulders and heads - then passing it to the next
individual.
Being the type of man who believes that any scorn prior to a proper
and thorough investigation will leave me in everlasting ignorance,
I decided to watch for a while. The funniest thing happened as in
most walks of life - the chaos began to take on a shape and form.
For it turned out I was watching the game of Takraw
I decided to spend a few days reading about it and perhaps be brave
and unselfconscious enough to join in with the players. Here is
what I found on my journey of discovery.
Takraw is played in varying versions in most parts of South East
Asia but perhaps nowhere is it played with such vigour, skill and
enthusiasm as here in Thailand. Games are played in the courtyard
of a Wat (Temple), at fairgrounds and on the streets, if space permits.
The essential element of the game is that the ball is made of hollow
rattan and weighs around 250 grams (smaller than a tennis ball).
Such balls can be purchased in large and small sporting goods shops
throughout Thailand.
Origins
It has been rumoured that the merchant and traveller Marco Polo
mentioned Takraw on returning to Europe following a trip to China.
We are unsure of the truth to this story but what is certain is
that the game dates back to the 15th Century when it was first played
by indigenous Malays.
It was played in a circular formation, rather like the version
that I witnessed in Bangkok and it remained that way until the 1940's
when a net was in introduced. The game now also commonly known as
Sepak Takraw was introduced into the SEA Games in 1965. With the
use of a net, to the causal observer it looks like a game of soccer,
volleyball and aerobic gymnastics all rolled into one. In this game
the rattan ball can reach speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour.
Rules
There are a number of basic rules involved but the game does vary
depending on the type of Takraw being played. In village games,
there is often no referee and no score is kept. The winning player
or players, to put it simply, are those who put on the best show
for the spectators - who can be ruthless critics of poor showmanship.
Those who keep the ball off the ground using the best dexterity
and feats of agility, win.
In another version a hoop is introduced - this seems very popular
in Thailand. A team consists of no less that than 6 players and
a hoop is suspended over the centre of the circle. During a 30 minute
period the players must co-operate to strike the ball through the
hoop, thus earning a high score - the next team obviously must try
to surpass the previous score.
Apart from net and hoop Takraw, other variations are popular in
Thailand. One of these is in-tossing Takraw, which has far fewer
rules to abide by than the previously mentioned versions. It is
a means of training for a player or players. The objective is simply
to see how many times the ball can be kept aloft.
Some players can hit the ball from stooping and lying down positions;
they can kick the rattan using the sole, instep, shin, knee, shoulder
or head. When a group of players are working in unison they should
be able to keep the rattan aloft for over an hour. This requires
arduous training and concentration, which is etched on the faces
of those involved.
Dexterity
I witnessed players using a cross-legged jump kick, which consists
of crossing the left leg over the right and leaping up to kick the
ball with the instep of the left foot. Another one is the crossed-leg
knee kick. In this acrobatic display the player crosses his left
leg over the right, above the right knee and then leaps into the
air, actually kicking the ball with the right knee. This sounds
unbelievably difficult but an experienced player can make it look
very easy and fluid. Such dexterity has only come through years
of practice, dedication and training.
I would appeal to you not to try the more intricate moves on your
first endeavour into the sport. As in most areas of life it is much
better to build confidence and master the basics before progressing
onto the more advanced moves.
Prologue
A version of the game was introduced into the West a number of
years ago, it was called Hackey Sack. A softer bean bag type ball
was used but the basic rules were those used by the Malays when
the game was first introduced there. Perhaps in years to come youths
in the West will be as adept as their Thai counterparts and play
the version we see during the SEA Games - but I have a feeling that
this will take a long time.
Takraw is as embedded in the culture of Thailand as soccer is in
the West. For the moment the simple version of Hackey Sack will
continue to be played only during recess on college campuses. As
for trying the net version or Sepak Takraw as witnessed in the SEA
Games, I think the western aficionado will be no danger or challenge
to the Asian professionals. As for being a spectator, I will be
more than happy to take my place with the other supporters and look
on in awe at the skill and dexterity involved.
Takraw has won another fan and I urge you to check it out the next
time you have the opportunity.
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