Takraw Balls.
Takraw Balls were originally woven from rattan. In 1982 a Thai engineer revolutionized the sport by introducing woven synthetic balls. Today, almost all players around the world use synthetic takraw balls.
How to Select a Takraw Ball for Players:
Weight: Takraw balls range in weight from 140 grams to 200 grams. Normally younger and beginner players start with lighter balls and move up in weight. For advanced players the optimal weight for advanced Sepak Takraw balls is 175 grams. Some people use heavier balls for additional spring or when playing outdoors in order to minimize the effect of the wind.
The Weave: The tightness of the weave of takraw balls determine the spring, bounce and speed. A "soft" ball has less bounce. A "hard" ball will have maximum bounce.
Official Takraw Balls: The official ISTAF Sepak Takraw ball for Tournament play for men is the: Marathon MT201, and for women is the: Marathon MT201 Jr
Footwear.
In Takraw, the most important piece of equipment, with the exception of ball, is the athletes footwear. Most players prefer to kick in court shoes. They are popular mainly because of their support and flat surface at the instep, unlike the flared sole of a running shoe.
Popular makes/models include:
Nanyang
Adidas "Stan Smith"
Converse "All Star"
In general, any lightweight athletic footwear with a flat instep will work efficiently. Players often must develop a feel for their desired footwear by trial and error.
About the Game.
Sepak takraw is a skill ball game originated from Asia. It combines the teamwork of volleyball, the dexterity of soccer and the finesse of badminton. In Thailand it is called takraw, but the official name of this internationally recognized game is sepak takraw. Without a doubt it is one of the world’s most exciting sports, both to play and to watch, yet it is relatively unknown outside of Southeast Asia. Playing the sport requires little in the way of equipment or preparation but it does require quick reflexes, coordination, agility and, above all, technique. Thick skin is also helpful; a skillfully kicked takraw ball can travel at speeds of over 60mph!
The game is played by two opposing Regus, a team of three players each, on a court separated by a net similar to badminton. It begins with the service, executed by a ball toss from one player to the Server. Then, the players try to beat their opponents using their legs and head, except their hands, inside three kicks. The highlight is the "spike" (see right picture above). This is the most dramatic and explosive move in the game for spectators to watch as players go mid-air, twisting and turning to power the ball down into the opponent's court. To play takraw, players can use either a net, a hoop, or simply stand around in a circle formation. Whatever the style, the object is to kick the ball to another player without the ball touching the ground. Players can use any of their lower limbs and body but absolutely no hands!
Friday, May 28, 2010
Sepak takraw skill
Inside Kick.
Arguably it is the most important skill. This is the kick you will use the most. Watch any top class players in action and you'll see that this is the control kick of choice. This move sets up all the killer spikes. While doing an inside kick, you should stand in a good athletic stance. Feet shoulder width apart. Remember to bend your support leg at the knee. And, it is important, always keep an eye on the ball! The kicking motion is easy and don't swing at the ball too hard. The ball is bouncy and you need to just hit it in the right spot on your foot as well as with the proper motion. Try a few times of simply tossing the ball to yourself. Focus on the ball and pop it back up to your hands. Catch the ball and then try again. Do this until the ball is consistently coming back up with ease and pop it back up to your hands. Once you have gained consistency in this drill you can begin to try to link some kicks together. Try dropping to your strong foot, popping the ball up and then kicking with your weak foot before catching the ball. Try to link three kicks together, on alternating feet. You should be able to see your progression. All rights reserved. Spiker Dek is owned by Sport Action International in the promotion of sepaktakraw in the Takraw Thailand League. All rights reserved.
Knee/Thigh kick.
The knee and thigh is used when the ball comes fast towards the area between your knees and your waist. This skill is used to "bump" or deflect the ball up enough to use an inside kick to control the ball. It is also used when kicking consecutive kicks or in a circle and the ball gets to close to your body. The motion is like a high step marching motion. Simply raise the leg with your hip allowing your knee to bend.Try to contact the ball on the thigh where possible instead of the knee as it provides better control. Make sure the ball hits the fleshy part of the thigh to "bump" the ball up and out a bit. Try a few back up to your hands. Once you feel comfortable, try to link with one inside kick, then catch the ball. Do this over and over until it comes naturally. Once you get this combination and doing it naturally without thinking, you will be aware of your improvement in skill.
Header.
The header is probably the second most important skill to have, especially in the net game. The header is used to pop up a ball that comes higher than the waist. The best way to learn the header is like the inside kick. The contact point should be just above the forehead at he hairline, not too much on the forehead and not too much on the top of the head, right in between. Toss the ball to yourself, hit it with your head and then catch it. Do this several times until you feel comfortable with this skill. When doing the header, remember to bend your knees and get low beneath the ball. Like the other kicks, you don't need to focus on power but on accuracy and placement. The next step in this skill drill is to toss the ball higher and again control it with your head before catching the ball. It hurts a bit at first, but you'll get use to it. The graduating step is to a header from a high inside kick or from a header to a controlling inside kick. Try both combinations as you will be using both of them as you begin to play more
Front kick/Toe kick.
The toe kick is a defensive kick, great for saving a ball that has gotten out in front of you. It is not, however, a good control kick. Those who play soccer may disagree, but in sepaktakraw the inside is the right way. Learn the toe kick for saves,the inside for control. The toe kick is achieved by placing the foot out for the ball and depending on the height of the, either lifting the foot with your hip or just letting the ball bounce off. You don't need much power because the ball tends to fly off uncontrollably. Do it slow and take it easy. Like the other kicks, do the same toss and catch drill. Then try with different combinations. Do the same progression.
Arguably it is the most important skill. This is the kick you will use the most. Watch any top class players in action and you'll see that this is the control kick of choice. This move sets up all the killer spikes. While doing an inside kick, you should stand in a good athletic stance. Feet shoulder width apart. Remember to bend your support leg at the knee. And, it is important, always keep an eye on the ball! The kicking motion is easy and don't swing at the ball too hard. The ball is bouncy and you need to just hit it in the right spot on your foot as well as with the proper motion. Try a few times of simply tossing the ball to yourself. Focus on the ball and pop it back up to your hands. Catch the ball and then try again. Do this until the ball is consistently coming back up with ease and pop it back up to your hands. Once you have gained consistency in this drill you can begin to try to link some kicks together. Try dropping to your strong foot, popping the ball up and then kicking with your weak foot before catching the ball. Try to link three kicks together, on alternating feet. You should be able to see your progression. All rights reserved. Spiker Dek is owned by Sport Action International in the promotion of sepaktakraw in the Takraw Thailand League. All rights reserved.
Knee/Thigh kick.
The knee and thigh is used when the ball comes fast towards the area between your knees and your waist. This skill is used to "bump" or deflect the ball up enough to use an inside kick to control the ball. It is also used when kicking consecutive kicks or in a circle and the ball gets to close to your body. The motion is like a high step marching motion. Simply raise the leg with your hip allowing your knee to bend.Try to contact the ball on the thigh where possible instead of the knee as it provides better control. Make sure the ball hits the fleshy part of the thigh to "bump" the ball up and out a bit. Try a few back up to your hands. Once you feel comfortable, try to link with one inside kick, then catch the ball. Do this over and over until it comes naturally. Once you get this combination and doing it naturally without thinking, you will be aware of your improvement in skill.
Header.
The header is probably the second most important skill to have, especially in the net game. The header is used to pop up a ball that comes higher than the waist. The best way to learn the header is like the inside kick. The contact point should be just above the forehead at he hairline, not too much on the forehead and not too much on the top of the head, right in between. Toss the ball to yourself, hit it with your head and then catch it. Do this several times until you feel comfortable with this skill. When doing the header, remember to bend your knees and get low beneath the ball. Like the other kicks, you don't need to focus on power but on accuracy and placement. The next step in this skill drill is to toss the ball higher and again control it with your head before catching the ball. It hurts a bit at first, but you'll get use to it. The graduating step is to a header from a high inside kick or from a header to a controlling inside kick. Try both combinations as you will be using both of them as you begin to play more
Front kick/Toe kick.
The toe kick is a defensive kick, great for saving a ball that has gotten out in front of you. It is not, however, a good control kick. Those who play soccer may disagree, but in sepaktakraw the inside is the right way. Learn the toe kick for saves,the inside for control. The toe kick is achieved by placing the foot out for the ball and depending on the height of the, either lifting the foot with your hip or just letting the ball bounce off. You don't need much power because the ball tends to fly off uncontrollably. Do it slow and take it easy. Like the other kicks, do the same toss and catch drill. Then try with different combinations. Do the same progression.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
New to Sepak Takraw?
How to get started ? By joining a team, a club and an association
Individual and school memberships to the Sepak Tarak Association of Canada (STAC) are free of charge. Members receive bulletins and updates about the association. As schools' role is crucial are central to the expension of the game in Canada, schools are given a special types of memberships. STAC encourages Sepak Takraw school programs by connecting schools with other schools, clubs and teams in the same area.
Individuals who are not part of any clubs can also register as a team for a small fee. A team is a group of 2 to 5 people who simply enjoy playing sepak takraw in their community.
Club is the principal type of membership in STAC. A club is usually a group of 15 people or more. There is no upper limit on the participant numbers. Large clubs have more than one team.
Clubs receive free takraw balls, official STAC medals and a discount on all equipment purchased from the association. Most importantly, clubs can send teams to official STAC tournaments and events.
purchasing the equipment
Players are required to wear shorts and sleeved t-shirts. The t-shirts are numbered with a number ranging from 1 to 15.
The ideal shoes are athletic and designed for kicking and jumping sports. They have flat sides and sole, as players need control when kicking the ball.
Some players wear an ankle support or firm sports socks for extra support when jumping and kicking the ball. This can also prevent injuries when the Takraw ball hits the ankle instead of the athlete's foot. Knee and wrist tensors are also commonly used for injury prevention.
Some players also like to wear a sweat band on the head or some type of head band or bandanna tied around the head to keep sweat from running in the eyes while playing and to soften the impact of the ball on the forehead.
Purchasing a Takraw ball
For 500 years, Sepak Takraw balls are made of hand-woven strips of rattan in Southeast Asian countries. In the last decades, the stricter regulations regarding the extraction of rattan from the jungle led to the making of synthetic balls. Even though the material is different, balls are still hand-woven and the design is the same. The synthetic material makes the balls more resistant to hard spike kicks.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Rules and Regulation of sepak takraw
Rules and regulations
Measurements of court and equipment often vary among tournaments and organizations that operate from a recreational to a competitive level; international competitive rules and regulation are used in this section.
Expressions
‘Sepak’ is the Malay word for ‘kick.’ ‘Takraw’ is the Thai word for the hand-woven ball originally used in the game. So the game is essentially ‘kick ball.’ Regu is Malay for "team" ( four people, three starters and one substitute player)
Court
Sepak Takraw court diagramThe sepak takraw sport is played on a similar to badminton double sized court.
Area of 13.4 m x 6.1 m free from all obstacles up to the height of 8 m measured from the floor surface (sand and grass court not advisable). The width of the lines bounding the court should not be more than 0.04 m measured and drawn inwards from the edge of the court measurements. All the boundary lines should be drawn at least 3.0m away from all obstacles. The center line of 0.02 m should be drawn equally dividing the right and left court.
At the corner of each at the center line, the quarter circle shall be drawn from the sideline to the center line with a radius of 0.9 m measured and drawn outwards from the edge of the 0.9 m radius.
The service circle of 0.3 m radius shall be drawn on the left and on the right court, the center of which is 2.45 m from the back line of the court and 3.05 m from the sidelines, the 0.04 m line shall be measured and drawn outward from the edge of the 0.3 m radius.
Net
The net shall be made of fine ordinary cord or nylon with 6 mm to 8 mm mesh. Similar to a volleyball net.[11]
The net shall be 0.7 m in width and not shorter than 6.10 m in length and taped at 0.05 m from tape double at the top and sideline, called boundary tape.
The net shall be edged with 0.05 m tape double at the top and the bottom of the net supported by a fine ordinary cord or nylon cord that runs through the tape and strain over and flush with the top of the posts. The top of the net shall be 1.52 m (1.42 m for women) in height from the center and 1.55 m (1.45 m for women's) at the posts.
Ball
A sepak takraw ball made out of rattan.The sepak takraw ball shall be spherical in shape, made of synthetic fiber or one woven layer.
Sepak takraw balls without synthetic rubber covering must consist of the following characteristics; Have 12 holes. Have 20 intersections. Have a circumference measuring not less from 0.42 meters (1 ft 4+1⁄2 in) to 0.44 m (1 ft 5+1⁄4 in) for men and from 0.43 m (1 ft 5 in) to 0.45 m (1 ft 5+3⁄4 in) for women. Have a weight that range from 170 grams (6 oz) to 180 grams (6.3 oz) for men and from 150 grams (5.3 oz) to 160 grams (5.6 oz) for women.
The ball can be in plain single colour, multi-colour, and luminous colours, but not in any colour that will impair the performance of the players.
The sepak takraw ball can also be constructed of synthetic rubber or soft durable material for covering the ball, for the purpose of softening the impact of the ball on the player’s body. The type of material and method used for constructing the ball, or for covering the ball with rubber or soft durable covering must be approved by ISTAF before it can be used for any competition.
All world, international, regional competitions sanctioned by International Sepak Takraw Federation, including but not limited to, the Olympic Games, World Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and SEA Games, must be played with ISTAF approved sepak takraw balls.
Players
The Tekong performing the service during a match in StrasbourgA match is played by two regus (teams), each consisting of three players.
One of the three players shall be at the back; he is called a “Tekong”. The other two players shall be in front, one on the left and the other on the right. The player on the left is called a “Left Inside” and the player on the right is called a “Right Inside”.
Start of play and service
The side that must serve first shall start the first set. The side that wins the first set shall have the options of “Choosing Service”.
The throw must be executed as soon as the referee calls the score. If either of the "Inside" players throws the ball before the referee calls the score, it must be re-thrown and a warning will be given to the thrower.
During the service, as soon as the Tekong kicks the ball, all the players are allowed to move about freely in their respective courts.
The service is valid if the ball passes over the net, whether it touches the net or not, and inside the boundary of the two net tapes and boundary lines of the opponent’s court.
Faults
Serving side during service
The "Inside" player who is making service throws, plays about with the ball (throwing up the ball, bumping, giving to other "Inside" player, etc.) after the call of score has been made by the referee.
The "Inside" player lifts his feet or steps on the line or crosses over or touches the net while throwing the ball.
The Tekong jumps off the ground to execute the service.
The Tekong does not kick the ball on the service throw.
The ball touches his own player before crossing over the opponent court.
The ball goes over the net but falls outside the court.
The ball does not cross to the opponent side.
A player uses his hand or hands, or any other part of his arms to facilitate the execution of a kick even if the hand or arm does not directly touches the ball, but it touches other objects or surfaces instead when doing so.
Serving and receiving side during service
Creating distracting manner or noise or shouting at his opponent.
For both sides during the game
Any player who touches the ball on the opponent side.
Any part of player's body crosses over into opponent's court whether above or under the net except during the follow-through of the ball.
Playing the ball more than 3 times in succession.
The ball touches the arm
Stopping or holding the ball under the arm, between the legs or body.
Any part of the body or player's outfits e.g. shoes, jersey, head band etc., touches the net or the post or the referee's chairs or falls into the opponent's side.
The ball touches the ceiling, roof or the wall (any objects).
Scoring system
When either serving side or receiving side commits a fault, a point is awarded to the opponent side including making next service.
The winning point for a set is 21 points, unless the point is tied at 20–20, the set shall be decided on a difference of two points, up to a ceiling of 25 points. When the score is tied at 20–20, the referee announces “Setting up to 25 points”.
The game is played in 2 sets with 2-minute rest in between.
If each "Regu" wins one set, the game shall be decided in the third set called "Tiebreak" with 15 points unless the point is tied at 14-14, then the set shall be decided on a difference of two points, up to a ceiling of 17 points. When the score is tied at 14-14, the referee announces “Setting up to 17 points”.
Before the tiebreak set takes place, the referee shall toss a disc or coin, and the side winning the toss shall have the option of “Choosing Service”. The change of sides takes place when one “Regu” reaches 8 points.
Measurements of court and equipment often vary among tournaments and organizations that operate from a recreational to a competitive level; international competitive rules and regulation are used in this section.
Expressions
‘Sepak’ is the Malay word for ‘kick.’ ‘Takraw’ is the Thai word for the hand-woven ball originally used in the game. So the game is essentially ‘kick ball.’ Regu is Malay for "team" ( four people, three starters and one substitute player)
Court
Sepak Takraw court diagramThe sepak takraw sport is played on a similar to badminton double sized court.
Area of 13.4 m x 6.1 m free from all obstacles up to the height of 8 m measured from the floor surface (sand and grass court not advisable). The width of the lines bounding the court should not be more than 0.04 m measured and drawn inwards from the edge of the court measurements. All the boundary lines should be drawn at least 3.0m away from all obstacles. The center line of 0.02 m should be drawn equally dividing the right and left court.
At the corner of each at the center line, the quarter circle shall be drawn from the sideline to the center line with a radius of 0.9 m measured and drawn outwards from the edge of the 0.9 m radius.
The service circle of 0.3 m radius shall be drawn on the left and on the right court, the center of which is 2.45 m from the back line of the court and 3.05 m from the sidelines, the 0.04 m line shall be measured and drawn outward from the edge of the 0.3 m radius.
Net
The net shall be made of fine ordinary cord or nylon with 6 mm to 8 mm mesh. Similar to a volleyball net.[11]
The net shall be 0.7 m in width and not shorter than 6.10 m in length and taped at 0.05 m from tape double at the top and sideline, called boundary tape.
The net shall be edged with 0.05 m tape double at the top and the bottom of the net supported by a fine ordinary cord or nylon cord that runs through the tape and strain over and flush with the top of the posts. The top of the net shall be 1.52 m (1.42 m for women) in height from the center and 1.55 m (1.45 m for women's) at the posts.
Ball
A sepak takraw ball made out of rattan.The sepak takraw ball shall be spherical in shape, made of synthetic fiber or one woven layer.
Sepak takraw balls without synthetic rubber covering must consist of the following characteristics; Have 12 holes. Have 20 intersections. Have a circumference measuring not less from 0.42 meters (1 ft 4+1⁄2 in) to 0.44 m (1 ft 5+1⁄4 in) for men and from 0.43 m (1 ft 5 in) to 0.45 m (1 ft 5+3⁄4 in) for women. Have a weight that range from 170 grams (6 oz) to 180 grams (6.3 oz) for men and from 150 grams (5.3 oz) to 160 grams (5.6 oz) for women.
The ball can be in plain single colour, multi-colour, and luminous colours, but not in any colour that will impair the performance of the players.
The sepak takraw ball can also be constructed of synthetic rubber or soft durable material for covering the ball, for the purpose of softening the impact of the ball on the player’s body. The type of material and method used for constructing the ball, or for covering the ball with rubber or soft durable covering must be approved by ISTAF before it can be used for any competition.
All world, international, regional competitions sanctioned by International Sepak Takraw Federation, including but not limited to, the Olympic Games, World Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and SEA Games, must be played with ISTAF approved sepak takraw balls.
Players
The Tekong performing the service during a match in StrasbourgA match is played by two regus (teams), each consisting of three players.
One of the three players shall be at the back; he is called a “Tekong”. The other two players shall be in front, one on the left and the other on the right. The player on the left is called a “Left Inside” and the player on the right is called a “Right Inside”.
Start of play and service
The side that must serve first shall start the first set. The side that wins the first set shall have the options of “Choosing Service”.
The throw must be executed as soon as the referee calls the score. If either of the "Inside" players throws the ball before the referee calls the score, it must be re-thrown and a warning will be given to the thrower.
During the service, as soon as the Tekong kicks the ball, all the players are allowed to move about freely in their respective courts.
The service is valid if the ball passes over the net, whether it touches the net or not, and inside the boundary of the two net tapes and boundary lines of the opponent’s court.
Faults
Serving side during service
The "Inside" player who is making service throws, plays about with the ball (throwing up the ball, bumping, giving to other "Inside" player, etc.) after the call of score has been made by the referee.
The "Inside" player lifts his feet or steps on the line or crosses over or touches the net while throwing the ball.
The Tekong jumps off the ground to execute the service.
The Tekong does not kick the ball on the service throw.
The ball touches his own player before crossing over the opponent court.
The ball goes over the net but falls outside the court.
The ball does not cross to the opponent side.
A player uses his hand or hands, or any other part of his arms to facilitate the execution of a kick even if the hand or arm does not directly touches the ball, but it touches other objects or surfaces instead when doing so.
Serving and receiving side during service
Creating distracting manner or noise or shouting at his opponent.
For both sides during the game
Any player who touches the ball on the opponent side.
Any part of player's body crosses over into opponent's court whether above or under the net except during the follow-through of the ball.
Playing the ball more than 3 times in succession.
The ball touches the arm
Stopping or holding the ball under the arm, between the legs or body.
Any part of the body or player's outfits e.g. shoes, jersey, head band etc., touches the net or the post or the referee's chairs or falls into the opponent's side.
The ball touches the ceiling, roof or the wall (any objects).
Scoring system
When either serving side or receiving side commits a fault, a point is awarded to the opponent side including making next service.
The winning point for a set is 21 points, unless the point is tied at 20–20, the set shall be decided on a difference of two points, up to a ceiling of 25 points. When the score is tied at 20–20, the referee announces “Setting up to 25 points”.
The game is played in 2 sets with 2-minute rest in between.
If each "Regu" wins one set, the game shall be decided in the third set called "Tiebreak" with 15 points unless the point is tied at 14-14, then the set shall be decided on a difference of two points, up to a ceiling of 17 points. When the score is tied at 14-14, the referee announces “Setting up to 17 points”.
Before the tiebreak set takes place, the referee shall toss a disc or coin, and the side winning the toss shall have the option of “Choosing Service”. The change of sides takes place when one “Regu” reaches 8 points.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
The history of sepak takraw
History
Earliest historical evidence shows that the game was played in the 15th Century's Malacca Sultanate, for it is mentioned in the famous Malay historical text, "The Sejarah Melayu" (Malay Annals). The Malay Annals described in details the incident of Raja Muhammad, a son of Sultan Mansur Shah who was accidentally hit with a rattan ball by Tun Besar , a son of Tun Perak, in a sepak raga game. The ball hit Raja Muhammad's headgear and knocked it down to the ground. In anger, Raja Muhammad immediately stabbed and killed Tun Besar, whereupon some of Tun Besar's kinsmen retaliated and wanted to kill Raja Muhammad. However, Tun Perak managed to restrain them from such an act of treason by saying that he would no longer accept Raja Muhammad as the Sultan's heir. As a result of this incident, Sultan Mansur Shah ordered his son out of Malacca and had him installed as the ruler of Pahang.
In Bangkok, murals at Wat Phra Keow which was built in 1785, depict the Hindu god Hanuman playing sepak takraw in a ring with a troop of monkeys. Other historical accounts mention the game earlier during the reign of King Naresuan (1590 – 1605) of Ayutthaya. The game remained in its circle form for hundreds of years, and the modern version of sepak takraw began taking shape in Thailand sometime during early 1740s. In 1866 the Siam Sports Association drafted the first rules for takraw competition. Four years later, the association introduced the volleyball-style net and held the first public contest. Within just a few years, takraw was introduced to the curriculum in Siamese schools. The game became such a cherished local custom that another exhibition of volleyball-style takraw was staged to celebrate the kingdom’s first constitution in 1933, the year after Thailand abolished absolute monarchy.
By the 1940s, the net version of the game had spread throughout Southeast Asia, and formal rules were introduced. In the Philippines the sport was called "Sipa", in Myanmar, or Burma, it was dubbed "Chinlone", in Laos "Kator", "cầu mây" in Vietnam and in Indonesia "Raga."
This sport became officially known as 'sepak takraw.' Sepak is the Malay word for kick and takraw is the Thai word for a woven ball, therefore sepak takraw quite literally means to kick ball. The choosing of this name for the sport was essentially a compromise between Malaysia and Thailand, the two powerhouse countries of the sport.
International play is now governed by ISTAF, the International Sepak Takraw Federation. The King's Cup World Championships are held every year in Thaila
United State America
The earliest accounts of organized takraw in the United States involve a group of students (Greg St. Pierre, Thomas Gong, Joel "big bird" Nelson, and Mark Kimitsuka) from Northrop University in 1986 in Inglewood, CA, learning about and playing the sport in Los Angeles.Malaysian students attending the University often enjoyed playing the sport on a court on top of the dormitory cafeteria. They taught a handful of curious American students how to play, which in turn inspired the Malaysian Airline system to sponsor a U.S. team from the University to attend the National Tournament in Kuala Lumpur in Nov 1987. The Northrop team played in a bracket of international new teams with Korea, Sri-Lanka, and Australia. The U.S. team beat Sri-Lanka and Australia to bring home the Gold.
Takraw really began to take off, however, in the late 1980s when Kurt Sonderegger, a student taking time off from the University of Maine and working in banking in Switzerland , met a fellow American who showed him a bouncy ball made of woven strips of rattan. The traveller told Kurt that the ball was from Thailand and gave Kurt the ball as a gift. Kurt was intrigued. As a soccer fan, takraw had an immediate appeal to him. On a whim, Sonderegger booked a trip to Thailand to find out more.
While in Thailand, Sonderegger discovered the actual sport of sepak takraw and was hooked. He connected with the major wholesaler of the balls, Marathon, and returned to Maine with a load of plastic balls and the idea of starting a business. He had heard about the takraw team at Northrop and decided to move out to Los Angeles to start his business there.
L.A.'s Asian community and Northrop's team had already established a takraw community in and around Los Angeles. Kurt dove head in and by 1989 with his ball selling business established, as well as founding the United States Takraw Association. That year he was sent an invitation from the International Sepak Takraw Federation and Kurt along with a few of the Northrop group travelled to represent the United States in the World Championships.
The team was beaten badly but the takraw world was enchanted with the fact that non-Asian teams had competed at the World Championships.
Canada
This sport has become very widely known. So much so that it has also spread to Canada, with Canadians having founded their own "Sepak Takraw Association of Canada"(STAC) on December 11, 1998. This was due to Rick Engel, the current president of STAC.
Japan
A Japan team composed of university students debuted—along with the sports itself—at the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing. While there are no professional teams in Japan, schools such as Asia University, Chiba University, Waseda University and Keio University
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