If you are a football player and don’t have an established career or if you like volleyball but prefer playing with your feet, there is no need to worry. Here is a game for you — Sepaktakraw.
Sepaktakraw is a game played like volleyball in terms of points awarded and the players have to pass the synthetic fiber ball over an eight-meter high net to the other team with a maximum of three touches. Use of hands is not allowed. A player can use his leg and body to control the ball.
It takes incredible reflexes, agility and power — especially in the legs — to excel in this sport. You need to be extremely fit and acrobatic as overhead kicks are a dime a dozen in this game. Three players make a team and on rotation basis, they play in various positions like defender and attacker.
A match is played over five sets of 15 points each.
Although the game was a part of the 1982 Asian Games, it is yet to gain popularity in India, but according to the administrators and experts, India has a great potential in this game — specially in the north-east — and is winning a lot of medals in many top-level events. As far as popularity is concerned, the upcoming ISTAF Superseries could play a pivotal role for the game which is played by 45 countries.
“Given the past record of Indian teams at the international level, India is not that behind from other countries like Thailand and Japan. We too boast of some special talent who display great skill. Our hosting of the Super series will give a great boost to the game in the country,” Secretary General of Sepaktakraw Federation of India, Yogender Singh Dahiya said.
Jeff Chue, UFA Sports Asia’s Managing Director, says the game is tailor-made for the viewers.
“The pace at which the game is played is exciting. You can’t get a better action-packed game than this which is ideal for viewership. Hence, I believe that this game will be a hit among Indians,” Chue said.
India had won two bronze medals at the prestigious King’s Cup tournament in 2009. The second season of the superseries is the professional tournament which will be held August 29 to September 1 at the KD Jadhav stadium in the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex here in the capital.
There will be 12 contestants among the men while female category will have eight teams. Top countries of the game are Thailand (defending champion), Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, Singapore, Germany, Japan and China.
In India, Manipur rules the roost with other north-eastern states — Mizoram, Assam and Nagaland. Besides them, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh also play it at a competitive level.