Ang larong ito ay hindi masyadong kilala sa mundo but this
sport was performed in different countries including the Philippines. Hindi man
sya kasing popular like basketball, volleyball, soccer, boxing, etc but this
sport is really interesting. For me, this sport is the combination of soccer,
volleyball and a hint of martial arts because sepak takraw use feet, head, knee
and chest just like in soccer but soccer players can hit the ball as much as
they want and the sepak players can hit the ball trice just like in volley ball
but volley ball used hands although they can allow to use their feet but they
prefer to use their hands instead of feet. Martial arts because some spikes in
this sport is just like the player have some background in martial arts. In
this blog I will discuss the history, etymology, rules and regulations, and scoring
system.
ETHYMOLOGY
"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.
HISTORY
Earliest
historical evidence shows that the game was played in the 15th century's Malacca Sultanate, for it is mentioned in the Malay historical
text, "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 Indonesia, sepak takraw was spread from nearby Malacca across
the strait to Riau islands and Riau area in Sumatra as early as 16th
century, where it is also called as Sepak
Raga in local Malay tongue, at that time some of Sumatran areas
were part of Malacca sultanate. From there the Malay people spread across
archipelago and introduced the game to Buginese people in Sulawesi. Then the game is
developed as Buginese traditional game which is called "Raga" (the
players are called "Pa'Raga"). The "Raga" can trace its
origin from Malacca Sultanate, and
was popular in South Sulawesi since 19th century. Some men playing
"Raga" encircling within a group, the ball is passed from one to
another and the man who kicked the ball highest is the winner. "Raga"
is also played for fun by demonstrating some tricks, such as kicking the ball
and putting it on top of player's head holds by tengkolok bugis (Bugis cloth headgear similar to Malaytanjak).
In Bangkok, murals at Wat Pra Kaeo 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.
In Myanmmar, or Burma, it was dubbed "Chinlone",
in Laos "Kator", "cầu mây"
in Vietnam and in Indonesia "Raga" or "Sepak Takraw".
In the Philippines the sport was
called "sipa" and
along with traditional martial arts survived
the three century Spanish colonization. It is a popular sport played by
children in Philippines, this is their national sport. Sepak Takraw is included
in Philippine's elementary and high school curriculum.
RULES AND REGULATIONS:
A.
Numbers of Players - each team must compose of 12 players and must
play a maximum of 4 players in every regu. 4 players because they can use the
substitution but only once
B.
Court - The sepak
takraw sport is played on a similar to badminton double sized court. Area
of 13.4 by 6.1 metres (44 × 20 ft) free from all obstacles up to
the height of 8 metres (26 ft) measured from the floor surface (sand and grass court not advisable). The
width of the lines bounding the court should not be more than 4cm (1.6 in)
measured and drawn inwards
from the edge of the court measurements. All the boundary lines should be drawn
at least 3.0 metres (9.8 ft) away from all obstacles. The center line of
2 cm (0.79 in) 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 metres
(2 ft 11 in) 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.
C.
Net - The net shall be made of fine
ordinary cord or nylon with 6 cm to 8 cm mesh. Similar to a volley ball
net. 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.
D.
Ball - The sepak takraw ball shall
be spherical in shape, made of synthetic fiber or one woven layer.
E.
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.
F.
Faults
1.
Service during service –
a.
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.
b.
The "Inside" player lifts
his feet or steps on the line or crosses over or touches the net while throwing
the ball.
c.
The Tekong jumps off the ground to
execute the service.
d.
The Tekong does not kick the ball on the
service throw.
e.
The ball touches his own player
before crossing over the opponent court.
f.
The ball goes over the net but
falls outside the court.
g.
The ball does not cross to the
opponent side.
h.
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 touch the ball, but it touches other objects or
surfaces instead when doing so.
2.
For both side during the game –
a.
Any player who touches the ball on
the opponent side.
b.
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.
c.
Playing the ball more than 3 times
in succession.
d.
The ball touches the arm
e.
Stopping or holding the ball under
the arm, between the legs or body.
f.
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.
g.
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.
REFERENCES:
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