Kick Volleyball

I was befuddled too when I first read about Kick Volleyball in today's tbt. Upon further reading, I realized that the apparent confusion is the consequence of a literal translation of "Sepak Takraw", a traditional game played in the part of the world I came from.

"Sepak Takraw" is a Malaysian-Thai hybrid where "Sepak" means kick in Malay while "Takraw" is the Thai word for ball. The Malay word for ball is very similar, it being "bola". So what is football in Malay? No, it is not "Sepak Bola". That's kick ball. Instead, it's "Bola Sepak". Go figure.

As for Kick Volleyball, perhaps the reporter has seen the parallel between boxing and kick boxing where in addition to punches, the leg is used extensively in a variety of lethal moves.

"Sepak Takraw" is played with a rattan ball, hence the game used to be known as "Sepak Raga" in Malaysia where "Raga" is, well, rattan ball. Played usually three to a side, it is very much like volleyball except here the hand is replaced by the leg, doing the three-part dig, set, and spike. The image to the left, courtesy of the World of Sepak Takraw website, shows how the game was once played, the players barefooted and dressed in traditional garb.

It's a visually spectacular game involving highly acrobatic action moves at least some of which are momentarily gravity-defying, body seemingly suspended in mid air, leg on top in a wide downward sweeping arc motion that slams the "takraw" into the opponent's court. See for yourself, image courtesy of the official website of the 15th Asian Games.

And for more on the game, please visit the World of Sepak Takraw website.

Through time the game has become a permanent fixture in the SEA (Southeast Asian) games and now, the Asian Games. If I recall correctly, "Sepak Takraw" was made an exhibition game in the Olympics. So it may be fair to say that in the not so distant future, "Sepak Takraw" could well feature in the Olympics with its gold up for grab, thereby paving the way for Malaysia to win her first ever Olympic Gold.

However, that may yet seem a tall order as Malaysia just lost to her arch rival, Thailand, in the "Sepak Takraw" team final match played yesterday in the 15th Asian Games. Sigh.