From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A sepak takraw ball made out of rattan.
Sepak Takraw (Kick Volleyball, or just Takraw for short) is a sport native to Southeast Asia, resembling volleyball, except that it uses a rattan ball and only allows players to use their feet and head to touch the ball. A cross between soccer and volleyball, it is a popular sport in Thailand, Malaysia, Laos and Indonesia. Played on a badminton doubles-sized court, the game evolved from a hacky sack-type practice, into the aiming of a kick into a high, suspended net. Eventually, competitive takraw developed, pitting teams of players versus each other across a volleyball-type net.
Modern competitive takraw allows three players to a team, one to serve, one to gather the ball, and one to deliver the ball at high speed across the net; the killer (like the 'spiker' in volleyball.) Modern contests play to 21 points.
In Thailand, the game is simply called Takraw (Thai: ตะกร้อ, meaning "ball" or "basket"). It is also thuck thay (Lao: "twine" and "kick"), or sepak takraw (Malay: "kick" and "takraw" from Thai)
Similar games include bossaball, footbag net, footvolley, jianzi and sipa. Another version of the sport involves the use of bamboo scoops to both toss and catch a ball in a simple game of "catch."
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