Sepak Takraw turns 33 years old in Palarong Pambansa

Perhaps it's because we can't use our hands in playing Sepak Takraw that makes it so interesting. Or maybe it's the graceful (yet powerful) way the players go airborne to hit the ball with their head or their chest and landing on the ground with enough ease that could make a gymnast blush.

Sepak Takraw, with its Asian origin, automatically makes it a unique sports category among the many events during this year's  Palarong Pambansa in Dumaguete City such as Archery, Basketball, Chess, and Gymnastics. (See full list of regular games by clicking here.)

"In this game, height is neither an advantage nor a disadvantage," Saturnino Dumlao, assistant tournament manager for Sepak Takraw at the Palarong Pambansa, told TWIST on the sidelines of the sports' elimination rounds yesterday.

This year, there are 17 regions competing for Gold in both Rigo and Team Competition. For those not well versed with the sports, as I was (until I got a Sepak Takraw 101 from Dumlao yesterday), you'd know that a Rigo is a team composed of three regular players and two substitutes, while a Team Competition is composed of three Rigos (which in turn is made up of 4 players each), for a total of 12 players in a team.

While Sepak Takraw is of Asian origin (it's one of Thailand's national sports), we, of course, have a local version called Sipa, which is also being played in Palarong Pambansa.

Here are more interesting information TWIST learned about Sepak Takraw during our interview with Dumlao:

1. Sepak Takraw first became part of Palarong Pambansa in 1981. That means it’s the game’s 33rd anniversary as regular game this year.

2. A match is won by winning 2 of 3 sets. A set, on the other hand, is scored from 1 to 15 using the rally point.

3. A team’s designated server serves the ball three times, regardless whether or not he or she gets the point.  While one player is usually designated as server for the entire duration of the match, it is the coach’s discretion to switch players as he or she sees fit.

4. A team’s server used to be called “tekong” while the spiker and tosser were used to be called “apit kire” and “apit kanan,” respectively

5. Sepak Takraw is called “Acro-Volley” in some parts of the world such as Europe, Canada, and Australia.

6. In Palarong Pambansa, Sipa is the sports for the elementary students—the net is set lower, serving point is closer to the net, and ball used is smaller. Sepak Takraw is for high school students.

7. According to Dumlao, a player for Sepak Takraw needs flexibility, strong endurance, good jumping skills, and great skill at juggling the ball.

8. Just like Volleyball, violations include players touching the net, crossing over the line, and stepping on the line.

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