Takraw, sometimes refered to a kick volley ball, has been played in South East Asia in various forms for close to 500 years. Traditionally the game was played in a circle and players would try to keep the woven rattan ball in the air as long as possible without using their hands or arms. The circle game had no set rules and required very little space.
The most popular and spectacular version of Sepak Takraw, first appeared during the late 19th century when enthusiasts in
Southeast Asia decided to add a net and a set of rules similar to volleyball to make the game more challenging and competitive.
During the 1960s official rules were written and the sport was
officially named "Sepak Takraw" ("Sepak" is Malay for "kick" and "Takraw" is Thai for "woven ball".) The sport is extremely popular all over South East Asia and is gaining popularity in the west.
Usually a sport that boys learn to master in the countryside, when
they move to Bangkok to work or study, their pass time remains Takraw. In the city, players convert disused car parks, spaces bellow expressways and any kind of abandoned land into courts and enjoy the gravity defying sport everyday after work (bosses let workers set up courts in factory compounds). | Back to Portfolio
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FEATURES
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Players enjoy a game after work on an improvised court |
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A player holds a takraw ball against his tattooed chest
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A player controls the ball with a header |
Action at the net |
Players use anything they can get their hands on to hold the net together. In this case, an old road sign and a Thai flag. |
A traffic police man joins in for a game. |
Children play near a takraw court |
The "scorpion kick" this spectacular and powerful kick looks more like a martial art move. A sort back flip, that only the most agile player can master, where the player lands on his feet with his back to the net. |
On the side lines... |
Young takraw players enjoy a game after work, making use of an abandoned building project as their improvised court. |
Repainting the court's lines |
Capured upside down, a player performs a "scorpion kick" |
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