Takraw, for short, is now a widely popular sport in Southeast Asia and is spreading all over the world. In 1965, the circle game adopted a more competitive format by various Southeast Asian countries and caught on as fast-paced action sport into what is officially known today as Sepaktakraw. Sepak is a term used in Malaysia meaning “kick” and Takraw is a Thai word for a “woven ball.” With the combining of the two words, the official name of the net game became Sepaktakraw.
Similar to the American game Hacky Sack, the game is still enjoyed in this traditional form throughout Southeast Asia. It began as a cooperative circle game where players would try to keep a small woven ball in the air as long as possible, passing it around to players in a circle form without using their hands or arms. Sepaktakraw is a unique traditional game which originated from Southeast Asia for over 500 years in the present day countries of Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar and India.
