Sepak Takraw

Sepak Takraw is an exciting sport from Southeast Asia. It is a lot like volleyball, but players can only use their feet, knees, chest, and head. They can never use their hands! The ball is made of woven plastic or rattan. Players do amazing flips and kicks to hit the ball.

How to Play

Two teams of three players stand on each side of a net. They try to kick the ball over the net and make it land on the other side. Each team can touch the ball up to three times before kicking it over. Players often jump very high and kick upside down. Watching sepak takraw is like watching acrobats.

Where It Comes From

Sepak Takraw has been played in Southeast Asia for hundreds of years. It is very popular in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The name means 'kick ball' in Malay and Thai. Today, the sport is played in the Asian Games. Countries like Myanmar and the Philippines also have great teams.

Fun Facts

• The ball used is a little smaller than a soccer ball.
• Players can jump more than five feet in the air to kick.
• Sepak Takraw has been called 'kick volleyball'.

Did You Know?

Some sepak takraw kicks are so fast that the ball flies over 60 miles per hour. Players need great balance to do their tricks.