Boston College Needs A Sepak Takraw Team (Kung Fu Volleyball!)
by Brian Favat on Jul 28, 2011 5:00 PM EDT
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PrintWhat if I told you there was an emerging sport for the hardcore athlete -- a sport that combined aspects of volleyball, soccer, badminton and martial arts. Would that be something you were interested in? I mean, how could you not be interested?
I give you, Sepak Takraw.
This video of a Sepak Takraw match -- affectionately known as kung fu volleyball -- has gone viral on the YouTubes. With over 3.3 million views since July 17, it's only a matter of time before Sepak Takraw becomes the new "it" sport in North America.
After watching that video, Sepak Takraw seems to be a strange mixture of volleyball, indoor soccer, hackey sack, martial arts and badminton. If the sport is going to catch on in the States, that's a pretty good mix as the sport combines fringe sports that most Americans don't really care about.
Each Sepak Takraw team consists of just three players. When trying to think about Boston College athletes who might make good kung fu volleyball players, I've got to go with:
- Montel Harris, for his martial arts skills, natch
- Nate Freese and Ryan Quigley for precision kicking serves as our Tekong backs
- Donnie Fletcher and Al Louis-Jean Jr. for quick reflexes and ability to cover ground quickly
- Boston College soccer's Charlie Rugg, for his goal-scoring abilities
- Deirunas Visockas, because Lithuania is infinitely closer to Malaysia than Massachusetts?
Even though the sport has been around quite some time and is very popular in the Malay-Thai Peninsula, it has been slow to catch on in the US. Though the Americans did send a team to the 1989 World Championships, so I suppose there's a chance this sport catches on (I mean, this sport seems infinitely more exciting than say, the MLS or NASCAR, am I right?).
Boston College should really get in on the ground floor here and start its own Sepak Takraw program. We've never been very good at women's volleyball, but have had some great soccer teams over the past few years and we obviously have quite a few athletes that could excel at the sport. Let's make it happen, Gene!
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Saw this on SportsNation
Love to see BC make a team. We should call GDF and tell him bout this.
by TheSpecialOne on Jul 28, 2011 5:14 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
NO GO for me
These guys had some amazing body and foot control, but alas I was not digging the sport for two reasons.
1. No fighting. I thought they would do some kung fu on each other. and kick each other in the head. What kind of sport does not have a little violence.
2. Reminds me of hackey sack, I game I cannot really play and thus can’t stand. (hackey-sack always seemed like a ‘sport’ for losers, to be honest.)
"BCI is the best" - WaterWater
No violence?
You don’t think some of those roundhouse kicks end up smacking opponents in the face every now and again? C’mon, waterwater!
Editor, BC Interruption
US Sepak Takraw popularity
Received an email from the founder of the Sepak Takraw UK Association. I stand corrected:
“The USA have been more active since ’89
In fact, they went to the World Cup (which ended 4 days ago) and without spoiling it too much for you – They did alright
Anyways just thought I’d mention that as every single blog / paper / magazine / radio station has skipped over the fact we just had a fantastic world cup
Also that it’s supposed to be broadcast on ESPN3 according to ISTAF ( sepaktakraw.org )"
Editor, BC Interruption
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