Equipment
Takraw Balls: Takraw Balls were originally woven from rattan. In 1982 a Thai
engineer revolutionized the sport by introducing woven synthetic (plastic) balls. Today, almost all players around the world are
using synthetic takraw balls.
How to Select a Takraw Ball for Players:
Weight: Takraw balls range in weight from 140 grams to 200 grams.
Normally younger and beginner players begin with lighter balls and move up in weight. For advanced players the optimal weight for advanced Sepak Takraw balls is 175 grams. Some people
use heavier balls for additional spring or when playing outdoors
in order to minimize the effect of the wind.
The Weave: The tightness of the weave of takraw balls determine the spring,
bounce and speed. A "soft" ball has less bounce. A "hard" ball will have maximum bounce.
Official Takraw Balls: The official ISTAF Sepak Takraw ball for Tournament play is the:
Men: Marathon MT201
Women: Marathon MT201 Jr
Recommended Footwear: In takraw, the most important piece of equipment other
than the ball itself is the athletes footwear. Most players prefer to kick in court shoes. They are popular mainly because of their support and flat surface at the instep, unlike the flared sole of a running shoe. Popular makes/models include:
Nanyang
Adidas "Stan Smith"
Converse "All Star"
In general, any lightweight athletic footwear with a flat instep will work efficiently. Players often must develop a feel for their desired footwear by trial and error.
The
Sepaktakraw
Court:
All Sepaktakraw courts are standard in size and are about equal in size to badminton court. Takraw may be played indoors or out, although most major tournaments outside of the USA are played indoors.
The playing surface must be flat, horizontal and uniform. The width of the lines bounding the court should be 0.04m measured and drawn inwards from the edge of the court measurements. Court boarders should be at least 10.0 feet (3.0m) away from all obstacles.
Center Line: The Center line of 1 PI inches should be drawn equally dividing the right and left court.
Quarter Circles: A corner of each center line, a quarter circle shall be drawn from the side line to the center line with a radius of 3.0 feet measured and drawn outwards from the edge of the 3.0 foot radius.
The Service Circle: The service circle of 1 foot radius shall be drawn on the left and right court, the center of which is 8 feet from the back line of the court and 10 feet from the side boundary. The Service Circle is measured and drawn outward from the edge of the center of the 1 foot radius.
Height of the Net: 5 feet, 1 inch at the center.
Height of the Posts: ISTAF regulations call for the posts to be 5'4". You can use the portable volleyball posts and secure the net to the desired 5"1" height.
Free Area: An area of 6 feet outside the court boundaries should be free of obstacles.
Terminology | History | Equipment