We told you yesterday how someone came up with the short-lived idea of merging Rugby and MMA together to create 'Ultimate Ball', but now we bring you another unknown sport that is massive in South-East Asia.
'Sepak Takraw' is basically football, volleyball and martial arts rolled into one. You have a set-up similar to volleyball or badminton in terms of the size of the net and the court, while there's two teams of three players.
As per Bangkok.com, the rules and way in which the game is scored is essentially the same as volleyball - you can play to either 15 or 21 and the first to win two sets emerge victorious.
Credit: Instagram/@kings_mma
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You start each phase of play when the server stands with one foot in the circle receives the ball from their teammate. They must then kick the ball over the net using the foot that isn't in the serving circle, with the players then able to move about their side of the court as they wish.
Furthermore, you can only use your feet, head, chest knee instead of being able to rely on your hands, while the ball used is the size of a grapefruit.
Just watching a few clips of the sport will help you understand and pick up how the game works but it's fairly easy to follow.
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Yet when it comes to playing it, it's quite the opposite. The level of skill and athleticism on display is pretty incredible - even for someone who has vast experience playing 'Football Tennis' at the local park.
Some of the acrobatic maneuvers are so awe-inspiring; a Gareth Bale overhead kick is just a standard move in this field. The game has been a traditional sport for absolutely ages in countries like Malaysia and Thailand and it's been played in the Asian Games since 1990 in Beijing.
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And it's continuing to grow. In April this year, the BBC did a mini-documentary on Takraw and how many South-East Asians had been playing it in the UK after moving over here.
In addition to that, over in St Paul, Minnesota in the United States, they are taking a strong interest in the sport and have just opened new courts dedicated to the craft as they feel there's a big demand for it in the area.
So forget heads and volleys, now you know exactly what you and your mates should be playing. Here's hoping we get it in the Olympics too because why the heck not?!
Featured Image Credit:Topics:ย Football News, Volleyball