EP families kick up the fun with foot volleyball

Community members of various ages gathered at Central Middle School on Tuesday evening, July 30, to learn how to play sepak takraw, also known as foot volleyball.

As part of Eden Prairie’s week-long PeopleFest! celebration of culture, this event was arranged by Eden Prairie Community Education and led by Sepak Takraw of USA, Inc., a nonprofit based in St. Paul that promotes the sport and helps develop players.

Tzianeng Vang, a member of Sepak Takraw of USA, began the event by explaining the game’s history and rules.

The game originated in Southeast Asia during the 15th century. “Sepak” is the Malaysian word for “kick,” and “takraw” is the Thai word for “rattan ball,” which is the type of ball originally used for the game. According to Vang, synthetic plastic balls are now used due to overharvesting of natural rattan.

The game was originally played in a circle and was later modified to include a volleyball-style net that is generally around 5 feet high.

Two teams play against each other, each team usually having three players. The small, woven ball is tossed by hand to the server, who kicks the ball over the net to begin play.

Each team has a maximum of three touches to send the ball back over the net without letting it fall to the ground and without using the players’ hands. Instead, they must use their head, feet, legs, knees, shoulders, or chest.

The first team to score 21 points wins a set. The first team to win two sets is the winner of the game.

A ‘very acrobatic’ sport

After learning the rules, participants learned various skills, such as serving the ball, kicking or headbutting it over the net, and passing it to teammates.

“It’s fun because you have to constantly move your body,” said 12-year-old Ian Lee. “It was harder than I expected. Near the end, it got a lot easier and fun.”

Ian’s father, Ben, brought Ian and his brother to the event to give them some in-person exposure to the sport that he grew up with as a child. He described experienced players as “very acrobatic” and said, “It’s a really tough sport that takes a lot of eye/foot coordination.”

After learning how to play sepak takraw at the event, 10-year-old Sophia Patil said, “I think it’s pretty cool. It’s a different sport that you don’t see every day.”

Her friend Seraphina Rice agreed, “I like it. It’s fun and tricky at the same time.”

An important part of Hmong culture

Participants then played some rounds of sepak takraw and had the opportunity to watch members of Sepak Takraw of USA demonstrate their skills and acrobatics.

Ker Cha, a member of the U.S. team that won the 2022 Korea D1 World Cup Championship and the 2023 Thailand D1 King’s Cup Championship, led many of the drills and the demonstration.

Sharing his love for sepak takraw is important to Cha.

“This sport is culture to us,” said Cha, referring to his fellow Hmong community, which has roots in Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries. “This sport teaches me a lot. It teaches me how to discipline myself. It teaches me a lot about life.”

Matt Becker, who attended the event with his wife and two kids, said that he enjoyed learning how to play. “It’s pretty intense,” he said. “It’s different than anything I’ve ever experienced or tried in my life.”

For more information about the sport and to see videos of the game being played, visit the Sepak Takraw of USA, Inc. Facebook page.

PeopleFest! ends Sunday, Aug. 4. For more PeopleFest! events, visit the PeopleFest! webpage.