A selection trial for Sepaktakraw (Regu Event) was held on 24 September at Viswema Village. A first in Kohima District, the trial session was open to both boys and girls under the age of 14.
Sepaktakraw, also known as kick volleyball, is a sport played with a rattan ball between two teams of two to four players on a court similar to a badminton court. The players use only their feet, knees, chest, shoulders and head to touch the ball.
Tremendously popular in South-East Asia, the name Sepaktakraw comes from a combination of two words: sepak, a Malay word for kick, and takraw, a Thai word translated as woven rattan ball. Put together, Sepaktakraw means ‘to kick a rattan ball’.
Kohima District Sports Officer Zhopovi Zecho told Nagaland Tribune that Sepkaktakraw is one of the youngest sport disciplines in the state. Yet, Nagas have been performing very well in this sport, even winning medals at the international level, Zecho said.
Three players from Nagaland were part of the Indian contingent who brought back medals from the 35th King’s Cup Sepaktakraw World Championship held in Bangkok in July this year.
Organised by the Takraw Association of Thailand and the International Sepaktakraw Federation (ISTAF), 23 member nations of ISTAF participated in the tournament.
From left to right: Akumtila, Viseyie Koso and Sezovelu Dozo at the 35th King’s Cup Sepaktakraw World Championship in Bangkok.
Viseyie Koso returned with a gold medal after the Indian men’s Sepaktakraw team won the first place in the Regu Event. Koso, from the DGP sports team, was the captain of the Indian men’s team.
Akumtila and Sezovelu Dozo were part of the Indian women’s team that brought home bronze medals after placing third in the Hoop event. They are both from the department of Youth Resources and Sports, Nagaland Girls Academy, Dimapur.
When asked about the best performing state in the country, Zecho replied, “I think it should be Nagaland.”
The Naga players have certainly been performing well in the sport, with the Nagaland team having qualified for national level games. It remains to be seen how far and wide the interest and awareness of the game exists among the general public within the state.
Before the selection event on Saturday, when forms were still being submitted, Zecho mentioned that the response for the Kohima trials had not been as expected. He pointed out that Septaktakraw was still very new for most people and the trials were a first in Kohima.
“We have an academy in Dimapur, so we have more players from Dimapur in this discipline,” he said.
Regarding the selection trials in Kohima, the sports officer explained that Sepaktakraw has two events: Regu with three players in each team and Double Regu with two players in each team. The selection trials in Kohima would focus on the Regu event, he said.
On Saturday, the weather in and around Kohima appeared unpredictable, with some rain and a mostly grey overcast sky. Yet, the turnout for the trials seemed to suggest a certain degree of interest does prevail among the young for a sport still so relatively new in Nagaland.
The young boys and girls who participated in the selection trials for Kohima District.
Altogether, 33 young interested players turned up for the selection trials – 26 boys and 7 girls.
In the end, ten players were selected. They are:
Boys
- Hopitso Pucho
- Teputhuto Dzüne
- Nongoto Koso
- Züto Pucho
- Tepuzoto Kechü
Girls
- Vikhosanü Pucho
- Viphrenü Pucho
- Mhashezünü Dzüne
- Mezhonü Pucho
- Kevilenü Theyo
These ten players will represent Kohima District in the upcoming 14th State Level Catch Them Young Tournament 2022, which is to be held on 13 and 14 October at IG Stadium Kohima.
