Written by: Yusoff Kim Edited by: Choa Zhao Xiang and Leung Lok Heng Photos by: EusoffWorks
“This game a lot of kicking, but this game also no kick”. The ever-so charismatic man, this year’s Sepak Takraw captain nonchalantly takes a seat as he gets ready to share more about the sport he loves.
While we all want to know more about the man, the myth, the legend, let’s take a moment to collect ourselves and learn more about the thrilling sport first!
Sepak is the Malay word for kick and “Takraw” is the Thai word for the woven rattan ball used in the game. So “Sepak Takraw” quite literally translates to “Kick a ball”. Much like volleyball, the object of the game is to get the ball to land in the opponent’s side of the court. Teams consist of 3 players each, who are allowed a maximum of 3 touches of the ball to get it to the other side, and play continues until one side scores 15 points. After every possession, players will usually gather and hold hands, shouting something that sounds like “SEH” but not really. Quite a touching sight to see, it’s one of the main reasons Takraw has grown to become the sport we all know and love today.
Now that we know more about the sport, let’s get straight to the man of many talents, our captain for IHG 19/20 Sepak Takraw, Fadi Sng! Legend says that Fadi started playing with different types of balls in primary school, always finding new and innovative ways to use them. As he grew older, Fadi tried experimenting on the balls with his legs, and never looked back. However, he almost quit the sport in secondary school due to the constant pain in his ankles, until the Cap 5.0 student discovered long socks !!!
Fadi has his eyes set on bringing the title back to Eusoff this season.
As a captain, Fadi puts team synergy over everything. While he does capitalize on each individual’s strengths and weaknesses, he also encourages them to look out for one another’s mistakes and point them out so that the team can improve as a whole. He leads high-energy trainings, believing in constructive criticism over scolding. Despe the intensity of jumping and striking the ball over and over again, Fadi’s jovial nature keeps his team’s spirits high with jokes and laughter.
When asked about his goals for the team this year, he simply wishes that his team will do their best at IHG and have fun. He mentions that he is already impressed with how hard his team works during training and is confident that they’ll do well this year to bring the gold back for IHG. -“If you can’t outplay them, just outwork them”.
With hops like that, Fadi strikes fear into his opponent’s hearts.
Now that you know more about Eusoff Sepak Takraw, let’s continue to support Fadi and his team’s effort through IHG 2019!
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