Good service vital for national sepak takraw team

Caption: The national sepak takraw team line up before their training session. Picture: Courtesy of PESTABARU

Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE national sepak takraw team are looking to improve their service in their final preparations for next month’s Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur.

The team are currently in Thailand for a series of exposure games against local clubs and assistant coach Japar Wali is hoping to use these matches to test the squad.

"This the only time where we can measure our strength… since they are different opponents," said Japar in an interview with BruSports News recently.

"For the past seven months we only got to test among ourselves, so we are grateful to be able to make this trip," he added.

Led by national sepak takraw coach Rawat Parbchompoo, the national team arrived in Thailand last Saturday and will only be back home next week.

The team began their training in January and have been practising almost everyday since then.

Japar emphasised on the importance of good service in matches and how they have been working hard in improving their service in training.

"Good service is very important in takraw... It will help to set the momentum of the game... and you can also get points from good serves," continued Japar.

"This is the area that we have been working on very hard lately and we hope to improve this in Thailand.

"Other than that, Thailand is also very good in chinlone event, so this trip to Thailand will benefit the team a lot," he added.

The national team will be competing in four events: double, regu, team and chinlone at the SEA Games.

Twelve athletes have been shortlisted to be in the national sepak takraw team at this year's biennial tournament.