Sepaktakraw women to the fore
The successful completion of ‘Sepaktakraw championship 2013’ where more than 19 teams participated in both men and women categories augurs well for the future of the game in Sri Lanka, summed-up an elated president of the Amateur Sepaktakraw Association of Sri Lanka Nizam Hajireen, who worked hard to stage the 10th edition of the championship along with his office-bearers.
All this took place in the midst of financial obligations. Distinguished guests and other VIPs, and the participants echoed the sentiments for a well organised competition.
Champion Deberawewa National School girls’ team with Mr and Mrs. Hajireen.
The most encouraging aspect of the competition was the emergence of women players from the Kegalle District and faraway places like Tissamaharama (Deberawewa) and the notable absentee unfortunately was the Trincomalee girls’ and boys’ teams, who had undergone training for well over 10 months, but had to miss participation due to an administrative lapse of the teacher-in-charge. The Trincomalee teams are determined to participate in the next competition.
Hajireen Sukarno Ousmand, Club Captain of the Malay CC who were champions in the men’s event this year, and his wife Zaheeda Ousmand are keen to start women’s Sepaktakraw and will request all Malay Associations in the island to start the game amongst women with the intention of taking part in the women’s event planned for next year.
It is the vision of Nizam Hajireen who was the pioneer to introduce women’s soccer in Sri Lanka in 1974, to stage the next Sepaktakraw event in early 2014 for women only, in order to popularise the game more amongst women as the majority of Sepaktakraw-playing countries in the world have strong women’s participation starting from school level.
Nizam Hajireen making a salient point further stressed that Sepaktakraw or Sepakraga is a Malay oriented game and it was heartening and admirable to see Muslim countries with strict religious doctrine like Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Iran, Oman, etc; taking up to Sepaktakraw and displaying excellent skills and technique in world cup competitions held in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.
While women from Iran wear tights underneath their shorts, Malaysia and Indonesian players wear normal shorts. Even Saudi Arabia
Runners-up Pinnawala Central College’s boys and girls pose with Mr and Mrs. Hajireen with their trophies.
has encouraged their women to participate in sports. On a personal note Hajireen stressed that in the years gone by the Malay community in Sri Lanka produced international class women in sports namely, athletics, netball basketball hockey, and soccer in the mid-seventies. But very sadly the present generation of players and parents hold negative views of girls participating in sports.
However, undaunted by negative stances, it is the great desire of Nizam Hajireen to make a humble appeal and plea to urge the leaders of the Malay community spread across the island to encourage the girls in their Districts to take up this Malay game of Sepaktakraw. He said that the panel of coaches of the association would assist in training and provide balls and nets when requested. Hajireen further stated that practicing and playing Sepaktakraw for a few hours a week would not curtail or disrupt studies and it is the ideal recreational activity to give a person the mental break from arduous studies or work. He is optimistic of having at least 10 women’s teams for the inaugural women’s championship planned for early next year.
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