Takkyu Volley Rec Day: US premier of a universal sport created in Japan

ABOUT THE EVENT:

Join us to learn about and play a universal sport created and developed in Japan – Takkyu Volley.  UCLA is proud to host the US Premier of Takkyu Volley, a game played around a table tennis table.  This Rec Day event is an opportunity for everyone.  People of all ages and disabilities are invited to attend and play Takkyu Volley together. 

Watch this video to see what a game of Takkyu Volley looks like!

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Community Registration link

WHAT IS TAKKYU VOLLEY?

Takkyu Volley is a fun game where two teams of six people sit around a table tennis table.  Using long wooden paddles, each team volleys a small ball across the table under an elevated net.  The rules for Takkyu Volley are generally based on the rules of six-player volleyball; for instance, like volleyball, the ball must be passed to the other side within three shots.  Points are earned if the ball rolls off the table or a team takes more than three shots to pass the ball. View the full Takkyu Volley rulebook.

To play the game at the event, you do not need to be part of a team of six.  Everyone at the event will learn to play the game together.  The equipment – tables, wooden paddles, special ball, and elevated net for the tennis table will be provided.

The Japan Takkyu Volley Federation has officially endorsed this UCLA event.  Federation representatives who are also players and certified referees will be present at the event to help us learn how to play Takkyu Volley and to share more about its history and rules.  

HISTORY OF TAKKYU VOLLEY IN JAPAN:

Originating in 1971 from the Kansai region in Japan, Takkyu Volley is a game that individuals with and without disabilities, and anyone across the lifespan can play and compete together.  The game was originally created by physical education teacher Asaichi Tosa and students with muscular dystrophy in Osaka. 

In 1988, competition rules for Takkyu Volley were established by the Kyoto Sports Promotion Association.  A public competition of the game was held at the National Sports Tournament for the Physically Disabled in October 1988.  

In 2008, the Japan Takkyu Volley Federation was established.  The purpose of the Federation is to educate, promote, and popularize Takkyu Volley.  They also certify referees and deal with all matters related to national tournaments and competitions.   

With the passage of the Basic Act on Sports in 2011, Takkyu Volley was recognized as a universal sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and whether they have a disability or not.  

In March 2023, the 10th National Takkyu Volley Exchange Tournament was held in Hyogo.  

JAPAN TAKKYU VOLLEY FEDERATION REPRESENTATIVES & REFEREES:

Yu Hasegawa, Miwa Hasegawa, and Yuri Matsuo are certified Takkyu Volley referees.  They will provide information on the rules and regulations of Takkyu Volley as well as the history of the game.  They are all representatives of the Ibaraki Takkyu Volley Association from Japan and are the official representatives of the Japan Takkyu Volley Federation. 

As a takkyu volley player since 2015, she has achieved significant results, including her team’s fourth-place finish at the Japan national tournament in 2018. She participates in Takkyu Volley with friends bi-monthly as part of local disability sports programs and enters multiple competitive tournaments annually. Yu is a certified referee and instructor for Takkyu Volleyball, and contributes to the sport’s promotion in her community and across Ibaraki through outreach activities.

Her expertise extends to being a certified Flying Disc instructor and a Japanese Para-sports instructor. Miwa actively participates in disability sports, regularly organizing promotional events and tournaments for Takkyu Volleyball. Beyond her role in sports, she champions disability rights and justice in Japan, previously leading the Hitachi Down Syndrome Association and currently Miwa serves on the board of the Ibaraki Down Syndrome Association. Miwa’s advocacy also encompasses human rights more broadly and works with the Ibaraki Human Rights Bureau.

WHAT IS THE SPORTS & SOCIETY LAB REC DAY SERIES?

The Takkyu Volley Rec Day is the inaugural event for the DS Sports Lab Rec Day Series, which is in collaboration with UCLA Recreation and Adaptive Recreation Programs.  Rec Days will focus on introducing the UCLA community to inclusive and internationally known sports and games and to invite community members to campus to play with us.  Rec Days are part of the Sport and Society Lab ‘Recreation and Leisure” focus which seeks to bring together people with disabilities along with domestic and internationally based experts, and further the crucial conversation about equitable access to everyday spaces for recreation and leisure. The event reflects broader moves towards accessible play spaces and universal approaches to physical education in K-12 education, and disrupting the disparities adults with disabilities face with access to such spaces. 

ADDITIONAL EVENT INFORMATION

Location:

UCLA John Wooden Center, Collins Court
221 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095
Access the campus map.
The entrance to the Wooden Center has stair and ramp access. 

Parking:

Parking is available at Structure 4, the nearest lot to the Wooden Center. Parking at UCLA requires a valid permit at all times. Visitors pay for parking in the structure’s pay station.  Review the Visitor Parking website for more information.

Accessibility:

This event is wheelchair accessible. Please be aware that this is a fragrance-free event.   If you would benefit from additional access accommodations please email disabilitystudies@college.ucla.edu no later than Monday, April 15, 2024. 

Additional arts and crafts activities will be available during the event.  

Quiet spaces will be available around the venue. 

Light snacks and refreshments will be available.  Guests are welcome to bring their own snacks.  

Illustration created by Alice Lee.

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