On April 27th, 2024, the Sports and Society Lab hosted the U.S. premiere of the Japanese universal sport Takkyu Volley. The event launched the lab’s Rec Day series, which aims to enhance accessibility in sports and promote inclusive physical activities and games, particularly focusing on enabling participation among disabled youth.
The event was the culmination of over six months of planning and collaboration between the Sports and Society Lab, UCLA Recreation, and representatives from the Japan Takkyu Volley Federation. The sport’s name – Takkyu Volley- is a combination of the Japanese words for takkyu (table tennis) and volley (volleyball). Players sit around a table tennis table and use wooden paddles to smack a small plastic ball filled with beads along the table and under the net.
Over 80 attendees gathered, some traveling from as far away as the San Gabriel Valley and as close as the Westwood neighborhood ready to learn the rules and have some fun. The Dean of the Division of Undergraduate Education, Professor Adriana Galván, delivered welcoming remarks. This was followed by a workshop led by the representatives from the Japan Takkyu Volley Federation, Miwa and Yu Hasegawa, and Yuri Mastsuo, a UCLA PhD candidate from the School of Nursing. Each of them are certified Takkyu Volley referees and Yu Hasegawa has also competed at the Japanese national level.
To begin the workshop, they told the audience a short history of the sport and its origins in Osaka, Japan and its connection to providing physical activity for older individuals and people with mobility disabilities. Over time Takkyu Volley has become known as a universal sport as its rules and equipment are designed to be played by anybody. This aim is profound especially when many sports possess barriers, such as restrictive equipment design or rules that rely heavily on visual and auditory cues. Takkyu Volley aims to eliminate these types of barriers through its unique equipment and setup.
The wooden paddle is designed to be gripped easily, making it more accessible for individuals with varying grip strength, and can be changed to larger or taller paddles based on an individual’s needs. The service and points system follow rally-score volleyball rules, ensuring a straightforward and inclusive gameplay experience. During the demonstration, instructions were given in Japanese, English, and Mandarin, which allowed for all attendees to learn the history and rules.
After some more basic rules, they invited a few audience members to join a demonstration game with Dean Galván. The rest of the audience, consisting of many non-speaking individuals with developmental disabilities, primarily from the Foundation for Disabled Youths, came down from the bleachers and surrounded the demonstration table to view the gameplay up close. Everyone had great fun watching the players learn how to play Takkyu Volley.
Following the demonstration game, everyone was welcomed to find a seat at an open table and to begin playing Takkyu Volley. Miwa, Yu, and Yuri roamed in between tables assisting players with direction and explanation of rules as the games began. For the remainder of the event, participants enjoyed unlimited play, along with snacks and coloring for a break from Takkyu Volley.
Nhu Phi, the 2023-24 Disability Studies Student Ambassador who helped plan and coordinate the event, emphasized the profound impact of Takkyu Volley in fostering community and breaking down barriers between individuals of different abilities and backgrounds, saying “I admired Yu and Miwa for the passion they had for the sport and their ability to connect diverse communities through Takkyu Volley. It was incredibly rewarding to watch the enthusiasm of UCLA students and faculty in coming together to celebrate Takkyu Volley, and to see smiles and laughter fill the room as individuals of all ages and abilities enjoyed the game. This event beautifully showcased the intersection of disability and cultural diversity, highlighting how sports can transcend barriers and foster meaningful connections. I’m hopeful that other universities and community centers will embrace Takkyu Volley and look forward to seeing what the future holds for the growth of Takkyu Volley in the U.S.”
Thanks to the dedication of everyone involved, including Miwa, Yu, Yuri, the Foundation of Disabled Youth, particularly Wendy Lai, and UCLA Adaptive Rec, the U.S. premier of Takkyu Volley was a resounding success for the Sports and Society Lab. Looking ahead, the Lab plans to continue their Rec Day series, inviting others to join in embracing sports for recreation and leisure and their transformative potential in promoting inclusivity.
“I think any sport that you can sit down, stand up, play, whatever the case may be, and the more inclusive we can be…I think that’s the way to create programming, to create awareness, to educate people,” added Michael Garafola, Coordinator of Adaptive Programs at UCLA.
To stay informed about future events or express interest in Takkyu Volley, please consider joining the DS Labs mailing list or reaching out to us directly.
Individuals of different ages gather around a blue table tennis table to enjoy an exciting game of Takkyu Volley. They are seated in gray plastic chairs around the edge of the table. Smiles light up their faces as they use wooden paddles to pass an orange ping-pong ball back and forth across the net.
Michael Garafola (Adaptive Program Coordinator) gives a fist bump to a young girl after scoring a point during Takkyu Volley.
UCLA faculty and community members gather in front of JWC after a successful Takkyu Volley Rec Day. From left to right: Charlotte Vo, Pia Palomo, Fred Ariel Hernandez, Yuri Matsuo, Miwa Hasegawa, Yu Hasegawa, Hiro Hasegawa, Michael Garafola, Caitlin Solone, Brooke Wilkinson, Leigh Harris.
Photos by David Esquivel
- To learn more about Takkyu Volley, view the full Takkyu Volley rulebook.
- For detailed information about our partners, visit:
- UCLA Adaptive Recreation https://recreation.ucla.edu/rec-programs/adaptive-recreation
- Foundation for Disabled Youth http://ffdy.org/ffdy/
