Kabaddi returns to Surrey Schools after pandemic hiatus
Students at several Surrey secondary schools are back on the kabaddi pitch following a two-year hiatus, marking the return of one of the district’s newest and fastest-growing sports.
“It’s good to have it back – it’s great for the community and great for the players,” said Rob Rai, Director of School and Community Connections.
Founded in 2017, the Surrey High School Kabaddi League had only a few years under its belt before the pandemic hit. After a long wait, the resumption of competition means it’s time to get the momentum back and work to build the league.
“Prior to the pandemic we had eight teams in our League,” said teacher Raman Bedi, who also acts as league president, match co-ordinator and co-coach of the Panorama Thunder. “This year we have five, with Enver Creek, Panorama Ridge, Tamanawis, Queen Elizabeth and Surrey Khalsa (private).”
The sport, popular in India and other South Asian countries, has been described as a mixture of rugby and wrestling and is played by opposing teams of seven. The object of the game is for one player from the offense to enter the defending team’s half of the pitch and tag out as many of the defenders as possible before making it back into their own endzone without being tackled. The teams alternate between offense and defense, with the highest-scoring team winning. Traditionally full contact, the school league is restricted to tackles below the shoulder for student safety.
While it’s not often that a new sport is certified for school play, kabaddi was officially given the green light five years ago when Tamanawis teacher Mandeep Dhaliwal spearheaded the effort to have it recognized by the Surrey Secondary Schools Athletic Association (SSSAA) and South Fraser Athletics Association (SFAA).
“A few of us teachers played supporting roles, but the hard work in getting this up and running was done by Mandeep,” said Bedi.
In the time since, pandemic notwithstanding, students and the larger community have been supporting the teams.
“We consistently have crowds of 200 to 300 people show up to watch,” said Bedi.
“When we started this league, we would have community members, random people coming to watch the sport they knew growing up,” added Rai. “It’s been a really great way to engage the South Asian community and a great way for students to engage with that culture and heritage.”
But the sport isn’t only for South Asians. Rai notes that teams have players and spectators from a variety of ethnicities and backgrounds.
Another positive aspect of the sport has been its use as a tool to keep youth engaged in positive and productive activities.
“Kids want identity and belonging, so we want to give them that through positive outlets such as athletics or some other kind of club or interest,” said Rai. “Kabaddi is another positive way to keep kids engaged because it’s so accessible, it doesn’t need any pads or gear.”
With that low barrier to entry, Rai and Bedi are hopeful more teams and school districts will join in the coming seasons, with the hopes that it will one day lead to the establishment of a provincial championship.
“We’ve had a lot of interest from Delta and Abbotsford,” said Bedi. “If we can get the right support in place and continue to ensure the safety of our students, I’m sure we will surpass what we currently have.”
As for the future, Rai and Bedi are looking to keep moving forward and hopefully expand the boy’s program, but also look at introducing a girl’s league if there is sufficient interest.
“Kabaddi is one of the most accessible sports in the world and we want to continue exploring that,” said Rai.
The season championships for the Surrey High School Kabaddi League take place on June 3 at Panorama Ridge Secondary, located at 13220 64 Ave, Surrey. The championship match will be held at 1:30pm.
