One of the sports branches that I loved most when I was a kid is "Kasti" in English I can define Ball Rounder. My sport teacher taught us to play this sport and formed a Kasti team to play against other school teams. Twenty years ago, Kasti was included as the main sport at school and we enjoyed so much playing this sport. "Kasti" is a sport that is popular among Indonesia school children, particularly the Elementary School Students. "Kasti" or sound-alike Ball Rounder is played by two teams, one team was assigned to watch over while another team got the turn to hit the ball. There is four line marked with a pole at each part of the field where the player can throw the ball to another player. The striker has a turn to hit the ball that will be intercepted by a watcher. The watch-team watch over the field to catch the hit from the striker. When the ball is hit, the striker runs to next base or "going home" "home" that was marked with the line. If the player is on the run to the base or home can be hit by the ball and being put "out" and the two teams that overtake the striking group become a watcher group.
The striking player who succeeds to go home will get one point. The group who collects more point when the game's over is the winner. This ball sport uses the skill of running, hitting the ball with a bat, catching and throwing which consist of two bases with the minimum distance 20 meters. In the gameplay, the cohesive and working together in a group is much reliable within the players. The number of "kasti" player in each group consisting of 12 players and before the game begins, each group must decide who is going to be the first player. This kind of sport was recognized as the sport that was regularly played by the elementary school in the past time. It is considered as Indonesia Traditional Sport that is provided through the historical record that the "Kasti" existed since the Dutch colonial and Japan occupied Indonesia and it has a bit similar with the rounder.
Nowadays, this sport is scarcely found and no more included in the official competition. Well! In the matter of sport, it is so good to me to let us know the sport is run. If we take a deep look, the Kasti has mostly the same with the baseball or softball which use the bat and the swinging technique, but in the rule, the play might have differed with those famous sport that is officially set by the official. So, let find out what makes the Kasti different with baseball or softball that involves the Basic Technique of Playing Kasti, we need three basic techniques such as throwing, catching and batting and the tools such as the bat that is made from wood and the tennis ball. While this three basic technique must be owned by the players so that the watcher group can hit the body of batter.
The Method of Gameplay
Throwing Through the Ground :
1. The player holds the ball between their finger
2. The position must be crouching, swinging the backhand to the front in between the batter knees. Then throwing the ball through the ground that directly to the target.
Back-Front Swinging the Ball Under
1. The Pitching toward the Target
2. Holding the ball in the right hand. The ball is pointed toward the target.
The Horizontal Ball-Pitching
1. The player holds with the right hand.
2. Pointing to the target while throwing the ball
Rebounding Pitch
1. The bold is held with the right hand. Just like the other throwing technique, the throwing target must be focussed.
2. Before having rebounding ball, the player must set the inclining position to throw the ball.
The Kasti's Rule:
- Kasti is played by 12 players, in each group there is one captain to lead the game.
- The point is scored if the batter can succesfully reach pole 1, 2,3 and the free space will get 1 point. If the batter succesfully hit the ball, and the player straightly go back to the free space, the player will get 2 point but if the watcher group can catch the ball, it will get 1 point.
- Replacing, the replacement is made at his game if the pitching group hit the batter
- Referee, each session of the game is led by referee and helped by three assistances
- Pitching chance is giving once, except to the final batting where it get tree time in raw
- Duration, the duration of the game is 2 x 90 menutes which is divided in two halves
The Kasti Field
Kasti's has no designated field where we can play this sport in any field through the adjustment of the field size. However, in having a quality game, the largest field is necessary. In each part of the field is marked with a little flag.
*Dimension the measurement of Kasti court 40-meter length x 70 meters wide
*Court is divided into a pitcher, batter, the baseline (1) and the finish foul (2) at the end of the field in the open space. These divisions are marked with the little flag.
Final Thought
The Kasti's sport is popular among school students in Indonesia. The method of the gameplay is a bit like the softball or baseball where some resemble tools are using to play this game. The rule of Kasti is somewhat difficult to apply, but when the game is on, we will enjoy the game. In playing this sport, the players are not using the helmet and glove and official jersey. We play freely with the certain rule that is previously set. So, Kasti is one of the traditional ball sports that, if I may say, has no longer regarded as the popular sport in my country.
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