United States national kabaddi team
United States National Kabbadi Team
Founded2016
AssociationNational Kabaddi Federation (NKF)
Head coachJames Obilo
Captain
  • Troy Bacon
  • Dillyon Banks (co-captain)
  • Jake Kantor (co-captain)
Affiliation(s)International Kabaddi Federation (IKF)
Websiteus-kabaddi.com

The United States national kabaddi team represent the United States of America in international men's kabaddi competition. The team first competed at the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup in India, where they placed 12th.

The team, led by Captain Troy Bacon and Co-Captains Dillyon Banks and Jake Kantor, has recruited Head Coach James Obilo. Obilo is a defender from the Kenyan National Kabaddi Team and holds the record for most tackle points ever scored in an international match (13 points).

USA Kabaddi is preparing to launch a USA Kabaddi League and USA Kabaddi Cup. The team intends to assist the sport in bidding for Olympic Games inclusion as they continue to spread the sport globally.

History

The United States kabaddi team for the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup was formed by Florida A&M University graduate Celestine Jones just before the tournament. It consisted of athletes and musicians from the university who had backgrounds in other sports, but no prior kabaddi experience. Despite facing lopsided losses, the team's presence in the tournament was seen as a sign of the growing popularity of kabaddi in the United States.

Today, the team trains out of Atlanta, Georgia in preparation for the upcoming Kabaddi World Cup, USA Kabaddi Cup, and USA Kabaddi League. The team intends to assist the sport in bidding for Olympic inclusion as they continue to spread the sport globally.

Team

Name Position Role
James ObiloDefenderCoach
Troy BaconDefenderCaptain
Dillyon BanksRaiderCo-Captain
Jake KantorRaiderCo-Captain
Bismark CharlesDefender
Ben MarcellusDefender
Tristan ShonfieldAll Rounder
Alex JoesephAll Rounder
Na’imAll Rounder
KadirAll Rounder
RaheemDefender
YaboDefender
HiteshAll Rounder
Victor LawrenceAll Rounder
Devin AndersonDefender
Jamil Lovett-HarveyDefender

2016 Kabaddi World Cup

The U.S. squad was one of several newcomer teams at the World Cup that The Guardian classified as being a "ragtag [unit] of novices, part-timers, and transplants from other sports". The team, composed primarily of athletes and hip-hop musicians from the historically black Florida A&M University,[1][2] was recruited through word-of-mouth advertising and social media posts. One member was recruited through a text message that asked "Do you want to go to India?".[3]

They briefly trained in Jacksonville on a baseball field before traveling to India for the tournament.[4] None of the players were familiar with kabaddi, but had experience in other sports such as American football, Track and field, and basketball. Team member Dillyon Banks felt that the training regiment of two sessions per-day was demanding, remarking that "there were people throwin' up on the field. We're not getting paid to do this. The dedication, the heart, the team effort it took in a short period of time to make this whole thing work is what brought us together."[4]

The U.S. team was greeted with a "U-S-A!" chant as they emerged from the plane. The inexperienced team opened the tournament with a 52–12 loss to tournament favorites Iran, followed by similarly lopsided losses to Japan, Poland, Thailand, and Kenya. Having to compete against top countries such as India and Iran in their first competition ever,[3][4] was "almost like trying to learn basketball by playing against the Golden State Warriors."[3]. Captain Kushim Sun Rey remarked that "if you're on defense and one person makes a wrong move, you can end up losing major points."[3]

The Hindustan Times felt that the U.S. team were a "quirk" of the tournament, "even by its regular standards considering pharmacists and engineers are competing against monks and fishermen", but stood out from others with their display of hip-hop culture, reporting that "their dreadlocked players take to the kabaddi mats with their nicknames on their backs. McKie wears his rap name 'Pharoh D' on the back of his shirt. Kevin Caldwell, an all rounder, wears 'Hustle' on his jersey. Fields' shirt also has his rap name 'Ronnie Eriic'. Another teammate is called 'Swag'."[2]

It was argued that the presence of the U.S. and other newcomers was a sign that the sport of kabaddi was experiencing "[a] revolution from dusty provincial pastime to international media spectacle", and could begin to develop a following in the United States.[1]

Tournament Results

2016 Kabaddi World Cup

The United States were drawn into Group B for the group stage of the tournament.[5]

7 October 2016
United States  15–52  Iran
Report
9 October 2016
United States  19–45  Japan
Report
14 October 2016
United States  29–75  Poland
Report
16 October 2016
Thailand  69–22  United States
Report
18 October 2016
United States  19–74  Kenya
Report

References

  1. 1 2 "Simple, visceral, fun: why the ancient sport of kabaddi is enjoying a resurgence". The Guardian. 10 October 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Team USA at Kabaddi World Cup a hastily assembled unit filled with rappers". Hindustan Times. 16 October 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "United States hopes to make immediate impact in ancient sport of kabaddi". ESPN.com. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 "Team USA Was The Overwhelmed Newcomer At The Kabaddi World Cup". Deadspin. Gizmodo Media Group. 21 October 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  5. ↑ "Kabaddi World Cup 2016: Japan Trounce USA 45–19". News18. 9 October 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
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