Surrey high school kabaddi teams competed for the South Fraser championship banner on Friday, May 31. The season-ending tournament was played at Queen Elizabeth Secondary, where the host Royals topped Tamanawis Wildcats 40-29 to win the regional title. Panorama Ridge and Princess Margaret lost in the two semifinals.
Students, teachers, parents and others circled the pitch at QE and cheered the teen players as they competed in the wrestling-like sport. Seven years ago Surrey’s high school kabaddi league started with four teams, then expanded to eight before the pandemic shut down everything. In the spring of 2022 there were five kabaddi teams, and eight participated during the 2023 spring season.
“There is currently no provincial championship but (that is) something that will be coming in the near future,” said Raman Bedi, league president and coach at Panorama Ridge Secondary. “I feel we have reached a pivotal point with kabaddi and have had enough commitment from volunteers and coaches to take this to a provincial championship tournament,” Bedi added. “I will be reaching out to all districts early next year especially schools who have strong wrestling and rugby programs.
Those programs would thrive. Next year we will be having Maple Ridge apart of this league and will have to figure out how to structure our championships so we can have a South Fraser championship, Lower Mainland high school kabaddi championships and a provincial championships.” Popular in India.
