Team sport is an athletic activity where the fundamental nature of the game or sport requires multiple individuals working together to achieve success, and it is inherently impossible or highly impractical to execute the sport as a single-player endeavor. Team sports include football (soccer), basketball, rugby, baseball and other team-based sports that involve facilitating the movement of a ball or similar object in accordance with a set of rules to score points.
Team athletes learn to respect and value their teammates’ abilities and understand how their contributions contribute to the team goal, which helps them become more supportive, understanding and patient people. Whether playing competitive intramurals or club sports, or even when competing against more talented opponents in school competitions, team athletes gain valuable life lessons in how to work with others and push themselves beyond their comfort zones.
Research has found that children who participate in team sports tend to have higher self-esteem and a greater sense of social connectedness than their peers who do not play. In addition, team athletes tend to be more physically active than their counterparts who do not play, which has a positive effect on both physical and mental health. Boosts in muscle strength and cardiovascular endurance, protection from childhood chronic diseases like asthma and diabetes and increased cognitive functioning and concentration are just some of the paybacks associated with regular exercise and participation in team sports.