Team sport is a group activity that involves a number of participants organized into a competitive unit. Unlike solo activities such as dance or drawing, where the results are measured in terms of individual performance, team sports require participants to work together toward a common goal, such as winning a game.
While a good coach will strive to place players in positions that best suit their abilities, it is important for kids to understand that the success of the entire team depends on the contributions of every member. This type of cooperative effort teaches kids to be unselfish and sacrifice for the benefit of the whole group.
It also teaches them to rely on and trust their teammates, and it fosters communication skills that will help them be successful in life. For example, playing team sports often requires a great deal of listening — whether it is to take in the locker room pep talk or to pick up on nonverbal cues from fellow players during a game.
In addition, team sports encourage critical thinking and help kids to solve problems. For instance, they might need to consider how their teammates could be open for a pass, look at an opponent’s tendencies and figure out how to outwit them or adapt their speed or footwork to different weather conditions. All of these skills are invaluable when it comes to preparing kids for the real world. In fact, the more they practice them in a team setting, the better they will be when it really counts.