When we think about team sport, our first thoughts are probably about the physical fitness benefits. However, research has shown that participating in team sports can positively impact your mental, social, and spiritual health as well.
What makes team sports unique is that they involve groups of individuals coming together to accomplish a concerted objective. These objectives are often impractical or impossible for a single individual to achieve. This is true of many team sports like basketball, football, hockey, soccer and even baseball although they may have some individual elements in them (such as pitchers or hitters).
Team sports also provide an excellent opportunity for kids to learn about responsibility, communication, fair play and unwavering determination. The more a kid participates in team sports, the more he/she will develop these life skills that can help them in school and in the workplace as well.
Another important aspect of team sports is that they often encourage kids to take on leadership roles. For example, allowing different players to lead warm-ups before practice or a game is a great way for kids to grow into more confident leaders. This is something they will need throughout their lives in order to be successful.
Kids need to be competitive in order to excel in school, in their chosen profession and in life. Participating in team sports will prepare them for this competitive world that we live in. It will teach them to be driven and motivated by the goal of winning, but it will also teach them to set realistic goals and persevere through failure.