Team sport is a sporting activity in which teams collaborate for the purpose of competing against other teams. There are both competitive team sports (such as soccer, baseball and basketball) and non-competitive team sports (such as synchronized swimming and doubles tennis). These sports differ from solo sports, where athletes play individually or against themselves.
Working with teammates teaches children and young adults to respect each other, communicate effectively and take responsibility for their actions. These are life skills that can be applied in many situations throughout an athlete’s entire career, and research has linked participation in team sports to better mental health, resilience to stress, higher grades in school and lower risk-taking behaviours [1, 2].
The most famous competitive team sport is probably soccer (known as football outside the U.S), which is the world’s most popular sport, with an estimated 4 billion fans. It has been a part of the Olympic Games since 1900 for men and 1996 for women, with the most prestigious competition being the FIFA World Cup held every four years.
Other popular team sports include American football, baseball and basketball. The varsity sports of tennis, volleyball and swimming feature team variations such as doubles and relay races. For example, synchronized swimming requires collaboration between teammates to perform coordinated routines and track and field has up to 12 athletes on a team, each running a different segment of the race. Team sports require a high level of support and optimum performance from all members of the team to achieve success.