Millions of people around the world enjoy participating in team sport. It’s more than just a fun pastime, it can have a profound effect on the mind and body of athletes. The benefits of team sports go far beyond physical fitness and lead to long term happiness in life, even for adults.
Team sport is the perfect way to teach children collaboration. Each member of a team has different skills and characteristics, but coaches try to put players in positions that support their abilities. This teaches them to work together to achieve something that can’t be achieved alone, and to be selfless for the sake of the group.
It also teaches kids how to problem solve. Every match or game is different and formulating tactics to tackle these challenges will hone their critical thinking skills. The more they practice this, the better they become at it in all aspects of their lives.
Another key lesson is commitment. It’s hard to slack off when you know your teammates are counting on you to show up. That can be a great motivational tool, which is why many people push themselves harder when playing with teammates than they would working out on their own.
And, of course, it teaches kids how to deal with setbacks and loss. Every athlete experiences a loss at some point in their career, and learning how to handle these setbacks is a crucial life lesson. They must learn to grit through these losses, and understand that it’s important to keep going, not give up on their dreams, and focus on how they can improve as a player and a person.
