Team sport is a fun and engaging way to stay physically active, improve mental, emotional, and social health, and endow kids with essential life skills. The President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition (PCSFN) has highlighted some of the key benefits associated with participation in team sports, such as:
Developing life skills
Participating in a team sport teaches children how to communicate and cooperate with others while working toward a common goal. This is an important skill that can be applied to the classroom, workplace, and other areas of life.
It also teaches them how to work with people who have different personalities, and how to deal with setbacks and disappointments. In addition, team athletes often work with a variety of people, including coaches and teammates, who can serve as positive role models for kids. Having effective mentors early on can help them seek out other sources of support as they grow up.
Managing emotions
Team sports also require children to learn how to handle and process the emotions that can come with playing in competition. This is especially true in competitive sports, where it’s not always possible to win every game. This can teach children how to better manage their feelings, and it can also help them develop empathy for their opponents. Finally, it can also teach them the importance of sportsmanship, which is the ability to act with respect and fairness to other teams, even when they’re losing.