Team sports have shaped the way young people interact with their world. It provides experiences that the limitation of classroom learning doesn’t allow them to. While the benefits of physical activity are usually cited as the biggest up-side to playing sports, the value of playing a  team sport extends far beyond that. Kids and teens who play on teams develop skills, and personal qualities that influence who they become as adults. In a world increasingly dominated by individuality, team sports offer something irreplaceable for young people growing up today.

Learn to Be Part of Something Bigger

Team sports teach young people that they're part of something larger than themselves. When necessary, they learn to value the achievement of the group over personal achievement. Athletes learn how rewarding it can be to take part in a group achievement. Being on a team teaches children how to work in groups. They learn how to communicate and work with their peers. They learn their actions affect others and group success sometimes means individual sacrifice.  These lessons are extremely valuable to have a grasp on for future workplaces, families, and communities.

Build Resilience Through Wins and Losses

There are very few experiences that teach resilience in the same way that team sports does. Young athletes experience victory and defeat regularly. Learning that losing isn't the end of the world, and that winning games doesn't define what they are worth. There is an emotional regulation skill required to handle ups and downs.

Kids are forced to learn how to bounce back from disappointment. They discover that a bad game or even a bad season is temporary. They build up an ability to keep playing when things don't go their way. Resilience becomes a life skill. Helping them handle setbacks in school, relationships, and eventually their future careers.

Develop Discipline and Work Ethic

Team sports require consistent effort over very long periods of time. Practices are held whether kids feel like going or not, same with games. The consistency teaches discipline that becomes habitual. Young athletes need to learn how to push through when they're tired, unmotivated, or would rather be doing something else. Kids see that the players who are working hard are starting to improve faster than those who are just coasting. Talent isn't the only factor in skill, and a sustained effort over a long period of time produces results. 

Form Meaningful Friendships

Teammates spend hours together training, traveling, competing, and recovering. They see each other at their most vulnerable. Team sports create the experiences that build friendships. The friendships created by these experiences can last long after the playing days are over.  Trust is built and tested through real life situations. Athletes learn what it means to really care about another person’s success. These deep relationships offer up emotional support through their toughest times, and help model what a healthy friendship should look like. 

Manage Time and Multiple Priorities

Team sports force young people to manage their time effectively. balancing all of their commitments and interests. Constantly juggling all of these things builds organizational skills and time management abilities. They learn how to complete their homework efficiently, because of commitment to practice that might take up multiple hours a week. This develops habits that benefit them in college and careers. They become far better at handling their extremely busy schedules without feeling as overwhelmed as they might be without sports.

Create a Foundation for Adult Life

The benefits of team sports go far beyond the years they actually play the game. The physical health, mental toughness, social skills, work ethic, and friendships that develop through team athletics build up a foundation for a more successful adult life. Parents who wonder if team sports are worth the time that needs to be put into them should understand that they are investing in their child’s development in ways other activities don’t. 

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