Team sport is a form of physical activity where people are part of a group playing against another group. The goal is to win the game, and every member of the group plays an important role. Teammates support, motivate and encourage each other to reach their goals. They also teach players how to work together and overcome challenges.
Team sports help children learn how to compromise and cooperate with other members of their group, which is a valuable skill in all aspects of life. They can also help kids understand that not everyone is going to be a star, and that it’s OK not to get all the attention all of the time.
There is increased interest internationally in using sport to develop “life skills” in learners. These are skills that will enable them to be more successful in the different environments they live in, including school, home and their future workplace. The most commonly cited skills are interpersonal, cognitive and behavioural.
The development of these life skills is a key goal of interventions designed to promote youth participation in physical activity. In addition, the development of these skills is a critical component in high-performance sport, where a range of factors can influence health and performance outcomes. There is, however, little research exploring the nature of teamwork and its relationship to performance in high-performance sport. This article aims to fill this gap in knowledge by describing the inputs and processes of teamwork in high-performance sport.