Why Kids Should Play a Team Sport

A team sport is a game or event that requires the cooperation of multiple teams to achieve success. Typical examples include American football, soccer, rugby and field and ice hockey. While each of these sports has unique rules, equipment and substitution procedures, they all require the participation of team members to successfully compete.

Team sports build a sense of belonging in kids and help them become part of something bigger than themselves. Kids feel a boost in their self-confidence when they play as part of a team, which can encourage them to continue pushing themselves in the future. They also learn important social skills such as communication and listening, which will benefit them for life.

In addition, participating in a team sport can provide kids with regular exercise, which is good for their health and well-being. In fact, it’s recommended that kids get 150 minutes of physical activity a week, and team sports can make it easy for them to reach their fitness goals.

It’s a competitive world we live in, and team sports help prepare kids for the types of competition they’ll face in school, work and their own chosen hobbies and passions. They’ll need to learn how to win and lose with integrity, respect their opponents and teammates, and put personal opinions aside for the greater good of the group. They’ll also learn how to lead, whether it’s during warm-ups before practice or in game situations. A great example is Ultimate, which involves two teams of seven people trying to score points by completing a series of passes with a flying disc.