Athletes learn to focus on the good of the team, which allows them to become less self-centered and more focused on what their contribution can be. They learn to celebrate wins together and share the burden of a loss. These are lessons that will serve them well in adulthood, when they’ll find themselves working on teams at work and in relationships.
Working on a sports team requires critical thinking skills in order to devise strategies that take into account opponents’ strengths and weaknesses, game situations, and even weather conditions. It also requires the ability to communicate clearly with teammates, whether it’s during a locker room pep talk or a post-game debrief.
It’s a competitive world, and playing a team sport is the best way for kids to prepare themselves for the types of competition they will face in school, at their chosen profession, and beyond. Athletes must learn to plan ahead, set goals, and stay motivated in order to succeed on the field or in the gym.
In addition to developing time-management skills, participating in a team sport teaches children the value of a hard day’s work. They will learn that every practice, every game, and every workout counts. This will be invaluable when they are sitting in a classroom or at the office, trying to complete a project under a tight deadline. Lastly, team sports keep kids in a structured and supervised environment that limits their idle hours when they could be playing video games or watching TV.