Team sport is a type of sport that requires the participation of multiple individuals organized into opposing teams and in which it is inherently impossible or impractical to execute the sport as a single-player endeavor. Examples of team sports include basketball, volleyball, baseball, cricket, lacrosse, football and association football.
In team sports, participants perform repetitive movements that involve large muscle groups. The repetition of these movements leads to a significant accumulation of fatigue over time. This fatigue results in the inability to sustain effort for extended periods of time. This can be particularly challenging in team sports that require frequent changes of direction or rapid re-direction of the movement pattern (e.g., football).
Another important attribute of team sports is that they involve a significant amount of social interaction and cooperation between members of the group. The group identity is reinforced through the use of uniforms, coaches and support groups. Moreover, the members of the group share a common goal and fate and they recognize that the success of the group depends on their cooperative efforts to achieve the goals.
In addition to fostering social interactions, team sports provide kids with the opportunity to develop critical-thinking skills. They learn to problem-solve, strategize, analyze and observe. They also learn how to communicate with teammates and coaches, both verbally and nonverbally. This communication may take the form of a coaching drill or a chat during practice, or it might be as subtle as a stick tap to signal that a player will catch a pop fly.