A team sport is any sport that involves two or more teams with equal number of players. These types of sports require collaboration, communication and cooperation among teammates to execute strategies, tactics and plays with the aim of outperforming and defeating the opposing team. These types of sports also promote good sportmanship and the development of a range of interpersonal skills including teamwork, leadership and sportsmanship.

It is believed that team sports create more opportunities for children and adults to develop a sense of community and social support with coaches, parents and other peers than in traditional groups such as school or work settings. Moreover, participation in team sport is thought to help build self-esteem and self-confidence for youth that may carry over into other aspects of their life.

Research into sports team environments has demonstrated that they are complex in nature, and the interplay between competition and cooperation is highly influenced by environmental factors and individual characteristics. This complexity is reflected in the wide variety of research approaches adopted to investigate the influence of sports on youth development.

In addition, the unique characteristic of sports teams that sets them apart from other conventional groups is the existence of clear standards for effort and performance. It is understood by all members of a sport team that they must attend practice sessions and cooperate with their teammates during competitions in order to succeed. This feature is also evident in other group sport activities such as rowing (involving two to nine people in a boat with an oar) and sprint relay races.