A team sport is an athletic activity that requires a combination of skills that can only be accomplished with the help of teammates. These include cooperation, communication, and collaboration. Team sports are a form of social bonding and have a positive impact on society in many ways. Team sports also help kids learn how to work well with others — a skill that can be applied in their lives at school, in the workplace, and in other activities as they grow up.

There are several important characteristics that distinguish team sports from other types of sporting events. For example, there is a clear sense of team ownership of the sport that requires players to show up for practice, train diligently with their coaches, and perform in competitions. The sense of ownership is further enhanced by a commitment to the group and an appreciation that each individual member contributes to its success.

Team athletes are also accustomed to working with a schedule and are usually more time-efficient than non-athletes. Shannon Miller, a member of the 1992 and 1996 US Olympic women’s gymnastics team, tells Forbes that she kept a minute-by-minute schedule in her athletic career, which helped her make the most of her time on the court. Athletes have to be careful not to over-train as it can lead to injury, but they do need to be able to adjust their training routine when the weather or their health changes.

Kids who play team sports will develop their critical thinking skills — whether it is analyzing which teammates are open for a pass, observing an opponent’s strengths and weaknesses to figure out how to outwit them, or calculating the best angle to shoot from on a free throw. These are valuable lessons that they can apply in their academic studies and their everyday lives.