Team sport is an important part of a child’s development. It helps them make lasting friendships, develop communication skills, and learn to respect their teammates and coaches.
Some examples of team sports are soccer, basketball, volleyball, tennis and hockey. There are many other types of team sports, such as sailing, dragon boat racing, rowing and track and field.
Athletes who participate in team sports grow to become supportive, understanding and patient people because of the interactions they have with other athletes. They also learn how to deal with setbacks and how to work together to achieve goals.
Group norms are a key feature of group participation (Crosbie, 1975; Carron & Eys, 2012). These norms provide members with a sense of what is expected of them and how they should behave in a given situation.
When members of a sport team interact with each other on both task and social spheres, they commit themselves to certain standards of effort and performance that are clearly articulated during practice sessions or competitions. If an athlete fails to meet these standards, he or she may be punished by verbal criticism, ostracism, physical abuse, or even expulsion from the team.
Although these norms help members to become involved in a sport group, they can also create challenges for youth athletes by exposing them to peer pressure and risky social behaviors (Ommundsen, Roberts, Lemyre, & Treasure, 2003; Shields, Gardner, Bredemeier, & Bostrom, 1995). In addition, they may lead to behavioral problems or poor developmental outcomes (Bruner, Eys, & Turnnidge, 2013; Fraser-Thomas, Cote, & Deakin, 2005).