Team sport is a group of individuals who come together to compete as a unit with the dedicated ambition of improving their performance. While the majority of participants in a team sport will follow similar preparation routines, they will still have a range of personal preferences and mentalities when it comes to all aspects of their sporting performance. This includes their pre-match routine, the procedures they follow and the superstitions they rely upon.

A key part of the team sport experience is learning how to work in a collective way with other players and coaches. This will teach athletes how to take turns in leadership roles, listen carefully and respect the opinions of others. It will also develop a greater appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses of their teammates, which is important for the development of a strong, cohesive team.

The importance of teamwork in high-performance sport has received increased attention recently. However, there is still a lack of understanding about the specific inputs and processes that contribute to this construct.

For example, it is important that the coaches of a team sport recognise that it is more difficult to improve a player’s technical ability when working with a small group of athletes than when training in isolation. This is because the coach will have to pay more attention to individual players’ performances, and will not be able to make adjustments on a one-to-one basis with every player.

Another benefit of the team sport approach is that it allows young people to be part of a community, even when their talents don’t allow them to be a superstar at an elite level. For instance, if an athlete doesn’t have the speed to compete in the final of the open 400m hurdles, they may still be able to run a leg in a relay race.