A team sport is any sport in which a group of people form one or more teams and compete against each other in an effort to win. The ultimate goal of the sport is usually to outscore the opposing team by a large margin. Some examples of popular team sports include hockey, football, baseball, basketball, tennis, volleyball and water polo. Team sports are generally considered to be more fun for people of all ages and backgrounds, as they bring participants together in an atmosphere of comradery and competition.
The biggest advantage of team sports is that they teach children about the importance of working with others toward a common goal. These skills are necessary for lifelong social interaction. In addition, team sports teach children the value of training hard and the payoffs that come from a sustained effort to improve.
While some team sports involve significant physical exertion, others are more focused on the mental aspect of the game. For example, there are only four people in a swimming relay race, but the swimmers still must support and rely on each other to perform their best in order for their team to succeed.
The unique attribute of a team sport is that the members of a team have clear and consistent expectations and norms regarding their behavior and performance. These standards are typically established by the rules of the sport and regulated to some extent by a league or other organization.