Things You Learn Being on a Sports Team

Believe it or not, sports are not all about aggression, competition, staying in shape, and being the very best. While physical ability is no doubt an important component of sports, if that were the only reason for playing sports, I would have just done a few laps in the pool and called it a day rather than investing so much of my time and energy into competing on my high school’s swim team.

Just about every sport out there, even ones that can be more focused on individual training and ability, such as dance or track, involve being part of a team. When you spend so much of your time with other people working toward a common goal, you can learn a thing or two about yourself. Here are just a few of the valuable life lessons that I’ve learned from being involved in sports teams:

Playing hard on a team translates to the workforce

Playing hard on a team teaches you many of the same skills that can translate to success in the workforce. For example, knowing how to work well with the other members of your sports team means that you’ll be better-prepared to work well with your coworkers. According to ThinkTank Learning, “Learning about improving yourself as a teammate makes you more prepared to improve yourself as a member of a company or social group.” You’ll learn how to perform well under pressure, when to lead and when to follow, how to communicate non-verbally, how to be reliable and not let your teammates down, and how to encourage others.

Focus on what you can control and let go of what you can’t

This is an important lesson not just for sports, but for pretty much all aspects of life. You should channel all of your energy into being the best you can be and learn from your mistakes. You aren’t necessarily going to perform at the same level and in the same way as someone else, but as long as you give your personal best 100% of the time, that’s all that matters.

Practice makes perfect (better)

Practice, practice, practice! Being on a sports team teaches you that the only way to improve and get better is to practice. The saying should really be “practice makes better” though and not “practice makes perfect” because perfection is unrealistic in sports, or anywhere for that matter. By putting in the effort though, you will be rewarded and learn self-discipline.

Respect yourself and others

Lastly, being on a sports team teaches you to respect authority figures, such as coaches and peers, as well as your teammates and yourself. Playing on a team gives you greater self-awareness and also a higher level of confidence. When you know what you’re capable of, you’re more likely to push yourself as hard as you can in competition. You will also gain enough self-respect to know not to be a sore loser and not to be so hard on yourself when you tried your best. You’ll learn to merely vow to do better the next time and keep practicing.