Team Sports And Personal Development: How Are They Related?
Team sports have an influence on personal development. Sports are an infinite source of both physical and mental health. They not only help us to release energy in a controlled and controlled way, but can also be an incentive for our personal development.
Sports are an extraordinary tool in all phases of life. It is certainly even truer when we are very young and developing our personalities.
The stages of childhood and adolescence are crucial. These are the periods when people are most vulnerable. Therefore, what happens in these phases will be positive or negative signs in the development of individuals. Also, it will affect their personal growth.
In many cases, sport is the place where a person first starts working towards a shared goal. Therefore, an individual sacrifices his own personal interests for a sport.
Maybe a child, for example, wants to play striker on a football team. Still, it will be better for the team if they play defense. This is the time to negotiate, sit back or appreciate the effects of generosity and sacrifice.
In this article we will talk about all the benefits that team sports offer. We begin by discussing personal development.
What is personal development in team sports?
Personal development is a process in which people try to discover or perfect all potential strengths. The idea is to achieve our goals, desires and ambitions, motivated by our interest in achieving our goals and the need to give meaning to our lives (Dongil E. and Cano A., 2014).
This development depends on many factors, from the environment we grow up in, to our individual characteristics or the society we are in. In fact, we would say that biological processes and individual and social processes interfere with personal development.
Erikson’s epigenetic principle states that all human beings have a basic developmental plan. Apart from this plan, which consists of all the parts, each of them has its appropriate maturation time and activity, until they all work (as quoted in Bordignon, 2005).
Team sports
When we consider the definition of personal development, and how it was described in the introduction, we can see that it is related to sports.
In team sports, different teammates work together to achieve the goals of the game. This common goal should be achieved through a consensus strategy and approved by the members of the team.
In the same way, we will be able to deduce that what motivates the group is the achievement of the goals described in advance. It is important to understand that in order to participate in a sport, there are explicit rules that participants must follow. As expected, these rules have to do with respect for the game, the team and the participants.
Therefore, if the rules are not respected, there will be sanctions from the referee, depending on the sport. It will also have consequences from the opposing team and the player’s own team. This idea of standards is what enables athletes to control themselves and protect sports from individuals and from other groups.
Given that sports can lead to personal development, practicing a team sport has many benefits. Sports also foster skills and values that can be developed from practice:
- A sense of belonging
- Work as a team
- Respect
- Decision making
- Loyalty
- Overcoming obstacles
- Discipline
- Responsibility
- Empathy
- Understand equality and avoid discrimination
- Active listening
- Learn to use your free time
Conclusion
There are different ways to practice team sports. The most popular tend to be football and handball. In addition, there are others such as rugby, basketball, water polo, synchronized swimming, volleyball, rafting, etc. All of these can develop the same values and learn the same skills.
Finally, it is important to participate in activities that allow us to grow and develop in all aspects of life. As a result, they can help us to be independent and empowered people.
