Ateam sport is a type ofsport where the fundamental nature of the game or sport requires the participation of multiple individuals working together as a team, and it is inherently impossible or highly impractical to execute the sport as a single-player endeavour. In team sports, the cooperative effort of team members is essential for the sport to function and achieve its objectives. The objective often involves teammates facilitating the movement of a ball or similar bob in accordance with a set of rules in order to score points. Examples arebasketball,volleyball,rugby,water polo,handball,lacrosse,cricket,baseball, and the various forms offootball andhockey. These sports emphasize teamwork, strategy, and coordination among team members while competing against opposing teams to achieve a common goal.[1] Team sports do not include individual or individual-to-team events within a sport.[citation needed]
The meaning of a "team sport" has been disputed in recent years. Some types of sports have different objectives or rules than "traditional" team sports. These types of team sports do not involve teammates facilitating the movement of a ball or similar object in accordance with a set of rules in order to score points. Overall, the division into team sports and individual sports is not always unproblematic since there are different combinations in the individual sports.
This includes sports that can only be practiced as a team sport. The number of team members is fixed for the team. In order to compete successfully in championships and tournaments, teams need a roster that is significantly larger than the number of players starting the game. Players may be substituted from a squad in competition matches to replace exhausted or injured players or to make tactical changes.Examples arebasketball,volleyball,rugby,water polo,handball,lacrosse,cricket,baseball, and the various forms offootball andhockey.
Teams of two people are common in certain sports, such asdancesport orbeach volleyball. No substitute players are used here. The two partners are absolutely dependent on each other. The absence of a person here means a loss of competitiveness.[2][3][4]
There are sports that are commonly played by individuals, or singles, but may also be played in a cooperative partner formation referred to as doubles. This includes sports such asbadminton,table tennis, andtennis.[5] In these formations, common tactics, teamwork, and agreements are crucial for success. There are also differentrowing formations, such as one, two, four, and eight, orsailing with their different boat classes.[6][7] The most important thing here is smooth movements and common tactics. This also applies approximately to theteam time trial incycling,[8][9] which is the case with cycling tours and one-day races, which are different tasks for the team members of a cycling team.[10][11]
In some sports,relay races are held, which can be distinguished from pure team evaluations by a common racing tactic and the observance of change regulations. Relay races are common inrunning,swimming,cross-country skiing,biathlon, orshort-track speed skating and are also an integral part of theOlympic Games program[12] with high popularity.[13][14]
There are team ratings in many sports, and the results of individual athletes or formations are added up.Incycling, team members, whilst still in competition with each other, will also work towards assisting one member of the team, usually a specialist, to the highest possible finishing position.[11][10][15] In some sports where participants are entered by a team, they do not only compete against members of other teams, but also against each other for points towards championship standings, for example, in motorsport, particularlyFormula One.[16]Team orders can occur in such teams and although previously accepted were banned in Formula One[17] between 2002 and 2010. After a controversy involvingteam orders at the 2010 German Grand Prix however, the regulation was removed as of the2011 season.[18]
| Team Sports | Formations in Sports | Relay Races | Sports with Team Ratings |
|---|---|---|---|
| (e.g., Soccer, Basketball) | (e.g., Synchronized Swimming, Doubles Tennis) | (e.g., Track and Field relay, Swimming relay) | (e.g., Gymnastics, Figure skating) |
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In summary, team sports are characterized by the impossibility or impracticality of executing the sport as a single-player endeavor, and the entire game or match relies on team dynamics. In contrast, sports with team ratings and formations involve both individual and team aspects, where individual performances contribute to a team's overall success but may not be entirely reliant on team dynamics. Relay races combine individual efforts within a team context, where smooth transitions are essential.
Areas around the Mediterranean had a long tradition of athletic events. Ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians depicted athletic scenes in the tombs of kings and their nobles. They did not, however, hold regular competitions, and those events that occurred were probably the preserve of kings and upper classes. Minoans culture held gymnastics in high esteem, withbull-leaping, tumbling, running, wrestling and boxing shown on their frescoes. The Mycenaeans adopted Minoan games and also raced chariots in religious or funerary ceremonies.[19][20]Homer's heroes participate in athletic competitions to honor the dead. In theIliad there are chariot races, boxing, wrestling, a foot race, as well as fencing, archery, and spear throwing. TheOdyssey adds to these a long jump and discus throw.[21]
It was inGreece that sports were first instituted formally, with the firstOlympic Games recorded in 776 BCE inOlympia, where they were celebrated until 393 CE.[22] Theseancient Olympic Games consisted ofrunning,long jump,boxing,wrestling,Pankration (combat sport),discus throw, andjavelin throw.[23] In theBayankhongor Province ofMongolia, Neolithic-era cave paintings dating to 7000 BC depict a wrestling match surrounded by crowds.[24]Prehistoric cave-paintings inJapan show a sport similar tosumo wrestling.[25] InWadi Sura, nearGilf Kebir inLibya, aNeolithic rock painting in thecave of swimmers shows evidence ofswimming andarchery being practiced around 6000 BC.[26]
Team sports have a rich and ancient history dating back thousands of years. These activities served as important facets of society, not only for physical fitness but also for social, cultural, and even political purposes. In ancient civilizations, team sports were prevalent and often intertwined with religious and cultural practices. InMesoamerica, theAztec ball game,ollamaliztli, was not just a sport but also a ritual with symbolic significance.[27]
TheGreeks, who laid the foundations for many contemporary sports, held various team sports as central to their culture. The Olympic Games, first recorded in 776 BCE, featured events like chariot racing and team foot races, fostering unity and friendly competition among city-states.[28] TheSpartans, known for their military prowess, engaged in team sports like theepiskyros, a type of football.[29]
Rome adopted and adapted many Greek sports, introducingharpastum, a ball game similar to soccer, andludi circenses, which included team chariot racing. These sports provided a sense of entertainment and unity, while also serving as a means of social control.[30]
Inancient China,cuju was a popular team sport akin to modern soccer, played as early as theHan dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE). The sport was not only a form of entertainment but also a means of fostering camaraderie among communities.[31]
Throughout history, team sports have reflected the values and priorities of their respective cultures. Whether it was the competitive spirit of the Greeks, the discipline of the Romans, or the communal bonding in China, ancient team sports played an integral role in the social fabric of civilizations. They transcended mere physical activity, serving as a testament to the enduring significance of sports in human history. Today, these ancient traditions continue to influence modern team sports, reminding us of the timeless appeal and cultural importance of collective athletic endeavors.
Status after the 2024 Summer Olympics
Summer Olympics (14)
Source:[32]
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Notes
Winter Olympics (2)Ice hockey andcurling are team sports at theWinter Olympics, with particularity that the men's tournament in Ice hockey was introduced at the 1920 Summer Olympics and was transferred permanently to the Winter Olympic Games program in 1924, in France. Before themonobob event has been introduced as an additional women's class by theIBSF for the 2020–21 world cup season and the 2022 Olympic games,bobsleigh was considered as a pure team sport, that can only be practiced as a team with at least two drivers. At the present time the men's events consist of the two-man and four-man class and the women's events are restricted only to the two-woman and women's monobob class.[34]
| Sport | Men | Women | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First edition | Editions | First edition | Editions | |
 Ice hockey at the Winter Olympics | Antwerp 1920 | 25 | Nagano 1998 | 7 |
 Curling at the Winter Olympics | Chamonix 1924 | 8 | Nagano 1998 | 7 |
Polo at the Summer Olympics(at 5 editions:1900 Paris,1908 London,1920 Antwerp,1924 Paris,1936 Berlin)
Rugby Union at the Summer Olympics(at 4 editions:1900 Paris,1908 London,1920 Antwerp,1924 Paris)
Tug of War at the Summer Olympics(at 5 editions:1900 Paris to1920 Antwerp)Bibliography
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