The poster of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games of this Saturday, August 10th has something to make team sports fans dream. Three finals on the program: the handball players ofOlivier Krumbholz will try to retain their Olympic title against the Norwegians, the volleyball players led by Earvin Ngapeththe defending champions, will try to do the same against Poland, while Victor Wembanyama and his teammates will do everything to beat the dream team American and be crowned Olympic basketball champions. All these are major sporting events that reveal the talent of the French teams, where strength lies in numbers. Indeed, practicing alongside other partners has a plethora of benefits, particularly for the mind.
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Team sports, benefits for mental well-being confirmed by science
Intuitively, team sports actually seem to be good for humans. Considered a “social animal” by Aristotlehumans flourish fully alongside their peers. This logic can therefore also be applied to the world of exercise. To do this, researchers have taken this hunch and validated it scientifically. This is particularly the case of the psychology department at the University of Quebec in Montreal in 2023. The research team followed 785 children for five years, from kindergarten to fourth grade (CM1 in France). The result: “young people who participate in a sustained manner in team sports report less depression, anxiety and social withdrawal than those who practice little or no sports.” An unequivocal finding, and confirmed by other studies, such as the one published by researchers from California State University in June 2022. For their part, they even measured that “young people practicing individual sports suffered more from mental health problems (+16%) than non-athletic children and adolescents.” Team sport therefore seems perfectly suited to cultivating iron mental health. What levers does it rely on to be so beneficial? Here are the main advantages of team sport for psychological balance:
1. An increased sense of belonging to the group
As Aristotle reminds us, humans feel more comfortable in groups. This is also what is suggested by the “herd instinct”, which psychologically theorizes the unconscious inclination of individuals to live together physically. Team sport therefore allows us to cultivate this so-called “primary” need of humans, who thus feel included in a group, and are reassured by this feeling of belonging.
2. The development of friendships and cohesion
The social interactions induced by group practice also suggest an increased development of friendships and cohesion between peers. Team sport therefore allows for long-term human connections, which can even become extra-sporting. A completely ideal benefit for enjoying external mental support on a daily basis.
3. Sharing the mental load between all team members
Who says team, says several teammates. In the event of competition and rising stress, the responsibility for a failure or difficulty can then be shared between all the members of the team. This divided mental load helps the individual not to feel responsible in the event of a disappointment, and to push back any feeling of guilt that is harmful to mental health.
4. A boost in self-esteem
While it can sometimes be difficult to congratulate yourself when you succeed, team sports allow you to surround yourself with people who can do it for you. Your teammates are often your biggest fans, and therefore never miss an opportunity to verbalize a compliment or encouragement. Ultimately, your self-esteem is boosted!
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