The lesson that sticks out most to people who have played or now play a team sport is the simple fact that a game cannot be won by one person. One learns there is a time to go for the final shot and there is a time to pass the ball to a teammate with a better chance, and that sharing the weight of the game does not make one weak but strengthens the team as a whole. Sports teach people to give and take. Soon after beginning a sport, athletes notice the people around them are not only teammates but also competitors. They see that in striving to become better players, they must strive to be as good or better than their teammates - without bitterness, anger or frustration.
Sports teach the art of competition.
Athletes also learn how to shake hands after a game, regardless of the winner or loser. An athlete learns that everyone who comes to compete has something to offer and possibly a new trick to teach. Sports teach respect for one's competitors. From the beginning, sports also show athletes that there are moments when a person shines, moments that bring joy and awe. These moments are priceless, and each team member wants to share that moment with the one who gave it to them - congratulations are part of the game.