I love sports. I loved playing baseball, football, basketball, even soccer. When I was a bit younger, I was pretty good. But I still immensely enjoy watching a Stanley Cup playoff, some March Madness, a really tight World Series.
I enjoy many of the things most spectators enjoy: the competition, the intensity, the passion to win, and of course watching extremely talented people do incredibly talented things.
But I also enjoy other key aspects of the game. I like to pay attention to the fine points of winning, the small details. What is very intriguing is watching how two or more players will work together to make something happen (score a basket, a goal, etc.). For example, in sports like hockey, basketball and soccer, a great deal of importance is placed on the ability to PASS the ball (or puck). There are players who derive greater satisfaction from a precisely-delivered pass than from actually scoring. Seasoned basketball fans are awed by the combination of a fantastic pass culminating in a score. I certainly am.
A game is played to win. In order to win, individual players blend their skills and their actions with other players. Teams made up of JUST individuals, even those highly talented, often fail against teams composed of people who work hard on working together.
The next time you watch a well-played game, observe the degree of teamwork on both teams. Look for the subtle details and you'll see some really exciting give-and-take that you might not ordinarily see.
The more a group of people works together as a team, the more that group gets done and the easier it is to get things done. This is true in sports and of course is true in every other area of life.
