Teamwork Training in Sport: A Pilot Intervention Study

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of a novel team building intervention that targets teamwork in sport. Using a 10-week pilot nonrandomized controlled intervention design, 12 interdependent sports teams comprising 187 athletes were assigned to one of two conditions: an experimental condition in which teams participated in two teamwork training sessions at Weeks 2 and 6 of the study (6 teams, 94 athletes) or a no-training control condition (6 teams, 93 athletes). Teamwork was measured at Weeks 1, 5, and 10 of the study. Overall, significant improvements in teamwork were shown for the experimental teams from baseline to Week 5; these effects were maintained through Week 10 of the study. In contrast, no significant changes in teamwork were observed for teams in the control condition over these 10 weeks. The results provide evidence that teamwork training can enhance the extent to which members of a sports team work effectively together.

Lay Summary: For sport teams to be successful, it is important that team members work well together. In this study, we found that teamwork can be enhanced through a novel team building intervention.

Acknowledgments

We thank Drs. Bruno Zumbo and Mark Eys for their assistance and insight throughout this research.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by a doctoral scholarship for the first author from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, a scholar award for the last author from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, and a graduate student research grant from the University of British Columbia’s School of Kinesiology.