Conventional wisdom has always held there are myriad reasons to play team sports. Some, like the physical ones, are obvious: an antidote to our increasingly sedentary lives, and a way to combat the obesity crisis. It gets us outside and in the fresh air, releasing endorphins and improving sleep and mental health. Then there are the less tangible but no less important benefits from being part of a team: working towards shared goals, revelling in the joy of success from a collegiate endeavour, and understanding how to operate within a leadership hierarchy. There can also be a wonderful sense of belonging to a group with a common purpose that exists outside your other worlds. But, as today’s lead story explores, team culture can sometimes warp, and foster deeply problematic behaviour in an atmosphere where success at all costs is the only thing that matters. – Melissa Stevens, editor
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