PURPOSE This study both validated the Characteristics of Resilience in Sports Teams Inventory (CREST) scale for use in Korean sports and analyzed the impact of team resilience on teamwork and performance. METHODS The study surveyed 462 elite football players by using the CREST scale to measure team resilience in Korean sports. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), reliability analysis, correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). RESULTS First, results confirmed that the CREST scale’s two main factors—resilient characteristics and vulnerabilities under pressure—can be meaningfully applied in the Korean context. Second, resilient characteristics showed positive correlation with life skills, whereas vulnerabilities under pressure showed negative correlation. Third, resilient characteristics positively predicted life skills, whereas vulnerabilities under pressure negatively affected life skills. CONCLUSIONS The CREST scale was found reliable and valid in the Korean sports context, demonstrating that team resilience significantly impacts life skills. Thus, the study contributes to evaluation of resilience in Korean sports teams and provides strategicinsights to improve team performance.