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As parents we are always trying to find great gifts to give to the coaches who spend so much time making our children better athletes. This article offers 35 creative gift ideas for coaches, that they will actually love.
These men and women spend so much time and energy on our kids, they become heroes in the eyes of our children. What could we possibly give them to show our appreciation for their thankless job and the time they put in? No coach is compensated well enough for the time they put in away from their own families.
Coaches are incredible people, who are sacrificing their time for the benefit of our children. Let us help you find some great gifts to give to your child’s coach.
This post is all about creative gift ideas for coaches.
Looking for other ways to support your coach? Check out THIS article on the Parent-Coach Relationship: 5 Ways to Help Support Your Child’s Coach.
1. Gift Cards
Gift cards were always my favorite as a coach. Restaurant gift cards meant I could go on a date with my husband to my favorite restaurant, or try a new place. My favorite gift card was the amazon gift card I received a couple of years ago. I could get something that I really wanted.
2. Crystal Awards
I thought these were a neat gift to help remind the coach of a great year. They come in different patterns, some of them even have a sports ball on top, and include an engraving.
3. A Personalized Plaque/Wooden Sign
Customize a plaque for your sport and team.
This plaque is awesome, with a picture of the sport in the middle and room all around for athletes signatures.
4. Personalized Whistle
Give this personalized whistle to your coach, so they will always be able to keep track of which ones is theirs.
5. Ball Pump
Every coach needs a ball pump they can carry around in their bag. Here is a nice one that even has a flashlight.
6. Water Bottles
Water bottles are a must for every coach and athlete. Amazon has a lot of options where you can customize color, design and sport.
Hydroflask water bottles are always a great gift for those who spend a lot of time on the field or in a gym. These are great quality and will keep their water cold for hours.
7. A Mug
Customize this fun mug with a team picture and a message for the coach.
I love this mug with nutritional facts about the coaches. It is perfect for that hardworking, determined, and encouraging coach in your life.
8. Shutterfly Book
Quote Book: This quote book takes a little time and preparation on the part of the giver. It would be fun to write down funny quotes from either the coach or the players all season and put them into a Shutterfly book. Add some pictures of the team to make it extra special.
Lessons Learned Book: Another fun idea for a Shutterfly book would be to have athletes and parents write down lessons they learned over the season and put them in a book, with some pictures of the team.
9. Adventures of a Coach Journal
Any coach would love this journal, where they can write down experiences, inspirational quotes, and other memories they would want to record.
10. Photo/Collage Of Team
This is a fun DIY wood frame that you can put a picture on and it comes with white markers for the athletes to sign it.
This frame is amazing because it has the well-known quote about coaches by John Wooden, “A good coach can change a game, A great coach can change a life.” Add a team photo to personalize for your coach.
One of the neatest gifts our team gave a coach was a metal engraving of the team. We made a collage, and had it put on metal, it was beautiful.
11. Highlight Video
This idea takes time some time to prepare. Add pictures and video of activities, team dinners, and any other activity the team may be involved in throughout the season and turn it into a video that can be shown at the end of the season team party. It’s best to make sure you are including every person on the team, not just those who play the most.
12. Weekly Dinner for the Coach
This is one of the most thoughtful gift ideas for coaches and would take a coordinated effort with the parents of the team to figure out a schedule. Basically, the idea is to take dinner to the coach’s family once a week during the season as appreciation for their time and efforts. Coaches aren’t usually home around dinner time because they are usually coaching. Wouldn’t it be nice to help the coach’s family by providing a dinner once a week? It could be homemade, a store-bought freezer meal or delivered through door dash or some other delivery service. The coach’s family would appreciate this idea immensely.
13. Personalized Pencils
These are fun, colorful pens that you could put the coaches name or the team name on. You could even write, “Best Coach Ever.”
14. Notebook/Binder
This Rocketbook notebook is incredible! The pages are reusable, so you write down your team’s plays, and connect them to your phone to save, and then wipe it off and reuse the pages. Check out these amazing reviews!
Here is a portfolio that has a built in three-ring binder to keep any coach organized.
A personalized notebook would be nice to write down practice plans or notes they might have about the team.
15. iPad Holder with Storage and Clipboard
Here is an amazing iPad holder with storage and clipboard. The coach could have all their tools in one place.
Every coach needs a good clipboard. With this clipboard, every other team the coach is a part of will forever think that the team pictured on this clipboard was their favorite team. Plus the coach will always be able to find their clipboard—it’s the one with the picture of his or her favorite team.
16. Wooden Coach Letters
This is personally one of my favorite ways for the players to sign their names on something for the coach. Coaches love things they can display with their players signatures and numbers on them.
17. Framed Art with Team Signatures
This is another fun frame that would be great for players signatures, and there are a ton of sports options.
18. Coaches Bag
Here is a nice bag so the coach can carry all their gear in one place.
19. Cooler
Here is a fun cooler that comes in different colors, is collapsible and has a lot of different compartments. This cooler can be used on those long bus rides, at weekend tournaments, or days on the field, or in a gym.
20. Sports Ball with Signatures
Find an old ball in the closet and have all the team sign it. You can even buy a new ball or use one from an important game.
21. Drink Coasters
Wouldn’t these coasters be fun for the coach? Every time they had a drink, they could be putting it on pictures of their team.
22. Coloring Book
Check out this little jewel for volleyball coaches specifically. What adult doesn’t like to color for a few minutes. They could use some relaxation time and a great coloring page about their sport.
23. House Cleaned by Professional
What coach has time to clean their house? Give them a gift certificate to have a cleaning company come in for a few weeks to clean their house. This would be a unique gift that they would use and always remember.
24. Tickets to an Event
Check your local event/sports/activity center and see if there is an event you think your coach might like and get them tickets. Another option would be to give them a gift card to the event center so they can pick their own event to attend.
25. Sunglasses
Sunglasses are a must for those outdoor sports.
26. Sports Tie
There are so many ties out there, but here are a few that would be fun for the coach in your life.
27. Jewelry
Here are some earrings that have several different sport options.
Check out this necklace that can be customized with the sport and name.
28. Socks
Here is an array of socks for that coach who loves every sport. They can wear a different sport every day.
29. T-shirts
There are so many great t-shirts out there that any coach would enjoy, but this one is one of my favorites. We bought this for my daughter’s volleyball coach, because he was one of a kind. He was one of those coaches that my daughter will never forget.
This t-shirt would be fun for the team to sign before giving to the coach.
30. Sports Jersey Wall Hanging
It is always fun to take an old jersey, especially if you won a championship, and put it in a frame. The coach will always remember the jersey and the team that helped them win.
31. Personalized Pillowcase
Every single night the coach will see the team’s picture right before they go to bed. Hopefully it will be sweet dreams instead of nightmares.
This pillow would be fun for any athlete or coach.
I love that you can add a picture of the team on to this pillow.
32. Personalized Blanket
This is a fun blanket that comes in different colors.
Your coach will love this blanket because you can personalize it with the sport you want, the color you want and even add the coach’s name.
33. Personalized Towel
Put the coach’s name on the towel and this becomes a fun gift that the coach can use all the time. It comes in different sizes and colors. This would even be a fun idea for the team members, put the team’s name on the towel.
34. Key Chain
There are so many great keychains with sayings, here are a couple of our favorites for coaches.
35. Inspirational Books
Here are some books written by great coaches that are filled with stories, ideas, quotes, and inspiration to help your fantastic coach become even better. These are wonderful gift ideas for coaches. Great coaches are always looking for ways to improve their game and will be thrilled with these motivational books.
In this article we showed you 35 creative gift ideas for coaches that your child’s coach will actually love. Both your coach and child will have memories from this team that will last a lifetime. These ideas will demonstrate how much you appreciated all the sacrifice and work that your coach put into the season. Let’s serve!
This post was all about creative gift ideas for coaches.
Looking for ways to support your coach? Check out THIS article on the Parent-Coach Relationship: 5 Ways to Help Support Your Child’s Coach.