With some high school sports coming to a close and others just starting — not to mention the Christmas shopping season on its way — it’s the perfect time of year to be thinking of gifts for a coach. But how can you choose sports gifts that convey your gratitude without feeling juvenile? Here are some grownup ideas for custom gifts for any coach:
- Customized Smartphone Cases
Plastic cases can be personalized with team info or even a photo, and a sleek iPhone case made of a material like bamboo is sophisticated enough for a coach to use full time — even if he or she has another job in the corporate world. You can have it etched with sports figures, a team name or favorite saying to make it a truly personal gift.
- Travel Mugs
Especially in younger leagues that aren’t attached to schools, coaches often juggle 9-to-5 jobs with practices and games. You can acknowledge those early mornings and time spent on the road with customized travel mugs for coffee or tea. Seeing the team’s name on her coffee cup might be a nice reminder to the coach that it’s all worth it.
- Collectible Pucks and Balls
No matter how the season turns out, you can thank your kids’ coaches for their hard work and dedication with collectible items for their home or office display cases. Custom hockey pucks or golf balls on stands are good options. Baseballs and softballs can even have a personalized photo added.
- Engraved Photo Frames
Coaches get very invested in their players, even years after they’ve moved into a higher division or graduated from a school. One great team gift is a photo of the whole team in an engraved frame with the dates and player names. You can be sure the coach will keep it on the mantel or bookshelf for years to come.
- Christmas Ornaments
With the holidays coming up, some themed gifts are in order. If you have multiple coaches to thank or you don’t want to go overboard on costs, ornaments are a good choice. You can find basketball Christmas ornaments, football ornaments, figure skating ornaments — you name it. Many can even be personalized with a name and date.
What else would make nice gifts for a coach? Share your ideas in the comments.
