Coaches Gifts

[drivingmom]

Ok so it's that time of year for the Banquet. I am struggling with what to get the coaches (2 female, 1 male). I have done, wine, gift cert. chocolates.

What would be a good gift? We are not going in on a gift this year as a group, so it's just individual. Help

 

[marie83]

how about a nice necklace or earrings (not expensive) for the females - we coaches do sometimes like to get dressed up! hehe.
As for the male - I don't really know - always struggle buying for men!

 

[gymfan4ever95]

What we did for my coach when she was leaving was the parents took lots of pictures during practice, and made a board filled with pictures of our team. We each wrote something to the coach, as well. But...that probablly won't be of much help!
Another idea we had for her was to get a silver whistle, and engrave "Coach Shannon" on it. I liked that idea, but we never did it!

 

[CreateMagic]

How bout a gift certificate for the spa (massage, etc)? Coaches' bodies are put through so much day in a day out.

 

[CoachGoofy]

I actually like gift cards. They say "I know you are an individual, but not enough about your preferences to select a book for you".

And baked goods, ohmigosh. I burst into the most ridiculous sentimental tears over homemade baked goods (homemade anything really. The made-with-affection factor gets me every time). I think I'd be a useless pile of "ohmigosh our families are the best" with the baked goods/team collage power combination.

 

[gymdog]

I don't think you need to get a gift. If you want to show appreciation, I would have your daughter write a note (with help if she's too young) including some of her favorite memories or high points of the season, etc and include a picture of her and the coach if you have one. If you want to give something else a little along with it, then I like the idea of baked goods.

 

[txgymfan]

I have to admit as a teacher I vote against baked goods for anyone. The sentiment is nice but the reality is that I'm not a big sweets person and dont' like chocolate. I try to eat healthy so baked goods just say that someone does not know me well or care for my preferences.

I agree a note from the kids is special and should go along with any gift.

If you do get a gift ask the kids what coach says she likes. Does she comment about a certain restaurant or deli she stops by on the way home? Take your clues from the coach and get either a small gift, gift certificate that show that you've noticed something personal about them. If necessary ask the office manager, she will know the coaches preferences. They know everything!

 

[Linsul]

I love pictures! I still have all the pictures kids/parents have given me. A determined parent can really get some awesome kodak moments!! My 2 favorites are one of me giving a girl 10 after an awesome bar routine (big smiles, we hugged right after so we were really leaning into it) and one when I was spotting a back walkover on a low beam from my knees. The gymnast was in her finishing pose and I was looking up at her while she was looking down at me, it was a good angle. They're all special for sure.

Oh and um....I really like brownies. Cookies and gift cards too. I got a Starbucks one for Christmas one year because early morning workouts I was always seen with my coffee as I walked in.

Funniest present I ever got was this bottle of almond tequila from Mexico. It was from a parent that drank a margarita after the meets when we all went to dinner. I kept telling her I can't hang with tequila...she was determined to change my mind.

So something small, personal, humorous, or tasty and you can't go wrong!

 

[coachmolly]

The gifts I love the most are the simple and thoughtful ones. When a kid brings me a drawing they made for me, I just melt. Drawings, personal cards and letters, pictures, any of that kind of stuff I would be thrilled to receive. Just knowing that they thought about you and took the time to make something is so special to me. And I certainly would not complain about baked goods.
One of my rec kids got me those socks from Bath and Body Works that are infused with aloe for Christmas and I love them. He also wrote out the card himself which I thought was really sweet.
If you are looking to spend a little more money and go above and beyond, I would say gift cards to restaurants or popular stores. My brother coaches a swim team and he is usually thrilled with gift cards to Borders, steak houses, sporting good stores (probably best for the guy, unless the girls are into outdoor stuff), coffee shops, anything really. And while he gets some pretty awesome stuff from the swim parents, some of his favorites are the little crafts kids have made for him. After the gift cards get spent, he still has the little handmade trinkets displayed on his desk.

 

[Linsul]

The gifts I love the most are the simple and thoughtful ones. When a kid brings me a drawing they made for me, I just melt. Drawings, personal cards and letters, pictures, any of that kind of stuff I would be thrilled to receive.

Totally agree here! My rear view mirror in the car has been taken over by pipe cleaner flowers kids made me. There's a crafted butterfly on my dashboard. Pictures in my coaching binder. I love this stuff it's totally cute!

 

[gymch34]

A really nice card w/ a thoughtful note of appreciation is sooo appreciated!Also a gift car for coffe, or a lunch place near the gym where the coach frequents is very appreciated-gas cards, or a massage would be GREAT!!!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Ok so it's that time of year for the Banquet. I am struggling with what to get the coaches (2 female, 1 male). I have done, wine, gift cert. chocolates.

What would be a good gift? We are not going in on a gift this year as a group, so it's just individual. Help

money, money, money.

 

[nevertooold]

Gift cards in any denomination ...

If you want to go small starbucks, tropical smoothie, or itunes. If you want to go a little larger, DSW (we all go through sneakers on our feet 6 days a week) or stores that sell athletic wear (most coaches are required to wear athletic pants/shorts and the nice ones aren't cheap).

Depending upon age and marital status stores that sell items for the home or for a particular hobby or just a visa gift card.

Find out what the coaches interests are, I would love to get a cheap crossword book that would show my families know me. Wine, bath salts and candles are also favorites.

How about a years supply of their favorite gum. Or look and see what kind of athletic socks they wear, we go through these too.

Try to find something individual for each coach, we love to know that you see us as a person with a life outside the gym too.

 

[CreateMagic]

This is more of a group gift, but I'll throw it out there. A few years ago, the cheer team I was coaching got the coaches the Pandora bracelets. Each year after that we got beads for it, with some meaning for that year--a 4-leaf clover for luck, a suitcase for a big travel year, etc. I love mine, and I love to tell people the story behind each one.

 

[Pickle's Mom]

Pickle has already designed the card she wants to make for her coach this year. The front has a photo of her and her coach at a meet and the inside has a grid that shows her scores on each event from the first meet of the season followed by her PB. Since, in some cases, this went up by well over 2 points, it's pretty cool.

I'll probably throw in a gift card from a bookstore.

 

[CoachGoofy]

The gifts I love the most are the simple and thoughtful ones. When a kid brings me a drawing they made for me, I just melt. Drawings, personal cards and letters, pictures, any of that kind of stuff I would be thrilled to receive.

Agree. The keychain one of my compulsory girls made for my birthday made my LIFE.

 

[gymgurl]

I haven't the slightest idea for the male but for the females i will tell u what we got our coaches
One of them we got a pack from the body shop* and the other we got earrings and a pack from the body shop (we had a group of 12 i think it was paying so we got really large packages but you can get small packages

*body shop sells shower gels, soap, body butter, perfume etc

 

[fuzi]

I'm going to throw in a coaches opinion, for what it is worth.

I love the gifts that everyone gives me, but I tend to end up with too many body lotions, soaps, and gels, and too many baked goods. Gift cards are great gifts, especially to nearby restaurants, bookstores, coffee shops, or sports stores. I spend so much time at the gym, that it's nice to be able to grab a bite before or after work. We wear through sneakers and athletic pants, also. I love when a gift card is presented with a handwritten card by the gymnast with what they have to say. Personal and practical= ideal.

 

[bookworm]

For our coaches, we did VISA gift cards so they could spend them wherever they wanted and they were a big hit....

 

[bogwoppit]

This is a seriously old thread. Please do not post in it.