Gift for baseball coaches -- opinions requested

[PaulGH]

My 8-year-old son plays on a local community baseball team. (It’s similar to Little League, though I don’t think it is officially part of the Little League organization.) He has had the same two main coaches for the past two years, and the team’s season is about to come to an end for this summer.

I would like to buy a small thank-you gift for each of his coaches, in appreciation of them volunteering so much of their time – especially considering that one of the coaches doesn’t even have a son on the team. However, one thing that occurred to me is that I don’t want it to look like we are trying to butter up the coaches to get more playing time for our son (e.g., if he plays for the same coaches next year).

Especially for those of you in the U.S. who have had kids play baseball with volunteer coaches, what do you think? Would it be appropriate for us to give a small end-of-season thank-you gift to the coaches? Or should we not do it? Would it maybe be better to collect money from all the parents (or all who want to contribute) for gifts from everyone? (I considered doing this, but it seems like it could be a big hassle.)

Also, any ideas of what gift to buy? I’m thinking maybe a Walmart gift card, just because I can’t think of anything more creative, and at least that is something that just about anyone could use.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Buy two baseballs. Write 2012 Bulldogs (or whatever your team is) and have all the kids sign them. It’s inexpensive, but will make wonderful and sentimental keepsakes for the coaches. People volunteer with kids because they love them. This is a simple way to honor that.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Best of all its cheap enough that you don’t have to solicit donations from other parents but it can still be given and viewed as a team gift.

 

[PaulGH]

Buy two baseballs. Write 2012 Bulldogs (or whatever your team is) and have all the kids sign them. It’s inexpensive, but will make wonderful and sentimental keepsakes for the coaches. People volunteer with kids because they love them. This is a simple way to honor that.

That’s a nice idea. I will consider that. Thanks!

 

[DCNBILL]

Buy two baseballs. Write 2012 Bulldogs (or whatever your team is) and have all the kids sign them. It’s inexpensive, but will make wonderful and sentimental keepsakes for the coaches. People volunteer with kids because they love them. This is a simple way to honor that.

:thumbsup:This is what the teams that I coached gave me and I still have them prominently displayed 14 years later!

 

[28562]

That’s what we did when I played Little League too. In fact, there was one for every player on the team.

 

[Midtown_Mike]

When I coached the little ones, we always gave out 1 or 2 game balls after the game to one or two players who did something good that day. Everyone got one eventually, and only 1. The game after everyone had received their game ball, I always sat the team down after the game and said I had a game ball, but this game ball they were going to all autograph for me. They loved being treated like the big leaguers, and I treasure those balls today.

This is a great idea as a gift; but around here I’ve seen it done both ways - team mom collects $ and buys gifts for the coaches, or individuals but gifts for coaches. Small amount gift cards always work. I’ve seen scratch-off lottery tickets given. A small token of appreciation is definitely warranted.

Mike

 

[petitfleur]

I think a five dollar gift card is a nice appreciation, but not over the top. My husband coaches several soccer teams some without a kid and we enjoy the gift cards.Some places we have gotten them, are Jamba Juice(a smoothie place), dairy queen, frozen yogurt shops, and sunken doughnuts. Some teams have everyone contribute five dollars or so, and some people just give individual gifts.
They are much appreciated!!

 

[PaulGH]

Thanks very much for all of the replies! I will try to talk with some of the parents at the game tonight, and get something figured out. I really like the signed baseball idea.

 

[_Jenn]

My husband coached our son for 3 years.

He’s only received one gift (lots of thank yous - sincere ones, not just lip service), and that was a restaurant gift card from one family the first year.

Anyway - I, the first year, blew up/printed out a team picture I took of the kids w/ my hubby in the dugout before their first game, went to Michael’s, bought a matte for it, and before the last game, pulled each kid aside as he arrived and had them sign the matte. Slipped in picture, and presented it to my dh after the game. All he needed to do was pick out a frame for it later on (I wanted him to choose that part of it).

 

[psr13]

Parents don’t typically get gifts for the coaches. Usually the team gets together and signs a ball or something.

 

[EasterJoy]

We bought our kids’ coaches a restaurant gift card at a local sports bar/restaurant in mid-season, enough so the coaches could have a meal out together.

The way you make it clear that you are not trying to butter up the coaches to get more playing time for your kids is that you don’t approach the coaches about more playing time for your kid. If you ask other parents if they want to pitch in for the gift, it becomes obvious that you can’t all expect favoritism as a group!

If you’re just supportive of their efforts, don’t second-guess their coaching, and teach your son to say, “thanks, coach” to them after practices and games, if you and your son expect to help them set up and pick up afterwards, then when you say you appreciate them, they simple conclude that you’re a family that practices gratitude.

The signed baseball is a really nice idea!

 

[PaulGH]

Thanks again for all the ideas and (name removed by moderator)ut. We ended up doing the signed baseballs, and also one of the other parents collected money for gift certificates. I’m very happy with the way it turned out. I know that at least one of the coaches immediately put the ball on prominent display in his house.