Gift for coach, 8U travel ball.

Looking for clever idea's for a gift for the head coach of an 8U travel team.

Little background to understand the amount of personal time the coach has put into the team. Tryouts were in January. One indoor practice per week from February to mid April. 15-20 travel ball games and 3 tournaments (35 games all together). There are 13 girls on this team.

I personally feel that the coach did an incredible job communicating with both the players and the parents over the course of the season. Did a good job developing these young girls talent on the field, in addition to just being a very positive coach.

I was thinking $20 per player for some kind of coaches gift, would that be to little, too much, or just about right on the amount of money?

From the best that I can tell his main hobby is working out and doing cross fit training,.

Gambler Bob said:

Looking for clever idea's for a gift for the head coach of an 8U travel team.

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Nothing ever meant more to me that a huge card with a personal message from all the kids written inside.
An Amazon gift card @ $10-$15 a kids is a nice bonus and also appropriate, but the personal stuff is way more valuable and what I remember (and keep).

If he has done the job you said he has done, everyone one of those kids will call him 'coach' every time they see him forever.

I will also say that if you think he has done this good of a job, a personal written note from you would mean a lot as well. In the end, the really good coaches are doing it for the girls - and a thank you from a parent is very meaningful.

My favorite "coach gift" is a pic of the team with a wide mat around it, with hand-written messages from all the players written on the mat.

Depending on the economics of the team I would say 5-10 per player is more than enough. A restaurant gift certificate for a restaurant he might like is nice. In reality if he is married the gift if really for his wife. If he loves to coach the best gift is knowing that the kids had a great time, learned something and wanted to play the following year. Every time you see a kid do something they have never done before it makes it all worth it.

I got a coffee mug with pictures this season. I have yet to use it though. I don't want to mess it up. Most of the time I get the same plastic trophy as the kids.

Update.

We ended collecting $20 per player and got the head coach a costum made bat that was blue and orange which are the team colors. The bat had the coaches name and the team logo inscribed in the bat. All the girls signed the bat also. All the additional money was donated to the local charity that runs special olympics for children that have physical or mental issues.