8 End-of-Season Gifts that Coaches Love Getting
If you’re scouring Pinterest boards, trying to come up with a good gift for your kid’s travel coach, rest easy! And check out these ideas suggested by real-live baseball and softball coaches.
Commemorative Miniature Wood Bat
A personalized wood bat is the perfect tribute to a great season for coaches and players alike. CoolBats.com customizes high quality maple bats with team pictures, names, logos and other specifications at a price that won’t break the team budget. We also love using Cool Bats in place of trophies for tournament wins and end-of-season celebrations.
Gas cards
Auto Detailing Gift Certificate
Bucket organizer
Baseballs 
And more balls
Cash
Team photo album
Caution: Go easy on the gift personalization for male coaches. (Well, that’s what I’m told, anyway. Not trying to start a gender war here.) A friend once shared about receiving a new ball bucket from a group of zealously crafty team moms. They had decoupaged two dozen photos from the season around the bucket’s surface area, transforming it into a mobile scrapbook. The Wilson logo was obscured by “Coach Thomas” pasted in bright red, over-sized bubble letters. The moms beamed with pride as they handed over their masterpiece to Coach Thomas who stood awkwardly, reminiscent of Ralphie modeling his new bunny suit in A Christmas Story.
“Every time I used it, it was like I was carrying my wife’s purse around. But I really did appreciate all the work they did on it,” he admitted.
Below are suggestions of intangible things coaches would like to receive…quoted verbatim.
“A player agreement that you will wait 24 hours before contacting after games/practices if you have a problem. Players showing up on time and prepared to practice/play. Parents working with their kids outside of practice. I could keep going but as most coaches say I don’t do it for gifts.”
“Genuine desire to improve.”
“Absolutely nothing! To see these young ladies grow as ball players and human beings is the best gift a coach could ask for! Maybe a simple ‘thanks, Coach'”
“Do better in school”
“They want hot moms” (watch it, buddy!)
“Dingers and defense!”
“Parents who pay attention. Nothing is more annoying to a coach than having a parent call him the morning of the game to ask “Do we have a game today?” after you have emailed and texted them about the game and there’s a website with the schedule at their avail any time they need to check if there’s a game or not.”
“Another pitcher, a lefty slapper and a power bat!”
“It’s a gift everyday to get to coach my team and see the progress they make as ball players and young men.”
