Gift Ideas
30 Unique Gift Ideas for Coaches and Sport-Lovers
February 19, 2024
How do you pick the perfect gift for the sports enthusiast in your life? From the kids’ sports coach to a farewell gift for a gym junkie colleague…whoever it is, we’ve rounded up the 30 best coach gifts and gift ideas for the sport-lovers in your life.
Coach gifts can be tricky because no coach will say that they want a present; but if they did a great job with your child, no doubt you would want to say thank you somehow.
But how much do you want to spend on the coach? And what gift could you get that you know they would love? What about the manager? We've got you covered.
So what are the best coach gift ideas? Let's take a look...
Contents:
Our top picks
The overall best coach gift: Card & Gift Card From The Team - FREE from GroupTogether
The best coach gift on a budget: 'Active' Quarter Sock - $24 at paire.com.au
The best coach gift for women: Reusable Water Bottle - $50 at frankgreen.com.au
The best coach for men: Duffel Bag - $55 at jd-sports.com.au
Gifts Under $50
Group Card & Gift Card (from the whole team) - FREE at grouptogether.com
We find that most people like to spend around $20 on a coach gift. Well, $20 might buy a nice card and a box of chocolates…but how much better would it be if the whole team joined together and each put their $20 together! With an average of 15 kids on a soccer team, $20 each would mean a present to the value of $300. Nice!
You can organise it easily online with GroupTogether, and even split the money collected to give a gift to both the coach and manager. Just share a link in your team chat and let everyone chip in and sign the card online. Easy peasy. It’s free to use and it means the coach gets one great gift and heartfelt card from the team. The parents can't see what each other have chipped it, meaning it's much for inclusive for everyone's financial situation.
Not sure what coach gift to buy? Choose our AnyCard which lets the coach choose from 70+ eGift Cards from all of the leading brands.
'Active' Quarter Sock - $24 at paire.com.au
I know it sounds boring but every sports enthusiast needs good quality sports socks. These Paire socks are made from Aussie Merino wool and TENCEL™ - an extra breezy material to keep you safe and sweat-free on the go. With ergonomically designed support, cloud cushion and anti-bactieral fabric to step stench - they rock!
Reusable Water Bottle - $50 at frankgreen.com.au
We love this for a coach present idea! Help them stop dying of dehydration by choosing a gorgeous reusable water bottle from Frank Green. Their bottles are incredibly durable, mine has lasted me forever and keeps everything at the right temp. Plus, you can even personalise them with their initials or their team colours which makes it a very cute and practical coach gift without costing you an arm and a leg.
Biography of a Sports Star - $30 at booktopia.com.au
Is your coach always rambling about cricket? Or tennis? Or football? For the extra enthusiastic sports coach, choose a biography by a world-class player like Shane Warne or Ash Barty. Warning; if purchased, you should prepare yourself to hear all about every minute detail of the book at each training session.
Quick Dry Sports Towel - $26 at dockandbay.com
A great sports coach gift for those who love to hit the gym or go for a dip after practice. These quick-dry sports towels are fantastic as they are lightweight and compact so they can just shove them in their bag without the hassle of it taking up too much space.
For summer sports…Cooling Neck Wrap - $14 at paddypallin.com.au
The summers are only going to be getting warmer from here (welp!), so they’ll be grateful for this cooling neck wrap. This would make a great coach present idea for our coaches who get...let’s say…animated or a little overly zealous on the side line.
For winter sports…Hand Warmers - $13 at tentworld.com.au
A nice gift for your netball coach, especially for our friends in Victoria and Tassie. Keep their hands toasty with these reusable hand warmers, it will be a gift that keeps on giving all winter long!
Esky backpack - $50 at bunnings.com.au
Give their back a break by gifting them this Esky backpack. No more lugging a cooler bag of snacks from the car… these backpacks are the best thing since sliced bread. A practical coach gift that they’ll LOVE.
A scarf from their favourite team - $30 at shop.footballaustralia.com.au
A gift every sports enthusiast will love is a scarf from their fave team. If they live in the colder states you could choose the matching beanie too!
Gifts $50 - $100
Bucket List Experience - $100 at wewander.com.au
For the adventure-loving coach, consider gifting an experience that feeds their love for memories over material things. We love the WeWander boxes as the lucky recipient receives a physical book of experiences to choose from, making it feel extra spesh! The book includes a range of experiences from Alpaca meet and greets (yes that’s a real thing) to kayak hiking and deep sea diving.
Duffel Bag - $55 at jd-sports.com.au
For our coaches who have had the same bag for 20 years, it’s time for a change! Choose this sleek duffel bag from Nike, you could even pair it with the socks to make a nice matching football coach gift.
Calm subscription - $70 at calm.com/gift
If you’ve had a poor season this would be a thoughtful soccer coach gift idea for your very passionate coach. Help them relieve their mental anguish and bring some peace into their life with an annual subscription to Calm.
Beer Bouquet - $90 at brewquets.com.au
Every man’s dream is a box of beer delivered to them! So make their dreams come true with this personalised coach beer box. The hamper includes 12 different beers from various breweries packaged in a cute ‘Thanks Coach’ box, this would be a very well-received coach gift.
Trolley - $99 at anacondastores.com
This one is a super practical coach gift. If they’re a serial coach, make their lives easier by choosing this nifty trolley as a gift. It saves them from having to carry everything to and from the field. They’ll probably rock up at your games much happier, so it’ll be a gift to the team as well! It's also perfect for the beach and picnics, so they will get plenty of extra use out of it!
Northface Broad Brim Hat - $90 at thenorthface.com.au
These Northface broad brim hats make a wonderful present for sports coaches. The hat itself is an airy full-brim hat, with sweat-wicking FlashDry and UPF 40+ protection. Perfect for summer sports seasons. Plus it's recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation!
Sports Umbrella - $80 at underarmour.com.au
An excellent football coach gift for those rainy evening practice sessions. The umbrella itself is extra large but doesn’t feel heavy, has a double canopy for extra protection and a textured rubber handle for a comfy grip. We love a practical gift!
Personalised Ball - $50 at npaevents.com.au
A cute gift for your netball coach! You can choose from a variety of different colours and fonts, plus they have 24-hour dispatch in case you’re running out of time. They also do personalised balls for basketball, rugby league, rugby union, AFL, cricket and football/soccer. Such a unique present for sports coaches!
Bouquet of Flowers - $75 at dailyblooms.com.au
A perfect gift idea for a dance instructor or a gymnastics coach. Daily Blooms create the most gorgeous bouquets which you could even pair with one of their handcrafted vases. The pictured bouquet 'You Beauty' is one of our faves and available for national delivery.
Gifts $100 - $200
Personalised thank you video message from a Sports Star - $100+ at heyswysh.com
If you’re looking for a unique coach gift idea then check out Swysh - personalised videos from your favourite Aussie sports stars. They’ve got a great line-up including big names from NRL, Netball, Cricket and even Olympic Sports. A fun and different gift for a sports lover!
Nutribullet - $160 at bulletbrands.com.au
Most sports enthusiasts are passionate about their nutrition. A NutriBullet would make a great coach gift idea. This version has more power which gives them an even quicker blend time for when they’re rushing out the door.
Tickets to a game - $100+ at ticketek.com.au
You can never really go wrong with tickets as a gift, they’re always winners! Give tickets to a finals game of their favourite team - sooo cool! Don't forget if you've got their partner's number, check to see if they're available. Otherwise, you can't go wrong with a gift voucher so they can pick when and what they’d love to go to. A perfect present for your coach!
At-Home Massage - $100+ at getblys.com.au
After a tense season, your coach would absolutey appreciate a massage. With Blys, you’ll get extra points for them not having to leave the comfort of their home! They can even choose a same-day appointment if they’ve pulled something or had a big weekend of sport.
Australian Whiskey Tasting Gift - $149 at hardtofind.com.au
A quality coach gift idea! This Aussie whiskey tasting set comes with twelve 30ml samples, plus a tasting and distillery guide. Perfect for your whiskey-loving coach!
Folding Chair - $120 at oztrail.com.au
Stop your coach from stealing your chair by giving them their very own! This Big Boy Arm Chair is really durable, with a large pocket for them to put their reusable water bottle, a bottle opener for those post-win celebratory beers and a mesh pocket for extra storage. A versatile piece they’ll get a lot of use out of
Voucher to a local restaurant - $100+ at Gourmet Traveller
A nice present for your coach and their long-suffering partner! Choose a voucher to a local restaurant so they can have a night to reconnect after a busy sports season, or give them the Gourmet Traveller Gift Voucher, so they can choose from a great selection of incredible restaurants in their area.
Wine glasses + decanter set - $120 at riedel.com
An elegant coach gift idea is this wine glass and decanter set, a perfect starter piece for the coach with a growing love of wine. It’s suitable for both young and old wines and it’s dishwasher friendly.
Lessons with a pro - $100+ at RedBalloon
A classic gift that’s loved by coaches. If they love their golf, choose a lesson with a pro to help them improve their game. A great gift for any sports lover!
Gifts $200+
Wireless Headphones - $219 at jbhifi.com.au
Anyone who is into health and fitness needs a pair of wireless headphones so they can say goodbye to that horrible feeling of ripping the cord out of your ears while you run. This pair has an impressive 8-hour battery life, so a great gift for any marathon runner out there!
Northface Jacket - $230 at thenorthface.com.au
No one likes getting wet and cold! This is a timeless coach gift idea that will last forever. Northface jackets are great quality, breathable and made from recycled fabrics, they look elegant and put together. A no-brainer as a gift from the whole team!
Portable Speaker - $700 at jbl.com.au
A pricier gift so consider coming together as a team with GroupTogether to purchase them this portable speaker. It would be perfect for playing music at training, so really it’s a gift for your whole team.
What coaches don't want!
Here are a few gifts to avoid as told to us by coaches.
- Best Coach mug – “I have 23 mugs at home that say I’m the best coach – I can only drink from one at a time!”
- Photo frame with a picture of the child
- Best coach underwear – “One year I got a pair of briefs which had ‘Best Coach Ever’ written all over them. It must have taken them a while to find something like that, but really, it was just awkward!!”
Lots of coaches we spoke to were really happy to avoid the novelty “coach” gifts and instead receive one great gift from the team such as an eGift Card so they could choose what they wanted or needed.
When it comes to expressing gratitude to your coach, finding the right gift can make all the difference. So whether you're looking for soccer coach gifts, basketball coach gifts, football coach gifts or gifts for your netball coach - this list of present ideas will have you sorted in no time!
With our carefully curated selection of coach gifts, you can show your appreciation in a meaningful way. From thoughtful keepsakes to practical accessories, our collection offers something special for every sports coach. Whether it's for a championship win, the end of a season, or just to say thank you for their dedication, these gifts are sure to make a lasting impression. Explore our ideas today and find the perfect gift coach recipients will truly cherish.
