Team Gift Ideas - Best Team Mom

Gift Ideas

Team, Team Mom & Coach Gift Ideas

Not every Team Mom purchases or makes gifts for each player but if you can, you will be a BestTEAMMOM. Being a BestTEAMMOM doesn’t mean you have to go broke, just creative. Let me be the first to say that I do not have a creative bone in my body but I believe what drives me is my determination so if I can do it, you can too. Brainstorming and being creative can go a long way. And by-the-way, the gifts don’t have to be given at the end of the season either. Take a look at some sample gifts.

Team gifts

My first season as Team Mom for my son’s baseball team, I made pennants for each of the players with their names on it (see pennant on left). Looking back, the pennants weren’t that great but at least we parents had them at the game so that we could cheer on our boys. The next two seasons I was able to purchase quality pennants from Teams Banner and everyone loved them. Not only did we have something to cheer the boys on but they also had a nice keepsake for the end of the season.

A BestTEAMMOM for my daughter’s soccer team one season purchased water bottles that were on sale and wrote each girl’s name on it with puff paint. (Puff paint can be purchased at any fabric or craft store and comes in many colors). This was something they could use at practices and at the games.

The following are some great gifts to give to each player for after the season is over:

Banner folder – A great team gift for the kids is a folder that has their name and their team number on it made for the team banner. Purchase some school type notebook folders either in the team’s color or a variety of colors. Cut up the team banner with each player’s name/number. Affix their name/number to the folder with laminating paper that can be purchased at an office store such as Staples or Office Max.

Something About Me photo book – After three seasons as Team Mom for my son’s baseball team (same coach and some of the players the same) I still didn’t feel I really knew the coach or really knew the players so I created a Something About Me photo book. It’s a book that contains the team’s photos, information about each player such as full name, age, school attending, grade, siblings, and then something about the player. It could be funny, sad, caring, anything. The first page will have the picture of the coach and information about him/her. This is a great way for team members to get to know each other and the coach better.

Season Photo book – Take photos throughout the year of each player in candid and posed shots. Put photos in a photo book and give to each player.

Award certificates – Some pizza parlors offer free team award certificates that can be used for either free food or tokens at their restaurant.

Coach gifts

Most coaches like receiving a gift that is personal. Something that represents the season and players is one of the greatest gifts a coach could get. With 3 seasons with the same coach for baseball and for soccer, I was always trying to come up with different ideas for gifts. Some of the coach’s gifts I have given are:

hand painted photo collage of players and coach
canvas art
about coach framed,
photo calendar, each month with a different team member,
gift certificates (restaurants, sporting goods, home depot)

Hand painted art – If you know an artist, commission them to sketch/paint a drawing of the team members and the coach.

Canvas art – this is the next best thing to a hand painted picture. I purchased from and presented a canvas picture of the coach and his son to him.

Something about Coach Plaque – Since I was already making the Something About Me books and had a lot of great information about the coach (obtained from his spouse), I decided to make a Something About Coach framed picture. I got the idea from a parent who created something similar for my daughter’s soccer team. It was easy. Get photos of the coach and team (candid shots look the best) and organize them in Word for an 11 X 14 sheet of paper. Insert information about the coach underneath photo. In the center create a text box and put the team members’ name and number information there. Next arrange a couple of additional photos on the right and put some information down about the season such as highlights, firsts, etc.

Photo calendar with each team member on it – our coach loved this gift and really enjoyed seeing pictures of the team throughout the year in a calendar.

Personalized team ball with player’s signatures – be sure to ask a spouse about this one. If the coach has been coaching awhile, chances are he or she may have plenty of these.

Framed team photo with player’s signatures on the matting.

Gift certificates – this is the old standby gift and there is certainly nothing wrong with it. Just ask the coach’s spouse or closest friend what type of establishments he or she likes and you can’t go wrong.

Another great gift idea for your coach is a photo book commemorating your teams’ fun times and successes! Find out more at LuLu.com.

Team Mom gifts
Your team and coach may decide to thank you with a token of their appreciation. Some great gifts for Team Moms are: