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The Best Gift Ideas For Coaches

Long training sessions on cold nights. Juggling the wish to get everyone involved with the primal urge to win at all costs. Picking everyone up off the floor when things don’t go to plan. Coaches do a whole lot more than just blow a whistle and shout at referees— and a thank you gift or an appreciation gift can mean a lot to even the most stoic coaches in the game.

This is our curated collection of the best coach gift ideas. Hopefully the perfect gift is somewhere on this list and will put a smile on your coach’s face…no matter the result of the game.

By Kevin Larue • Published Jan 2 2023

1. GoSports Coaches Clipboards

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For all the good talking can do, sometimes just drawing it up and black and white is what gets the message across. GoSports clipboards come in a range of designs specific to the given sport so the team's leader can crazy with Xs and Os. Maybe grab a box of long-life pens too. Coach is likely gonna need em!

2. Engraved whistle

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The shrill blast of a whistle usually signifies that it's either time to pick up the pace or something has gone wrong. Either way, it normally doubles as a signal that coach is fired up. So this touching personalized whistle can perhaps help take the edge of some of those moments. Perhaps...

3. The Talent Code

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"Greatness isn't born..." reads the subtitle of Daniel Coyle's essential 2009 offering. "It's grown. Here's how." Coyle charts his research through some of the world's diverse coaching hotspots, touching on sports, the arts, academia and more to identify the key approaches that can develop ket skills and even greatness.

4. Internet's Best Padded Sideline Chair

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We've all found ourselves plonked down in an uncomfortable folding chair that threatens to cut off blood circulation to our legs. Haven't we!? Your coach deserves better, whether it's to bask in the glory of victory or to sit back and take defeat, make them comfortable with these lightweight padded travel chairs.

5. Pyle Megaphone Speaker PA Bullhorn

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Even for the very best teams, there are days when a whistle just won't cut it. Save your coach's lungs and vocal chords with this multipurpose megaphone. It includes an in-built siren, adjustable volume control and something called 'voice amplifier mode'. Maybe grab some ear plugs for yourself while you're shopping!

6. Team Snap App Subscription

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How much of a coach's time is actually spent coaching? Most of it seems to be spent herding cats. The Team Snap app offers a super easy-to-use and time-saving tool for organizing schedules, roster, training regimens and lots more. Lifesaver.

7. Novelty sports slippers

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Prowling playing fields all afternoon and evening can take its toll. Maybe help your coach find some much-needed comfort with these comically plush slippers, available in a whole range of pro and college teams.

8. Yes Coach T-shirt

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This one leaves little room for doubt. If a training drill or tactical move isn't going to plan, one blast of the whistle and a stern finger pointing to the message on coach's shirt should make things clear.

9. Personalized Bobblehead

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Every pro knows they've made it when they're immortalized in bobblehead form. Give coach his or her own bobblehead day with Unibobble's full customizable and always fun designs.

10. Subscription to The Athletic

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Why do coaches get into it? For the love of the game, obviously. But also because they fancy themselves as a part-time Bill Belichik or Gregg Popovich. Help them keep updated on the latest thinking among the pros in the big leagues with a subscription to The Athletic, with some of the very best sports journalism around.

11. Under Armour Handwarmer

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For all the visions of sun-kissed afternoons on the sidelines, reality can bite and bite hard. There's a whole lot of long, cold mornings and evenings spent honing skills before the sun comes out. This pouch will help keep hands warm between all the pointing and waving.

12. Fitbit Alta

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Coach may as well be joining in the personal fitness goal action. Whether it be steps, calories or another target, a Fitbit is a great way to track just how frenetic training sessions can be. One of the slimmest designs, the Alta is an ultra-light heart and training monitor.

13. Cadrim Smart Ball Pump

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Think a flat ball will get you guys off of sprints and drills? Think again. These high-tech pumps take the guessing work out of pumping up a ball with smart and fast inflation. Play ball!

14. DAZN Subscription

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Your coach's partner and family may not thank you for this one as it could result in some fights over TV time. But call it the gift of research — a chance to watch how the pros do it. DAZN's rights packages continue to swell, making it the go-to sports streaming site.

15. Blink

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There are libraries full of coaching books written by sports coaches but thinking outside the white lines helps too. Malcolm Gladwell's 2006 tome focuses on just that — thinking. Most of all, Gladwell deftly identifies how great decision-makers are made.

16. Beer Club Membership

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Washing away a painful defeat with a pilsner or revelling in glory with a rose...either way, a post-game beer has long since been a coaching ritual. Hops Collective operate in Canada and the US and deliver select brews to the door every month.

17. BizoeRade Silent Stopwatch

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At the risk of having too many items slung around coach's neck (timer, whistle, the invisible weight of expectations), a good stopwatch is pretty much essential. This water-resistant stainless steel model has a tonne of useful functions and also a silent mode.

18. Tickets To The Pros

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Live elite-level sports just hit different. But this could also double up as a scouting session or fact-finding mission. Send your coach to see how some of the best in the business, like the San Antonio Spurs coaching ticket, do their thing.

19. Netflix Subscription

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Hollywood's dalliances with coaches have generally ended closer to glory rather than infamy. Coach Carter, Any Given Sunday, The Way Back and plenty more where they all came from. Give the gift of inspiration.

20. Iron Flask Water Bottle

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Thirsty work honing the skills of the next Sue Bird, Mike Trout or Lionel Messi. Iron Flask designs are super sleek and they promise 24-hour chilling for cold drinks and to keep hot beverages warm for 12 hours.

21. Fresh Cut Grass Scented Candle

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The pollen wafting up through the nostrils can mean only one thing...it's gameday. But what if coach could get that same sense — and scent — at any time? These all natural gifts are a sure winner.

22. Spotify Premium Subscription

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If the beat is right, you can coach all night. Or something along those lines. Whether it's for some background beats to keep a training session ticking over or pre-game hype music, a premium Spotify sub is never a bad idea.

23. Sacred Hoops

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While Eleven Rings is often held up as the essential read from the greatest NBA coach of all time, Sacred Hoops may be a more pertinent work for budding coaches. In it, the zen master who managed Michael Jordan, Denis Rodman and more shares his secrets for turning gifted individuals into selfless teammates.

24. Amazon Prime Subscription

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Whether it's super-fast checkout and shipping on some coaching essentials or access to Amazon Prime's extensive catalogue of behind-the-scenes sports documentaries, this is a super functional gift that's sure to be used early and often.

25. Personalized Wall Hanging

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Players come and go but the coach is often constant. So a constant reminder of their impact on all who pass through is a really touching way to say thanks. Bonus: these decorative signs are fully customizable.

26. Bulk buy of bubblegum

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Stress chewing is just part of the job. So this gift at least takes part of the stress — running out of things to chew — away. Dubble Bubble buckets weigh in at 1.44kg to be exact, or about 240 pieces. Surely enough to get through a whole season.

27. Masterclass Membership

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Nobody ever said the coach was beyond being coached themselves. Masterclass offers a plethora of options when it comes to improving all sorts of abilities. Business giants offer teaching on leadership alongside sports stars like Steph Curry and Serena Williams providing insights too.

28. Coach's Coffee Mug

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Caffeine makes everything better. Caffeine with a kick of coaching-centric humour? All the better. This design seems factually correct too, for that matter!

29. Headspace Subscription

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Got a coach that just can't seem to get their mind off the game? Well, that ain't healthy. A mindfulness app is just the tonic. Headspace's meditation app can help start off or end a day with moments of calm and also help get better sleep.

30. Leading

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Sir Alex Ferguson was made a knight of the British realm on the back of his legendary coaching achievements. He has chronicled his career in autobiographies however Leading sees him focus in on just what it takes to conceive — and make — the biggest decisions and how leadership is learned.

31. Polarized Aviator Sunglasses

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There are a tonne of options here of course. But there's just something about polarized or mirrored aviators that screams coach. Maybe it's the Mike Ditka vibes or the eyes hidden from opposition coaches. They just work.

32. The Universe Journal

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Some day in the distant future, every coach's time at the helm comes to an end. And as good as coaches' memories are, having a journal or diary that charted the lows and so many highs will be an invaluable keepsake. This design seems fitting for the treasure trove inside.

33. Nike Soccer Coach Stadium Jacket

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It’s surely every soccer coach’s dream to be stood field-side in a massive soccer stadium, watching on as their team dribbles, passes, crosses and shoots its way to victory. They say “dress for the job you want” and, well, all of the top soccer coaches wear jackets just like this one from Nike. Long, padded, sleek and modern, this jacket not only screams “soccer coach”, it also keeps you nice and warm. And if you’ve ever watched soccer from the side-line, you’ll know that it can get pretty chilly. (This is a woman’s jacket, but there are plenty of men’s alternatives on the same site.)

34. Frame for Medal and Photograph Display

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One of the greatest things about being involved in sports is the ability to immortalise your sporting achievements. What better way to do so than with this sports-tailored frame, with a slot dedicated to showcasing a medal, and another slot side-by-side to display a photograph. Pop a photo of your sports coach in action in the photo slot, and let them add in their favourite medal for a heartfelt, nostalgic gift.

35. Nike Air Jordan 1 Mids

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Was Michael Jordan the greatest basketball player of all-time? Quite possibly. Every basketball coach in the world knows of him, and every basketball coach in the world hopes one day to train a kid with MJ’s potential. Treat a basketball coach on their birthday to a pair of Air Jordan 1 Mids - the closest you can get today to the original AJ1’s, the shoes which revolutionised basketball, changing it forever. Your coach will feel like the King himself with a pair of these swish trainers.

36. Madden NFL 22 for Xbox One/Series X/Playstation 4 & 5

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As a football coach, you can study the greats, you can watch tapes of their performances, you can even run drills with your team trying to emulate some of their most successful moves. But can you actually simulate playing as them or coaching them? Not without the latest installment in legendary coach and sportscaster John Madden’s patented console gaming series Madden. Madden NFL 22 lets you curate, coach and play as some of the greatest players, and with some of the greatest teams, in the NFL today. (This is the Xbox One version, but all other versions of the game are available on this site.)

37. Gatsby Tumblers

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When you think of a sports coach, do you think of refinement? Luxury living? High fashion and style? Probably not, but why not? Sports coaches enjoy the finer things in life, too, you know! After a long day’s coaching, sitting down to a cool glass of iced tea (make that a Long Island iced tea, if you know what we mean…) can be one of the few luxuries your coach has time for. Make them feel like the Great Gatsby, living life in opulence, with a set of these stunning tumblers from Anthropologie.

38. YETI Mug

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Coaching sports isn’t always as glamorous as it sounds. Mostly, it means early mornings and long hours in often ugly weather conditions. One of the few sanctuaries a sports coach can take is in their morning coffee. YETI mugs are not normal mugs. Designed to be shatterproof and supremely insulated, these magnetic sliding-lid mugs not only look professional (adding to your coach’s style), but will withstand the worst of the knocks and bumps they’re likely to be exposed to over a coach’s career. YETI mugs are available in a variety of colours.

39. WaySpa Gift Card

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It’s not just the players whose muscles tend to cramp up, who sprain their ankles, or tear the odd ligament. Sports coaches put their bodies on the line, too, and at the end of a long season, there’s no better way to treat a sports coach than with the gift of relaxation and physical therapy. Give the gift of a spa getaway to soothe those end of the season blues, bumps, and bruises with a gift card from WaySpa, available in $50, $100, or $200.

40. Lionel Messi Adidas Football - Orange and Black

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Lionel Messi is one of the most recognisable names in world soccer, and for good reason: his tenacity, sportsmanship and sheer, unbridled skill have named him FIFA’s world player of the year, and a UEFA player of the year more times than you could count. He’s won more accolades than most pop stars and movie producers, and now his insignia is on the side of this stunningly vibrant regulation soccer ball. This is a piece of kit any soccer coach can appreciate the value of.

41. Louisville Slugger Series 3 Genuine Maple Wooden Baseball Bat

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Knock your baseball coach’s birthday present right out of the park with this stunning, all black, genuine maple baseball bat from Louisville Slugger. The most knowledgeable pros in the game choose all-maple bats for their toughness and resilience, whilst retaining an ease of handling second to none. You’re sure to score a home run presenting the birthday coach with a bat fit for the World Series (or, of course, a local batting cage).

42. CamelBak Podium Dirt Series Chill Insulated Water Bottle

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Whether your sports coach is professional, private, in state school, chances are they’ve never quite got round to kitting themselves out with a genuinely reliable, durable, and attractive water bottle. Kind of remarkable, given a water bottle to a sports coach is like sunlight to a plant… fundamental! This insulated water bottle keeps water nice and cool for those long summer days on the field or track, and has a mudcap which keeps dust and dirt out of the bottle. It is made by CamelBak, one of the world’s most reliable sports and outdoors manufacturers.

43. Gatorade Five Gallon Cooler with Cup Dispenser

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If you’ve seen the Superbowl, you’ve seen the age-old tradition by which the winning coach is drenched to the skin in sports-drink, poured from a big orange 5-gallon cooler. Well… okay, we’re not really suggesting you douse your sports coach in Gatorade for their birthday (unless they’re into that sort of thing), but we are suggesting that a cooler with a cup dispenser would be an invaluable piece of kit to just about any sports coach. Loaded with humour, packed with purpose, treat your coach to a Gatorade cooler on the big day.

44. Personalised Coach Wall Art

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Coaches often get left out of the team picture, or are forgotten about, resigned to those working behind the scenes. Sometimes, being a sports coach means not always being acknowledged for the successes of those you coach. The best present you can give your coach is the present of recognition. Show your coach that you think about them, and are thankful for all of their hard work, with a personalised ‘Coach’ wall art. You can input as many words about your coach (their name, their achievements, funny associations and so on) as you like, and watch the words bring the ‘Coach’ print to life. Affordable, too, appeal to the heart with this charming print from Etsy.

45. Coach Keyring

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“A great coach is hard to find, and impossible to forget.” Sounds about right! Coaches keep hundreds of keys about their person - for lockers, locker rooms, equipment cupboards, tour buses, you name it; and as such, a keyring is an often-overlooked, yet ideal gift for any coach. Here’s a gymnastics coach customisable keyring (though there are various different sports themed sets from the same seller), with two gymnastics figures, a heart stating “thank you”, a disc sporting the message about great coaches, and even a personalised letter charm (whether you want to choose a letter from their name or yours). All of this comes wrapped in a charming box for that perfect finishing touch.

46. Great Coaching Questions by Nick Howell

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Being an assistant coach puts you more in the driving seat than you might think. Assistant coaches are the people who deliver a lot of the key advice to niche areas on the field, who help build individual good players, into incredible team players. But being an assistant coach may also be a stepping stone to that most sought-after title of head coach. Help an assistant coach on their way to greatness with this book from Nick Howell. Great Coaching Questions provides a framework for leaders in every walk of life to improve themselves and their practice; to lead better and ultimately coach better. You never know, it might just be the key your assistant coach needs to take the next step in their career.

47. Novelty Jenny The Kangaroo Plush Mascot Costume

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What better way to liven up a team photo than by giving the gift of a silly team mascot? Introducing Jenny the Jumpin’ Kangaroo! Most amateur teams aren’t fortunate enough to have a mascot, but with this novelty costume you can change that - just pop the team’s jumper/sweater/vest over the top of Jenny’s head and she’s good to go for that team photo, making it an instant classic. Not that the coach has to be the one to wear it, but they’ll certainly want to be the one to introduce the idea. Go ahead and give the gift of laughter and happy memories with this plush mascot costume for team photos.

48. Friends Themed Cheerleading T-Shirt

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Finding something to suit a cheerleading coach for their birthday is not an easy task (trust us, we should know!), but thankfully it’s not a lost cause. Here’s a hilarious cheerleading-themed t-shirt which is also a parody on the classic TV show Friends. (If you don’t get it at first, remember that the ‘backspot’ is the person responsible for catching a fellow cheerleader should they fall!) Coaches aren’t always known for their sense of humour, so why not inject your cheerleading friend or partner with a bit of comedy gold with this priceless t-shirt. (Available with and without the pink bow.)

49. Under Armour Pride Short Sleeve T-Shirt

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One of the most important roles a sports coach can fulfil is that not only of physical leader, but of moral leader, too. Too often LGBTQIA+ children feel under-represented in sports, or just downright unwanted. A sports coach’s primary role is to ensure that all people are welcome to play the sport of their choice, but not all coaches know how to make everyone feel welcome. Here’s a fashionable, colourful, bold statement of a t-shirt from Under Armour celebrating the pride all people should feel in themselves, no matter their gender or sexuality. (Plus, not only does buying this t-shirt support some fantastic causes, since it comes from sportswear-leading brand Under Armour, you know it’s top-quality, too.)

50. Ticketmaster Gift Card

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When someone retires, typically the thing they miss the most about their working life is the thing they enjoyed about it the most. For a sports coach, that’s surely got to be watching live games week in, week out. With a Ticketmaster Gift Card (which you can charge with any amount from $25 to $500), you can make sure that the newly retired sports coach in your life can pick for themselves exactly the sporting events they want to go and see - maybe they’ll even treat themselves to tickets to a match they’ve always dreamed of attending!

51. Personalised Catcher’s Mitt, Gemstone and Initialed Keyring for a Baseball Coach

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Show your coach that you know a little more about them than just the pitch their voice hits when they’re mad. Pick their birthday month to personalise the cute and colourful gemstone on this keyring set, and then input their first (or last) initial to complete the warm personal touch on this eye-catching stainless steel catcher’s mitt keyring: the perfect fit for any beloved baseball coach.

52. Volleyball Puzzle Necklace

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Just because your coach is leaving the team, or the team’s breaking up, doesn’t mean that its greatness should be forgotten. Immortalise your volleyball coach’s greatest achievement and your team’s glory days with these stunning sterling silver volleyball puzzle necklaces. When apart, they form one of four-ten puzzle pieces; but bring them all together again and you’ve got a complete volleyball. What better excuse to reunite the old team in days to come?

53. FORZA Wheeled Sport Coaching Dry Erase Whiteboards (5 Options)

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A coach needs a quality whiteboard like a bee needs pollen, it’s only natural! These supreme quality, rolling, double-sided whiteboards from Forza are available with five different sports fields on the left-hand display, for your coach to draw up the quarter or half-time plan of attack. (Available in basketball, football, lacrosse, soccer, or rugby.) Grab a pack of dry erase pens alongside this and your coach will be thanking you for years to come (and maybe just favouring you in the starting line-up…)

54. Louisville Slugger Prime Stick Softball Backpack

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Any softball coach should look just as much the part as their players, and goodness knows they’re always lumped with additional gear to carry. No softball coach wants to arrive at the ground juggling helmets, protective kit and bats - they want to be focusing on the game plan! Keep your softball coach’s mind sharp as a tac, and their kit organised with this backpack designed specially for softball: with space for shoes, mitts, helmet and even four bats!

55. Everything Sleekster Luxe Hotel Chocolat Gift Box

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Think sports coaching and chocolate shouldn’t mix? Remember, it’s not them on the field! Their sporting days are over, so let them eat cake! (Or in this case… chocolate.) The Everything Sleekster Luxe gift box from renowned British chocolatiers Hotel Chocolat contains all of their most beloved chocolates in the one box. As such, it’s the best kind of gift you could give to say thank you to your coach for all their hard work.

56. Shield Trophy Personalised with the Coach’s Team Name

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Whether your team’s won an accolade which your coach didn’t receive a physical trophy or medal for, or you just want to recognise all of the immense work your coach has put in to making you and your team the greatest, a personalised trophy shield makes a fabulous gift. Personalise it with your team name to immortalise the coaching season, and you can guarantee that coach will give this pride of place in their office or home for years to come.

57. Hallmark ‘Great Coach’ Card for the Best Coach

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Sometimes you don’t need to spend a lot of cash (which you may well not have) to tell your coach that they’re the best coach you’ve ever had. This minimalist, attractive ‘Best Coach’ card from quality-brand Hallmark says everything you need to say, inside and out. Personalise it with a short message from you or the team, and brighten up your coach’s day, week, month, and year!

58. Customised Photo Book

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Because we tend to take almost all of our photos these days on our phones or digital cameras, we tend to forget the joy of looking back through physically printed photos. With this range of personalised photo books from vista print, you can capture all of the best moments of your coach’s career, or the team’s season, in a book matching your budget. We’re pretty certain a gift like this will carve a space in your coach’s heart, no matter how cold and hard they appear on the outside!

59. JD Sports Gift Card

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If you think raising a sporty child (or several) can be expensive, try being a sports coach! Often having to fork out for additional supplies for their team, and new kit for themselves, a bit of money to put toward new gear can mean the world. JD Sports is one of the world’s largest sporting goods retailers, and has just about everything a sports coach could need, all in the one place. You can build a gift card with whatever amount you can afford, from $5 to $300.