Gifts?

A ball autographed by the team is always a treasured keepsake.

Or an autographed team picture.....

An etched crystal bowl?

Check over his "want list" for the program...
Start a fund for "Coach so & so's sholarship"...

As a coach let me just say that when parents care enough about you to get you something thanking you for your efforts it means more than you will ever know. The players give back all the time with words and actions. And year after year they keep giving back by coming around and being a part of the program. Pictures are great. One time a parent gave me a framed picture that they took when their son was a freshman of me and their son on the field during a game talking. To be honest with you anything is special when given to you by a parent of a player. It means that they appreciate what you did and tried to do for their son. JMO

We had a father that was just an outstanding photographer and took action shots throughout the year of the team. We turned them into a bound book with a printed roster and notes from the boys. The company we used was http://www.mypublisher.com and the turn around time was just a couple of days. It was a great price, a beautiful book and well received. It made a nice coffee book.

Then we took the same digital pics and then made a personal dvd for the coach and team (not the one they use at the banquet) but just a more personal one to the coach. Very easy to do with home software and downloaded music.

Another idea, but one I did for my parents but would work for this is get a very nice box with a lid, could be silver, crystal, wood and then take paper, like something a fortune cookie would be written on but just a bit bigger. Then on each piece of paper write personal thoughts, memories, phrases, plays, stories and/or dates/locations that would remind him of a great memory. Then fold each sheet individually and place them in the box. If possible you could have his name engraved/etched on the box.

The coach can then open the box and take out each sheet and read them at his leisure. It is very personal and we all forget things throughout the years and this is just one way to bring those thoughts/memories back. When I did mine there was about 100 pieces of paper, I just kept a log by my bed and when I would think of something I would job it down it was yrs of family/personal memories. My parents would just sit around and open the box read one and it was just a great trip down memory lane.

These ideas can be a individual gift as well as a team gift. The book can be from your family and through out you could have captions/info. that is from you son.

And of course, anything personal for the players is always nice.

Thanks for the ideas. Oldbat - I love that memory box idea - that's just a great gift idea in general! I wish I had asked sooner as that would have been a terrific idea. I think I may do that with just a letter inside from son since we're limited on time. We have been blessed to have these guys in our lives and just want to express it somehow.

Lafmom,
Congrats on your son's signing, a great senior season and I know he will have continued success this summer.........Fall is just a blink away and on to the next stage with even more success..........know it won't be an easy stage on mom................enjoy this time and maybe a memory box would be a nice gift from mom to son to open in his dorm???? Get that pad of paper out and start jogging down things as you think of them, you have a couple of months and you will be amazed at all the things you remember and it is just as much a walk down memory lane for you as it will be for him.....Even prompt him now and then on memories and you can use some of those, ask friends for ideas of stories that he might have told them about family things.

Good Luck and thank you for all your support this year through our PM's.......

Oldbat - Thanks so much for your kind words - also, support has been mutual. I appreciate it.

Like I said the memory box is a great idea for many folks/occasions.

The end of HS has been sad (the end of a journey), but summer ball is great and we're looking so forward to college that there's a lot of excitement in my household!!!!

Thanks again to all for the great ideas and thoughts!

Autographed balls and photographs of the team are great and should be given to each player and coach. The best gift that we give to the coaches is a 100.00 (each) gift certificate to the best steakhouse in the area. This way both the coaches and their wife know that you do care about them as a family.

We had our banquet last night. The gift I received was so neat! It was a montague of action photos professionally put into one large frame picture. The Seniors are center stage and the other players are the the borders. The Inscriptons are critically located and include Mississippi Valley Champs, Regional Champs, Sectional Champs, Sweet 16 and our record of 27-8.

It is one of the neatest things I've ever received. BYW, one year, I had a player who's father was an artist. He drew a characterture of each player and of me dead center surrounded my my assistants. IT WAS REAL FUNNY!

Coach B - I like both of those ideas! Our seniors received a framed drawing/sketch done in color (about 11x14) of their school jersey with it kind of folded up with glove and ball with it. Their number was on the jersey just like the real ones with name and 2005 printed at the top of the print. They were really awesome and were received on senior night. Each coach is going to get one at the banquet but theirs will be signed on the matting by each senior. One of our moms had all of these drawn by a friend of hers. I think they'll like those too! Congratulations on your great season too!

I have to share this really awesome gift with everyone. Obviously, not all of us would be able to do this.

One of our dads had an aerial shot of our field and facility taken. Had copies framed for each senior and a really large one for the head coach with an inscription put on it. GREAT gift and memory!!!!!