Question

I don't see a rule against it. Volunteer and graduate or student assistant coaches are limited in the amount of compensation they can receive, so I suppose that if 40 players all gave them gifts of $1000 each, that might be a problem. But, in moderation, I think it is OK.

Unsolicited opinion: If you are thinking of a gift from a player's parents, I personally would want to have at least a cordial acquaintance with a coach before I would give him anything. I wouldn't give my child's professors a gift either.

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Why wait for Christmas? I'm sure Charlie Weis could use an FTD® Pick-Me-Up® Bouquet right about now!



A lively vase full of brightly colored Gerbera daisies is sure to perk up anyone's day! In this case we could make an ample bouquet with our goldenrod and blue bonnets.

Our ceramic vase is painted with cheerful stripes and polka dots, and echoes the bold colors of the dozen daisies it holds. Of course we could substitute a Notre Dame football helmet for a vase instead.

It's a happy and contagious bouquet that will spread smiles and good cheer to all who are near!

Or maybe not.




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I guess this is where the Grinch would strike the holiday spirit. I mean it's a holiday gift, so why would there be a ruling for that? Unless you give them a gigantic statistical advantage against their own division, then maybe. Then again, why are some colleges more funded than others and why do they receive more donations? I just don't see where this wold go wrong just because a college has more recognition than another, or some colleges have better coaches than others.

I was thinking gift cards ( no thousands or even humdreds of dollars here )from my son only. He could go buy them and give them to the coaches himself. I have met the asst. coaches multiple times and have known the head coach for thirteen plus years, but that is really beside the point. My son would need to take care of this, not me. I would only put a few extra bucks in his account.

While I don't know my son's professors, if he felt one or more went over and above to help him and he wanted to give them a thank you, I would have no problem putting a little extra money in his account to do so.

Gotwood..as for Charlie.."no soup for you"! lol

I checked with my son's compliance officer quite a while back and he said it was fine to give gifts. I send homemade pumpkin bread every Thanksgiving, which the coaches seem to like. Christmas gifts have included letter openers and jerkey made from a deer my son shot. Food gifts always seem to go over well!

Just hope that the one who delivers the food isn't too hungry and will eat it himself as a way to inspect "safety." At least the thought counts and gift cards are always a great gift considering every dollar counts in this economy.

When did giving coaches gifts come into vogue? Was it at the same time every kid got a trophy? When I was a kid coaches didn't get gifts. When I coached in my 20's I didn't get gifts. When I started coaching my kids in my early forties the gifts started flowing. The first time I was dumbfounded. I volunteered to coach. I didn't need gifts. Why does a paid coach need gifts? Does this occur in many high school programs? college programs?

In middle school there were a handful of mothers who collected money for coach's gifts. The rest of us were suspicious of their motives. Their kids have not made high school varsity teams yet and probably won't. These are the same mothers who complained to coaches and the principal about playing time.

RJM, I never gave my son's high school coaches any gifts, but do so to my son's college coaches because I greatly appreciate all that they do. They do not coach at a huge program -- which means they do not get huge salaries -- yet they go way beyond the call of duty to ensure their players grow not only athletically, but also character-wise. In the past year alone, they have directed the team in conducting baseball clinics for inner-city kids, serving the homeless, and volunteering for Habitat for Humanity. In my book, that calls for a special thank-you!

quote:

Originally posted by RJM:
Why does a paid coach need gifts? Does this occur in many high school programs?

Our football and baseball boosters usually give the coaches gift certificates to local restaurants.

In CYO, a mom would collect $20 from each family for 'the coaches gifts' (which are usually gift certificates to local restaurants).

As for me... I'm usually starving by the time the games are over. I always stop at one place, near an away school, that makes killer roast beef sandwiches (with long hots!). I don't mind grabbing a few extra for the coaches. We eat them in the parking lot. It's not for any consideration- just a guy thing. lol, they're not gifts.

I would appreciate a parent or parents thinking enough about us to do something like that. Hey, you can get to the point where you see everything as a political move or assume everyone has an ulterior motive. But when you get to that point you become a negative person imo. Until someone shows me they are in it for political reasons or have an ulterior motive I am going to choose to believe they are just a nice person and are trying to help.

Send a goody basket to the baseball office so everyone can enjoy it.