There’s truly no way to repay someone who volunteers hours and hours of time to shape the little athlete you signed up for the team. So a heartfelt thank you will have to do.

Trophies and plaques are likely to collect dust on a shelf. Get coach a gift card and deliver it with something sentimental instead.

Sports Gear

Get Inspired: Chances are your coach is a regular at the local sporting goods store, probably buying equipment for the team on his own dime. Grab a gift card and attach it to a new reusable water bottle. Then have each member of the team “fill” the bottle with a handwritten note (or drawing for little players) of thanks.

Team Picture Gift Card

Get Inspired: At GiftCards.com, you can create a Personalized Gift Card.
Select a team picture or a great picture of the coach with her child. Upload and create a gift card she can use and keep in her wallet after the season is over.

Free Time

Get Inspired: With the season over, how will coach spend all that free time? Catching up on missed movies? Reading a good book? Golfing on the weekends? Get a gift card to one of her favorite leisure outlets and pair it with a small item that goes with the theme.

Write a note that reads, “We don’t want you to get bored without us!”

You Rock!

Get Inspired: If your coach loves music as much as he loves sports, he’ll enjoy an iTunes music gift card with a note that says, “You Rock!” Have each kid nominate a song for a playlist and say why it reminds him or her of the coach.

Download those songs onto a CD or print out a copy of the playlist for the kids to sign.

Head to Toe

Get Inspired: We thanked our tennis captain from “head to toe.” This basket included everything from a book on the mental game of tennis (head) to a pedicure gift card (toe). We included sunscreen, ice pack, socks, pony-tail holders, visor, and beyond.

Same theme without the basket? Put a gift card to the salon with a new ballcap.

Thank the Family

Get Inspired: When mom or dad is hte coach, the entire family makes a sacrifice of time and involvement.

This thank you gift card basket is for the entire family. It includes movie rental, movie snacks, and a big bowl for the family to gather around. Check the For Family section for other ideas.

Tailgater

Get Inspired: Is there a professional version of your sport close by? Maybe coach would enjoy a night at the ballgame without being the one in charge. Attach a sporting event gift card to some event-themed snacks.

Have each kid tell what he or she learned from the coach this year. On GiftCardMall.com, you can get an MLB gift card, or choose a gift card for a favorite team.

Food for Thought

Get Inspired: Print an action photo from one of the games and use the computer to add an inspiring quote. Frame it up and give it to the coach along with the restaurant gift card.

Add one great quote or print several quotes from the team.

A few of my favorite coach quotes are:

• “A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather than what they are.” Ara Parasheghian
• “My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.” Jim Valvano
• “I won’t accept anything less than the best a player’s capable of doing, and he has the right to expect the best that I can do for him and the team!” Lou Holtz
• “All coaching is, is taking a player where he can’t take himself.” Bill McCartney
• ”One man practicing sportsmanship is far better than 50 preaching it.” Knute Rockne