Gifts for volunteer coaches

[brookmey]

When it comes to contributing some money towards a gift for a volunteer coach, are you told how much you need to give or is it the idea of give what you can?

 

[SaraJayne]

I love that volunteer coaches don't get gifts here and they don't expect them.

 

[htmom]

Anytime I have been involved in something like that usually the person says "We are all giving $5 (or whatever specific amt) for the coaches gift, if you would like to join it that would be great"

 

[mjkacmom]

We've always been told a specific amount. DH coaches many teams, sometimes he gets a gc, sometimes he doesn't (depends upon the dynamics of the parents). As a wife of a man who volunteers to coach, especially his travel teams, it takes a lot of work!

 

[SaraJayne]

We've always been told a specific amount. DH coaches many teams, sometimes he gets a gc, sometimes he doesn't (depends upon the dynamics of the parents). As a wife of a man who volunteers to coach, especially his travel teams, it takes a lot of work!

As another wife of a volunteer coach , yes, it does take a lot of time and work. But he knows that going in and doesn't expect anything in return.

 

[mjkacmom]

As another wife of a volunteer coach , yes, it does take a lot of time and work. But he knows that going in and doesn't expect anything in return.

Oh, I agree, he's always very surprised when he gets anything, especially the team he's coached for 8 years now. Sadly, this is the last season for this team! Thank goodness he has another son!

 

[SueInBoston]

I managed my kids sport teams for many years. For travel teams, I always specified an amount. For the younger rec teams, I recommend an amount or say whatever you would like to contribute.

 

[brockash]

We've always been told a specific amount. DH coaches many teams, sometimes he gets a gc, sometimes he doesn't (depends upon the dynamics of the parents). As a wife of a man who volunteers to coach, especially his travel teams, it takes a lot of work!

ITA! My DH and myself have both coached many sports in my kids lives, and it's a lot of work. I love when neither of us are coaching a sport or being the team parent and we get to just be the "parent." When we're not coaching ect., it just depends on the parents, but if the parents are doing something as a team, then yes we're given a specific amount, if not, then I always get the coach some type of gift card. I know how much easier it is to just be the parent and I know what it's like to really care and try to coach a successful team, and in my opinion, it deserves some kind of recognition. I'd much rather be the one to get/give the gift card, than be the one responsible for coaching the team.

 

[puffkin]

I am a volunteer coach for a youth field hockey organization. Since my son was younger and a boy, I obviously had no attachments to any of the kids on the team.

I never expected anything and anything I did get was very much appreciated. I usually got candy or something along those lines. This past season was my last year coaching and I have had a core group of these girls for 4 years now. Some of the parents chipped in and got me a very generous gift card. My favorite gift though was the card one of the girls made. It was so sweet and thoughtful and really made all the sacrifices of my own time and family worth it to have made such an impact on her life!

DS just started out in rec baseball last year. The team mom asked for a $5 donation from each parent. They gave 50% (in a gift card) to the head coach and split the remaining among the assistants.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

It's happened both ways. Where so much was expected from all parents to sometimes donate what you can.

 

[BDL]

As a volunteer middle school football coach, I don't expect anything in return. I just wanted to pass on what I know about the sport to kids that wanted to learn about it. That being said, 1 year, the boys and their parents pulled their money together to get me and the other asst. coaches (3 of us) windbreakers with "Coach XXXXXX" embroidered on them. I was was floored. Didn't expect it at all. I still have the coat, and it's great. But afterwards is what sticks with me.

I was in charge of the O and D linemen. And I guess that while these kids were coming up, their previous coaches only dealt with the skill positions and the lines were an after thought. Everyone of my boys' father took it upon themselves to seek me out and thank me for not just coaching the boys about the game but teaching them the game.

Having them go out of their way to say things like that to me, is just as good, if not better than any tangible gift.

 

[brookmey]

I agree that volunteer coaches sacrifice a lot of their time into coaching. DH has coached both kids and is currently coaching DS in soccer. He has always received something from his teams, and has always been appreciative. When he volunteers to coach, he realizes it will be time consuming, but he chooses to give his time, so he never expects anything from his teams.

In the 6 seasons DD has played rec soccer and DS for 2, there have been collections for a gift and it's always been give what you can, never a set amount. And it's always been a mom doing it, not the wife of the coach, even if the wife is the team mom.

DD is finishing up basketball and last night the team mom, also the coach's wife, emailed the parents asking for $10-$15 for a coach's gift. It really put me off, but I'm not sure if it's because I was told how much to contribute(which I've never experienced before), or if it was because the request came from the coach's wife. I've always been the team mom for DH's teams and I never felt comfortable asking the other parents for a donation for a gift for my husband, it's always been another mom on the team. I have no problem contributing to a gift, but I guess it seems expected rather than appreciated because a specific amount is listed and the wife says that based on her husband's past coaching experiences, $10-$15 is very typical. To me that screams expectation and maybe that's what I'm struggling with.

But, it sounds like it's not uncommon to have specified amounts, so I should probably just get over it.

 

[mjkacmom]

I agree that volunteer coaches sacrifice a lot of their time into coaching. DH has coached both kids and is currently coaching DS in soccer. He has always received something from his teams, and has always been appreciative. When he volunteers to coach, he realizes it will be time consuming, but he chooses to give his time, so he never expects anything from his teams.

In the 6 seasons DD has played rec soccer and DS for 2, there have been collections for a gift and it's always been give what you can, never a set amount. And it's always been a mom doing it, not the wife of the coach, even if the wife is the team mom.

DD is finishing up basketball and last night the team mom, also the coach's wife, emailed the parents asking for $10-$15 for a coach's gift. It really put me off, but I'm not sure if it's because I was told how much to contribute(which I've never experienced before), or if it was because the request came from the coach's wife. I've always been the team mom for DH's teams and I never felt comfortable asking the other parents for a donation for a gift for my husband, it's always been another mom on the team. I have no problem contributing to a gift, but I guess it seems expected rather than appreciated because a specific amount is listed and the wife says that based on her husband's past coaching experiences, $10-$15 is very typical. To me that screams expectation and maybe that's what I'm struggling with.

But, it sounds like it's not uncommon to have specified amounts, so I should probably just get over it.

DH has never had a team mom - not common here. I can't imagine collecting money for DH! It's usually only $5 as a request, same with teacher gifts. I was put-off once when I was asked to donate $ for DH's gift. That only happened once.

 

[minniebeth]

Wow, we always support giving toward coaches' gifts (and DH has coached many sports with our kids) but I think it's so awkward for the coach's wife to be the one collecting money.

I wonder what kind of gift she's choosing for herself, lol

The standard here pretty much is $5 per coach. Sometimes teams will have 2 coaches and an assistant, so $10/$15 total for all of them, not each.

I always make sure my kids write personalized thank you notes to their coaches appreciating their time, it seems to be very much appreciated.

 

[jennyjinx3]

As another wife of a volunteer coach , yes, it does take a lot of time and work. But he knows that going in and doesn't expect anything in return.

Same here, DH coaches DD's soccer teams and doesn't expect anything. Last year some of the girls gave him handwritten notes thanking him, saying things like "best coach ever". Had him a little sniffy!

 

[minniebeth]

I was put-off once when I was asked to donate $ for DH's gift. That only happened once.

When DH coached/coaches, there are other coaches and assistants to collect for, but we've never been asked. I'm appreciative with all the work and time they put in that we haven't been asked. I'd be put off too!

 

[Darcy03231]

We've never been asked to participate in a group gift for the coach. DS played rec basketball for years and I always just had him write a nice thank you note and included a $50 gas giftcard. (Basketball season ran from the end of October until the beginning of March. If you made the play-offs it could go into April depending on how far you advanced. The teams met 2-3x per week for the first month for practice and then 2x a week for games and 1x a week for practice.)