Gifts for coaches

[LoopLoop]

It's getting to be that time of year again, so why don't we trade ideas? The past couple of years were easy, I knew what my coach liked so I got her pretty holiday-themed candles. But this year she moved and I have a new coach, and have NO IDEA what to get him. He's young (mid-20s), new to full-time coaching (was touring with Disney until this summer), but very enthusiastic and energetic.

Let the lists begin...

Marna

[dobiesk8r]

Well, my coach is female, which makes it a bit
easier. I went to a nice little jewelry party at a
friend's house the other week and she was selling
small round silver decorated pocket mirrors. I
also got myself a cool necklace, so it shouldn't be a
total loss.;)

I ordered my coach one with a dog theme - she
has dogs, and since I'm a dog person too, I thought,
"how cute". She's also my son's power skating
coach (hockey).

LoopLoop, congratulations on your axel successes.:D

[icesk8er31]

Ok, here's a few things I've given the in past, maybe some of these will help:

1) Nice Bottle of Wine - helps to know that your coach actually drinks wine before you give it.
2) Warm stuff gift basket- i.e. sweater, hat and scarf, hot chocolate mix, CD of Salsa music, hot sauce - is cute with a card that says for all the times you freeze your tail off watching me skate.
3) Gift certificate for dinner for two somewhere kind of nice (gift certificate in the $35 range).
4) Get out of skating free card - for busy coaches who look kind of frazzled, it's a pass for them to cancel one lesson on you at the last minute in the coming year.
5) Maribel Vinsons Figure Skating Primer - a vintage book you can get for not a lot of money at used book stores - it's a hoot, especially the sections on deportment.

Hope these help!

[jenlyon60]

I bought my coach last year one of those Entertainment coupon books. Besides some other small knick-knacks.

This year I'll probably get him a gift certificate to Borders, or some such. I found out he's a pen freak so I may get him a nice ball-point pen.

[Yazmeen]

My coach is my size and has similar tastes, so clothes from Express from me!!! A gift certificate to their favorite store is always good.

Beth

[flo]

Some they have enjoyed:
gift certicicates to the symphony
a book on music (was a great help to him on his master rating tests)
skate warmer covers
gift certificate and travel mug from Starbucks

[lizzz]

I also give mine a bottle of nice wine. I asked one of the other coaches what kind she likes. For another, it is a bottle of Port (yuck! lol).
Through the last couple of years I have learned to listen to what they like and don't like. And asking the other coaches has been of alot of help!

Good luck!8-)

[Alexeiskate]

I think holidayday themed food gifts are always a safe choice, e.g. a small bag of Xmas candies or cookies, especially if you don't really know the person or only know the person in a casual way.

[melanieuk]

My coach is female in her 40s.

Last year I got her a bottle of vodka and a pair of lambskin mits.

This year I've got her two coffee cups - the glass ones in a steel-like frame. I will probably get her some alcohol aswell. ;)

If I could get hold of any genuine Colombian coffee, I'd get her that too.
Seems impossible to lay hands on it in Scotland. :(

[manleywoman]

I make glass ornaments every year, so each coach gets one or two of those.

[Designdiva]

Last year I gave my coach a framed print of the skating poster from the 1924 Chamonix Olympics. And a case of markers. (She was using a lot of ink trying to keep me on pattern with the Prelim 3-turn move.)

I don't know I'm going to do this year.

[Mazurka Girl]

Wow! I am going to have to teach more private lesson students. You guys give good presents!

I always have to spend a long time deciding on something for my coach really wants, but I have gotten him things like theater tickets, planners, or specific books I know he wants.

[jazzpants]

Well, I know I should get something with a "frog" theme, based on the fact that I've seen his bathroom and everything has a "frog" theme. (Maybe a stuffed froggie beanie baby or something like that.)

As for Mistress Coach... I don't know... stronger chains and whips!?!?! :lol:

Cheers,
jazzpants

[LWalsh]

Hi Everyone!

Here's my gift giving story:

The first year I was taking lessons from my coach I made what I consider to almost be a mistake. I gave her a present she loved so much that she continually gushed about it all year long. I will never be able to top it.

Here's what it was:

I went to a website that makes personalized post-it notes. I choose a slightly oversized post-it note and had it personalized with a "a note from..." and then I uploaded a little skater graphic for the corner. I didn't want a goofy or cartoon skater graphic so I choose a really nice modern looking line drawing of a skater in a sort of leaping pose. I think it cost about $40 for a whole box of pads. 6 per box IIRC.

She always tells me it was the best gift she ever received from a student. Yikes! Now what do I get her?

[LoopLoop]

Wow, everybody has good ideas! I like the Entertainment book idea, especially for my (male) freestyle coach who is new to the area.

LWalsh, do you remember where you got the personalized post-it notes? I think my moves coach would like them.

[LWalsh]

I had to do some searching. Seems the company merged with iPrint. You can get them at www.iprint.com They also have a lot of other interesting personalized stuff there.

Lara

[Ice T]

Jenlyon60,

I think that men are hard to buy for. Two years ago I gave my coach a really nice roller ball pen. He totally freaked out and was unbelievably excited about it. It was the best response I have ever had anyone give me to a gift I gave them. And to make it even more unusual, he is a very unemotional, stoic person, so to see him jumping up and down with excitement just made my year. Go to www.levenger.com and pick something from there. Those are REALLY nice pens that a true "pen freak" will love.

Last year, I thought "how will I ever top the pen???" He has an extreme talent for breaking wrist watches, so I gave him a modern "pocket watch" that clips on his belt that he could use in off-ice class with us. He absolutely treasured it........for about 4 months. Then he broke it. I think he dropped it one too many times on the ice. He felt bad about it, and so I didn't make him feel worse. I gave it to him with the understanding that he might eventually break it. But it still was a great gift idea.

For his wife, who is my secondary coach, I've given her gift baskets full of Bath & Body Works stuff, notecards, and chocolate. Always successful with that.

[Mrs Redboots]

Mel, I've seen those coffee cups (in Boots, no?) and covet a set for myself this Christmas! Thanks - my sister was wondering what to get me!

Jazzpants: why not, for JK, a novelty bath plug, which is a normal plug at one end, but a plastic frog at the other? Last year I got my boss a frog shower radio, which can be played in the bathroom, which she adores, but that's more than I would spend on my coach.

Our coaches are easy - he gets a bottle of French red wine, she gets a pot-plant, and we buy a small toy or book for their son! I also make my own soap and everybody else gets bars of handmade soap. As this is the 3rd Christmas I'll have done this, I know they are welcome!

[mikawendy]

If you're good with a sewing machine (or with going to a sporting goods store or web site), then you could make (or buy) fleece neck warmers or headbands or gloves. My husband has a fleece neck warmer that I'm always borrowing, so I'm going to make a few out of a remnant I got years ago at Jo-ann fabrics.

[jenlyon60]

IceT --

I agree men are TERRIBLE to shop for. I go thru the same gyrations every year trying to figure out what to buy for my brother for Christmas. This year it's easy... he's a LOTR fan and he made big hints about wanting the special edition DVD set that either just came out or is about to be released.

Yes, agree Levengers has awesome pens... at all price ranges.

Are you going to visit up here and compete at our New Years Invitational?? Hope to see you here, in between running around like a nutcase working hospitality...

--jsl


Originally posted by Ice T
Jenlyon60,

I think that men are hard to buy for. Two years ago I gave my coach a really nice roller ball pen. He totally freaked out and was unbelievably excited about it. It was the best response I have ever had anyone give me to a gift I gave them. And to make it even more unusual, he is a very unemotional, stoic person, so to see him jumping up and down with excitement just made my year. Go to www.levenger.com and pick something from there. Those are REALLY nice pens that a true "pen freak" will love.

[Terri C]

Last year, I gave both coaches gift certificates to the wine discount store in our area!
While one coach just used hers a few months ago, the other coach used hers right away and told me "Terri, you really know me"!

[Alexeiskate]

While people are thinking about gift ideas for coaches, I would like to mention that it's also nice to remember the rink person that always arrive early to open up the rink, especially if he/she is one of the first person that you see every morning, and give that person some sort of holiday treats

[Chico]

I always make gifts for my friends, well for the most part. It's a personal thing with me. I do this for my coach too. I have a guy for a coach, and finding the correct thing to make is a challenge. I'm making skating books this year for him. In fact, up I'm to my eyeballs doing it right now. =-)

Chico

[pattern99]

Lol!! Yeah, my previous coaches were a husband/wife team...now the wife was pretty easy for gift giving...and the husband...forget it! Besides being in his very late 40's and being stuck in a time warp...plus the callous personality made it even easier.... I do believe that 2 years ago...it was either his b-day or x-mas...considering they're 2 days apart (23). He always wore this HORRENDOUS red, white and blue coat that he had for like 10 years. That's great and all, but not when it's covered with coffee stains, the feathers are falling out and the zipper/snaps no longer work. If I remember properly, he ended up actually losing the zipper. Go figure. So to save ourselves the embarassment of him being caught dead in this coat...a few of his fasion conscience students went in together on an early present just in time for JN's. 6 or 7 of us went in on a new coat for him. Me and another skater went and shopped around, found what we were looking for and bought it. We brought it in to show his wife one day. It ended up being a pow wow in the ladies restroom!!! :lol: So we decided to give it to him fairly early due to the fact he told his wife earlier in the week he was stopping on the way home to buy a new coat because he was freezing his tush off. On tuesdays, he usually left the rink to go home and then come back later in the afternoon. He left his coat and skates etc... sitting around. Mistake one when Patt99 and her crew are lurking!!! We stole the old coat and all his old mittens (as we bought matching ones for the coat) and emptied all his stuff out of the jacket and put it in the new one. Then I stuck a sticker on the back of the coat that said, "Evil shouldn't look this good!" and folded it up on his chair with a card on top of it with his name. To make a long story short...he ended up being angry because god forbid he cracks a smile..and in the end he was very touched. He looked at the jacket and then said "Oh, it's definately too big..." :twisted: (geez, pesimist, eh?) and of course he put it on and it fit PURFECTLY!!! plus, it looked great on him!! I think we got it at American Eagle.... but it was by far creative! He walked around all day just beaming!! How ironic!

Also in previous years, with coaches that I'm close with, I make sure I have a nice picture taken at competition with them...hugging or whatever and then get a nice frame and give it to them. Um, for my older male coach once again... one year I got him the "Old fart's skating kit" included Ben Gay, dipers, laxitives, senior vitamins, Just for Men hair dye, poor man's 'toop' ( as he was a tad thin on top) etc etc...

so have some fun with it and get creative!!!! Need some more ideas, lemme know. BTW, alcohol is usually a hit with alot of coaches. As I did last year, get them a one-day treatment at a spa...they'll love you for that. In my case, I did it for two since she was married. Or if you don't want to go that expensive...Bath & Body works has a whole line of stress releaving products...the other coaches got majorly jelious when my coach got a basket full of that for her b-day... ;)

Hope this helps!!

pieces,

Patt99

[icenut84]

I didn't really think about Christmas presents for my coaches. I don't know if they get presents from their other students or not, but I might ask. Last Christmas, I had a different coach who I had only had for a few months and I got him a card. This Christmas I have two different coaches who I will have had for a good few months. I only see them once a week, but they're both very good teachers and I get on with them. I'll ask around their other students (that I know) but I like the idea of a small bag of Christmas-themed cookies or chocolates. Not too expensive (I don't have unlimited funds), but festive and I'm 99% sure they'd like them. Thanks Alexeiskate! :)

[flo]

I got mine a hip flask one year. He loved it.

[Mrs Redboots]

Originally posted by flo
I got mine a hip flask one year. He loved it. Full, I hope......

[LoopLoop]

Originally posted by flo
I got mine a hip flask one year. He loved it.

Last year I made my secondary coach (who's Russian) a vodka sampler kit... I went to the liquor store and got about 8 different mini-bottles. He really got a kick out of it.

[jazzpants]

Originally posted by Mrs Redboots
Jazzpants: why not, for JK, a novelty bath plug, which is a normal plug at one end, but a plastic frog at the other? Last year I got my boss a frog shower radio, which can be played in the bathroom, which she adores, but that's more than I would spend on my coach.


Hmmm I found one that's pretty cheap...

http://www.infinityunlimited.com/frogshowrad.html

I also found some other novelty website for frog stuff...

http://www.froggifts.com/bedbath/bedbathSC.htm

I'll ask my fellow skating buddy, ask8ngcat, for suggestions for Mistress Coach. I think she likes candy (chocolates) and wines too! :) (There you go! Get her totally stinkin' drunk so she'll be too hung over to abuse us!) :lol:

Thanks for the suggestion, Annabel!!! :D

Cheers,
jazzpants

[TashaKat]

'We' ... her pupils (kids and adults) usually all put together and get her a 'big' pressie. One year it was the ISU CD's (that's what she wanted and they are TERRIBLY expensive!), ballet tickets, health spa voucher ......

The guy I usually just ask what he wants! It's easier because he's got everything :roll:

If in doubt ask her other half/friends/coaches ....

L x

[Mrs Redboots]

Originally posted by jazzpants
Hmmm I found one that's pretty cheap...

http://www.infinityunlimited.com/frogshowrad.html

Most of the ones we can get here cost about that in pounds, about half as much again..... Grrrr. Actually, I don't think the frog one did - but I'd not spend more than the equivalent of $8.00 on my coach (that being £5.00, a sensible upper limit for "small" gifts in this country).

[melanieuk]

Annabel, I got those coffee cups in Woolworths, but they weren't expensive at all, and don't look "cheap and nasty" either.
A nice little gift, without being over the top.

Patch ice is going up on Dec 1st to £4. I have to book 48 hours in advance and if I want a refund for a cancellation I must phone in no less than 24 hours beforehand, to do so.
Having children (my choice) only allows me to skate for an hour.
Are rink management trying to push the 10 (or so) of us out completely do you think?

That was totally off topic.

Other suggestions:

a mug with your countries flag.
chocolates.
blade soakers
gift vouchers

[Mrs Redboots]

Originally posted by melanieuk
Annabel, I got those coffee cups in Woolworths, but they weren't expensive at all, and don't look "cheap and nasty" either.
A nice little gift, without being over the top.I hope someone will give me some for Christmas - my mother used to have some like that when I was young, and they remind me of my childhood!

Patch ice is going up on Dec 1st to £4. I have to book 48 hours in advance and if I want a refund for a cancellation I must phone in no less than 24 hours beforehand, to do so.
Having children (my choice) only allows me to skate for an hour.
Are rink management trying to push the 10 (or so) of us out completely do you think?Ours has been £4.00 for ages - it's due to go up again soon. We get new management on 9 December (just at the wrong time - nobody will know them well enough to give Christmas presents), and we are not at all sure what will happen, whether the current systems will be left in place for a few months, or whether it will go like Gillingham, with whom we are going to be sharing management. Deep sigh - still, at least we'll have ice, which is something we didn't know we would this time last year!

That was totally off topic. So was I!

[1lutz2klutz]

I've had good luck with Lands' End sweaters for my coach (male, mid 40's). They have a huge collection in all price and color ranges, and since our coaches spent their lives in the rink, a nice sweater always seems welcome. This year I've ordered a ProPlanner system- it's a schedule book specifically for coaches with extended hours, competition pages, areas to keep track of student fees, etc. I had it engraved with his name on the front. They're available at proplanners.com. They even have a special one for syncro coaches.

[jenlyon60]

Could you please PM the exact URL for the schedule book? I tried proplanners.com and it didn't work.

Originally posted by 1lutz2klutz
I've had good luck with Lands' End sweaters for my coach (male, mid 40's). They have a huge collection in all price and color ranges, and since our coaches spent their lives in the rink, a nice sweater always seems welcome. This year I've ordered a ProPlanner system- it's a schedule book specifically for coaches with extended hours, competition pages, areas to keep track of student fees, etc. I had it engraved with his name on the front. They're available at proplanners.com. They even have a special one for syncro coaches.

[1lutz2klutz]

I posted the wrong address for the schedule book. It's
www.proplanner.org for anyone who's interested.

[Mrs Redboots]

Originally posted by 1lutz2klutz
I've had good luck with Lands' End sweaters for my coach (male, mid 40's). I don't buy Land's End any more since I saw its catalogue when I was on a visit to the USA and discovered that the prices in dollars were exactly the same as the prices in pounds, so that on this side of the Pond we are charged nearly 50% more for our goods! Unfair, or what? I suppose I'd still go to their discount shop, though, as they are superb quality, and, let's be honest, their sales staff are extremely helpful.