Finances & Money

Should You Give A Gift To Your Child’s Coach?

If you’ve ever had a child in youth sports, you may have been asked to contribute towards a gift to give the coach as a token of appreciation for his or her hard work. Some give willingly while others shy away from participating. What is the thinking behind giving such a gift, and should you feel obligated to do so?

Arguments Against Giving A Coach A Gift

• Paid To Participate: Almost all community and school-based activities require some sort of activity fee. In fact, in some instances, the fees and equipment are extremely expensive. Given these expenses, people may feel no need to add an additional cost to the activity.
• Coach is A Volunteer: The coach may have volunteered, which would be their choice. If they volunteered they wouldn’t be expecting any sort of compensation for coaching.
• Coach is Paid: If it’s a school activity, coaching would either be part of their job description or compensated separately for their work as a coach. If they’re already being compensated, there’s no reason to give them anything additional.

Arguments Supporting Giving A Coach A Gift

• Coach is A Volunteer: The other side of the argument is since a volunteer receives no compensation, they might appreciate any kind of gift or token of appreciation.
• Think Of It As A Tip: Whether the coach is a volunteer or paid for their time and effort, you can think of it as a tip for a job well done. Unless you don’t think they did a good job, then there’s no reason to contribute towards a gift anyway.
• You’re a Nice Person: If you’re the type of person that shows their appreciation and says, “Thank you,” when somebody does something for you regardless of whether they are required or not, then you may consider giving a gift.

In the end, contributing to or giving a unique gift to a coach is your choice. It’s not required nor should the coach be expecting it. If you find yourself in this position, weight the points above, and make the right choice for you, your perspective, and your situation.

How about you Clever Friends, have you ever been in this position?  Did you give your child’s coach a gift at the end of the season?