Holiday Gift Ideas for the Ballplayer in Your Life!

As the holiday season approaches, I wanted to share with you some gift ideas for the ballplayer in your family!

• Relentless Optimism (ages 12-18)  I have to admit...as a teenager...I probably didn't want a book for Christmas; in fact, I know I didn't.  However, I think all of the Darrin Donnelly books are amazing for pre-teen/teenagers as he does a great job of showing the young reader the importance of the mental side of the game and how our attitude can directly impact our performance.  He uses baseball, and other sports, to teach life lessons that will follow a child long after the game's final out as well!  The books are all inspiring stories and my pre-teen really enjoyed them.
• Matt Christopher Books: (ages 7-12)  Can't go wrong.
• Spark Catch:  If you haven't noticed, it gets dark at like 4pm now...how else can they throw outside :)
• Gift Card to Gilbert's Sports Nostalgia in Natick. Gary has been a great supporter of Next Pitch over the years by donating THOUSANDS of cards to the facility over the years.  Great guy and awesome place!  My boys have gotten gift cards to Gilbert's over the years and $15-$20 goes a long way and they can spend a solid hour in there.
• Baseball Glove or Bat: This can be a bit complicated. What size?  If I can help in anyway, or if you would like to bring your son or daughter in for a sizing, please let me know (and I will be sure they don't know the reason).  You can also take a look at this sizing guide for bats.  Most importantly, please know that if your son is playing Little League, the bat must have a USA logo on it.  Please do not confuse this with USSSA bats which are sold at Dick's and other sporting goods facilities and for use in AAU and other tournaments. Once the plastic wrapper coms off the bat, the store won't take it back and you will need to go through the manufacturer (not fun).  I would strongly recommend the Natick Outdoor Store, and while their selection may not be as big as say a Dick's Sporting Goods, Peter knows what he is talking about and can help select the right glove or bat for your child.
• Jaeger Bands...a must for every player over the age of 12.  The best arm is a healthy arm.
• Total Control Balls...Hitting without the fear of breaking the neighbor's windows.
• Pocket Net for Hitting & Throwing at Home
• 2021 Baseball Coloring Book.
• 2022 Baseball Trivia Calendar.
• ​Stocking stuffers....eye black, baseball cards, Big League Chew.
• Incrediballs for the under-7-year old player.  This is what we use in our Next Pitch classes.

For the older crowd (13+), I'd recommend:

• Tanner Tee (yes, definitely more expensive than most tees but it will last forever).
• The Mental Game of Baseball

Finally, if you are ever looking to give your child an experience he or she won't forget, a 1-2 day trip to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY is an amazing experience and a must for any baseball fan.

Most importantly, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season, and please feel free to share your ideas as well as I know our baseball and softball families would love to hear them!

​Chris