Gift Guide: For the sports fan

The sports fans in your life can be a tough crowd. What are you getting your dad the baseball lover, your daughter the soccer star or your hockey husband? What about your active son who loves sports and needs to get some energy out during his next break from school? We have your sports fan covered from helmet to cleats with these gift ideas that support Triangle teams and local businesses. It’s a gifting shoot and score!

A few holidays ago, the family of Raleigh 12-year-old Lucia Namey, was trying to decide what a budding soccer star would want for Christmas. Her mom, Emily Namey, explains, “In 2018, my sister-in-law asked for ‘experience’ gift ideas for the kids. Lucia was just getting into club soccer and had been to a few Carolina Courage games, so we put together a gift package with tickets for her and a friend and some cash for concessions and merch. Even though she had to wait until spring, she was so excited to have a Courage game to look forward to!"

That gift sparked a continued love of soccer as the now-7th grader continues NCFC club soccer and plays for her middle school. Namey says of her daughter, "She had such a great time watching amazing women athletes play the sport she loves, and the players were all so friendly and generous to sign autographs and take selfies with the girls after.”

You never know when a Christmas gift could become magical. Lucia got to meet popular Brazilian player for the Courage, Debinha.

The Nameys have cemented their status as a soccer family as her sister-in-law’s gift keeps giving. Namey says, “We both enjoyed it so much we're now season ticket holders. For me it's a win-win gift. My kiddo gets to enjoy the highest level of soccer while we support professional female athletes and our local team!"

Find new gear for your player, and support a family business that has served the Triangle since 1935.

With locations in Wake Forest, Morrisville and Cary, the staff at Five Hole Sports has the goal of “helping hockey families build their goals today.”

Find new ice or inline skates for your player or upgrade their street hockey gear or goalie protection. Five Hole has gear for your little hockey newbie all the way up to a competitive travel player.

Give the gift of skate profiling, fitting and sharpening. Staff will even “bake” your player’s skates for superior fit.

Brian Robson, general manager of the Wake Forest location, says when families look for gifts for their hockey player, he leads them to the stick room. “If you’re going for something big, it’s almost always a stick,” he says.

Be sure to grab some tape and practice pucks for stocking stuffers. Of course they have Carolina Hurricanes shirts and jerseys for local fans.

For your older, more dedicated athlete, maybe a session of PRO 3:5 Sports Academy’s baseball, basketball or lacrosse academies would be the right gift? An athlete construction training session this winter may get them ready for the spring sports season!

Rani and Joe are part of the local art scene as members of the Watercolor Society of NC (WSNC), the Fine Arts League of Cary and The CAM Raleigh Urban Sketchers. Contact them for custom watercolor pieces as well.