Gifts for sports fans in Australia

Player or fan

Sports gifts split in two. Players want gear that helps them practise or recover. Fans want something that ties them to a team or a summer of cricket. Get this wrong and the gift sits in a cupboard: a casual watcher does not want a training aid, and a regular player does not need another cap.

Christmas falls in summer here, which makes it easy. Surf lessons, pool games and backyard balls get used on Boxing Day. A mini autograph bat goes straight to the next Test or Big Bash match. A footy or league ball gets kicked around the park the same afternoon.

Spending

Under $25 covers the cheap wins: a mini autograph bat, a light-up wristband ball, or a small gift card for a football reader.

From $25 to $100 gets a main gift: a supporter ball, a training cap, a big insulated bottle, a kids' surf mat or a beginner surf lesson.

Above $100, a compact massage gun is the gift most people will use, since almost everyone who plays has a sore back or shoulder at some point. Golf lessons with a pro are the other strong pick for a golfer, if you get the city right.

Check the city

Most of the experience vouchers here are tied to one place: a wave pool in Melbourne, a beach on the Gold Coast, a golf course in Adelaide, a simulator in Melbourne. Check where the person lives or is travelling before you buy. Vouchers are hard to refund.

Heat, water and the sideline

Keep water in mind. A big vacuum bottle keeps drinks cold through a long day at junior cricket. A pool volleyball net needs a decent-sized pool. Surf mats are toys, not flotation devices, so kids need watching.

For an older fan who listens to the cricket or the footy in the shed, a simple pocket radio with two dials beats anything with menus.

Questions people ask

What do you get a sports fan who has everything?

Look past team merchandise. A compact massage gun or a heat and cold device tends to be new to them. An experience, such as a surf lesson or a session with a golf pro, adds a day out rather than another thing on the shelf. Check the city first, because most of these vouchers are tied to one location.

What is a good gift for a young cricket or footy fan?

Something they can use this summer. A mini autograph bat for collecting signatures at a Test or Big Bash game is cheap and memorable. A supporter ball gets kicked around the backyard the same day. Current season caps date quickly, so buy them for the summer they will be worn.