The female gymnast is very much different from the male gymnast and is, fortunately, a bit easier to buy a gift for. I know. I’ve had both. My daughter no longer competes in gymnastics but I do have very fond memories of the times that she did and remember loving buying her gymnastics-related gifts. There is a greater variety to choose from in comparison to what is out there that is male-oriented and, let’s face it, the stuff is cute!
1. Leotard – Of course, where else would we start this list but with the most obvious gift of a leotard. I still have many of my daughter’s leotards from when she was in gym and I didn’t realize how many I had bought but they are so beautiful in both design and fabric and you want her to look cute at the gym, don’t you? Your standard workout leo is affordable and easy to buy and, if memory serves, girls love them.
2. Hair Scrunchies – So, she has the cute leotard and now needs the matching hair scrunchie to go with it. These little round pieces of fabric with elastic tucked inside make great stocking stuffers or cute decorations for the outside of a package.
3. Grips – Girls need grips for their uneven parallel bars routines and depending on the number of hours spent in the gym can go through several pairs of grips each season. It is Murphy’s Law that you will be at the most important meet of your life and your grip will tear so it makes perfect sense to have more than one set. Before investing in grips as a gift, make sure to know your gymnast’s preference on brand as there are several to choose from and each gymnast will certainly have a favorite.
4. Grip Bag – As varied as the leotards and scrunchies, grip bags can come in a variety of different colors and fabrics. You can get them in plain colors ranging all the way to some wonderful fun patterns and textures. No gymnast should be without a grip bag. It’s like a locker for grips and helps to avoid unwanted pit diving looking for the lost partner in the much needed pair.
5. Warm-ups – Girls are so lucky in the gymnastics clothing department. It’s not a rare site to see a gymnast proclaiming her dedication to the sport on the bum or down the leg of her sweat pants. The warm-ups are almost as much a tradition as the leotards and a well-appointed gymnast will have a couple cute sets in her arsenal.
6. Slippers – If you have never been to a gymnastics meet, then this will seem silly, but nearly every gymnast I have ever known has had a great pair of slippers to adorn her feet when accepting her awards and standing on the podium at the conclusion of a meet. You will run into the occasional coach or gym that prefers proper over comfy and cute and require actual shoes to be worn on the podium. Either way, a cute pair of slippers is great for every day gym wear as well.
7. Collectible Pins – At nearly any gymnastics meet, you will see huge collections of pins adorning gymnast’s bags or warm-ups. There are pins for every occasion from getting your kip to winning an individual event or all-around. Many gymnasts collect pins to remind them of special meets or accomplishments.
8. Gymnastics Bears – These are similar to the pins in that there seems to be a bear for every occasion. These are small, collectible bears that have on leotards or are embroidered with sayings, etc. They may say, “I love gymnastics” or “I made it to state”. Help your gymnast celebrate by letting her know that you are proud of her accomplishment.
9. Sparkle Make-up and Hair Spray – When the female gymnasts get out on the floor to compete their routines, they are looking tip top. They get a little help with their dazzle from sparkle make-up and hair spray. It was a ritual before every meet to pull my daughter’s hair as tightly off her face as I could possibly without yanking it from her head and gluing it into place with glitter hairspray. I would then add a little sparkle around her eyes and cheeks, as well, with some glitter make-up gel. It helps to feel like a princess when you are out there strutting your stuff.
10. Posters – These are great reminders of those talented athletes that our younger ones want to emulate. It is not unusual to walk into a gymnast’s room and see posters of their favorite gymnasts plastered all over the place. You can also get some really great posters with inspirational sayings and quotes. My all-time favorite says “You run like a girl. You jump like a girl. You swing like a girl. You tumble six feet over a four inch beam, like a girl!’ What a great reminder of what exceptional athletes these young women really are.
Have fun shopping for your athlete. These ideas should offer something for everyone and, as I have said before, its way easier to buy for the female gymnast than it is for the male so have fun with it!
