Holiday Gifts for Athletes: Personalized Sports Gifts by Sport
The holiday gift that could only be theirs
A holiday gift for an athlete is a personalized sports ball, megaphone or keepsake printed with the player's own photo, name, number and team colors. Make-A-Ball makes them one at a time in Baltimore, Maryland: custom footballs, basketballs, volleyballs, soccer balls, baseballs, softballs, cheer megaphones, golf balls, hockey pucks, lacrosse and field hockey balls, plus ornaments, blankets and towels. Every design uses our Custom Image Technology, a full-color print that won't fade, crack or peel.
This guide is for single gifts: the high school football player, the cheerleader, the kid who just made the travel basketball team, the dad who golfs every Saturday. No minimum order. Upload one photo and our design team builds the proof. If you are buying for a whole team or a coach, the Team Spirit Shop and coach gift guide cover those.
Over 54,000 five-star reviews from families across every sport. Read what they say.
Shop Holiday Gifts by Sport
Every item below is made one at a time with the player's own photo. Pick their sport, upload a picture, and we handle the design.
Best Gifts for Football Players
A regulation 11 inch or youth 9 inch football printed with their photo, name, number and team colors. The top gift for high school football players and the football gifts for boys that get displayed, not lost in a drawer.
From $44.95
Gifts for Basketball Players
Full size or mini 5.5 inch basketballs with their photo on the panel. Personalized basketball gifts for boys and girls, point guards to post players, with room for a message from the family.
From $44.95
Best Gifts for Cheerleaders
The 19 inch cheer megaphone personalized with her photo, name, squad colors and graduation year. Our most requested cheerleader gift, and the 8 inch mini megaphone works as a stocking stuffer for the whole squad.
From $69.95
Gifts for Volleyball Players
A regulation volleyball with their photo, position and jersey number. Personalized volleyball gifts for club and high school players, with an optional display stand so it stays on the shelf.
From $64.95
Gifts for Soccer Players
Size 5 for high school and club players, size 3 for the youngest ones. A soccer ball gift printed with their photo and name, in their club or school colors.
From $44.95
Gifts for Baseball Players
A regulation baseball with two printed panels: their photo on one side, their name, number and season on the other. One of the best baseball gifts for kids and a classic for dads and grandpas who still play.
From $29.95
Gifts for Softball Players
A regulation softball with her photo and stats on two panels. Softball gifts for players and teammates, ready for the display case or the dugout.
From $29.95
Golf Gifts for Dad, Grandpa and the Golfer Who Has Everything
Titleist, TaylorMade, Callaway and more, printed with a photo, monogram, logo or one of our funny designs. Order a 3 pack or a dozen. Personalized golf balls are the easiest holiday golf gift to get right.
From $7.95
Hockey, Lacrosse and Field Hockey Gifts
A photo hockey puck, lacrosse ball or field hockey ball with their picture and name. Small, under $20, and made for the sports that rarely get a personalized gift of their own.
From $19.95
Photo Blankets for Players and Fans
A 50 by 60 inch sherpa or fleece blanket printed edge to edge with their photo, name and number. The gift for the player who lives on the couch after practice, and for the parents who sit in cold bleachers.
From $29.95
Photo Towels for Swim, Gym and the Sidelines
A full-size swim and beach towel with their photo and name, or a rally towel in team colors. Personalized towels for swimmers, gym bags and game-day fans, and a practical gift that gets used every week.
From $24.95
Photo Banners for the Bedroom Wall
A vinyl photo banner with their full-length action shot, name, number and school. Made for senior nights, and just as good hanging over the bed or in the basement gym all winter.
From $9.95
Holiday Order Deadlines
Production starts the day you approve your design. Most custom items are ready to ship 7 to 10 business days after approval; golf balls, megaphones, water bottles, field hockey and lacrosse balls take 5 to 8. Shipping time is added after that, so the dates below are the latest we recommend ordering, not the day it arrives.
| To receive by | Order and send photos by | Shipping to choose |
|---|---|---|
| Hanukkah (begins Dec 4) | Wednesday, November 18 | Upgraded shipping |
| Christmas, standard shipping | Tuesday, December 1 | Ground |
| Christmas, last call | Friday, December 11 | Upgraded shipping |
| Missed the cutoff | Any time | Email a Make-A-Ball gift card and let them design their own |
Carriers set their own delivery times during the holidays, so we can't guarantee an arrival date. Approve your proof the day it arrives and choose a faster shipping method at checkout if your date is close. Shipping details are on our shipping page.
How It Works
Choose the sport and upload a photo
Pick their sport, the size, and a design. Upload the photo and tell us their name, number, team and colors. Our designers do the rest.
Approve your proof
Within 24 hours we email a digital proof of your design. Check every detail. Nothing goes to production until you approve it, and revisions are included.
Wrap it
Most orders ship from Baltimore 7 to 10 business days after approval. Order by December 1 for standard shipping, or by December 11 with upgraded shipping.
Gift Ideas by Who You're Shopping For
For the high school athlete
Go full size. A regulation football, basketball or volleyball with this season's photo, their number and the school colors, and add a display stand so it lives on the dresser. Seniors get a second use out of it on senior night and graduation; see our senior gifts guide.
For the youth player
Choose the smaller size so it fits their hands: the youth 9 inch football, mini 5.5 inch basketball or size 3 soccer ball. First-season photos, first jersey number, first team name. Sports gifts for kids that parents keep long after the kid outgrows the league.
For the coach
A team photo ball or a gold or silver award ball with the season record and a thank-you from the players. The full list is in our coach gift guide.
For the whole team
Matching items with one shared design, each with the player's own name: mini megaphones, rally towels, ornaments and can coolers start at 12 pieces in the Team Spirit Shop. Quantity discounts are available for team and bulk orders; price a full order on the Team and School Estimates page.
Stocking stuffers and gifts under $30
- 8 inch mini megaphone from $8.95. The cheer stocking stuffer.
- Photo baseball ornament from $19.95. Also available for softball and hockey pucks.
- Photo hockey puck from $19.95. Fits in a stocking, lives on a shelf.
- Sports photo magnets from $4.95. For the fridge and the locker.
- Custom can cooler from $3.95. For the parents in the stands.
- Photo puzzle from $12.95. Round, heart or rectangle.
- Rally towel from $9.95. Team colors and their name.
- Photo banner from $9.95. Vertical or horizontal, from a single action shot.
- Photo blanket from $29.95. Sherpa or fleece, 50 by 60 inches.
- Custom golf balls from $7.95. Photo, monogram or a funny design, by the sleeve or the dozen.
- Photo baseball from $29.95. Two printed panels, regulation size.
See everything small and giftable in ornaments, towels and accessories.
How to Order a Personalized Sports Gift
For all orders, our design team creates your artwork within 24 hours of purchase and emails you a digital proof for approval before production begins. Revisions included.
Most phone photos work. Leave some room around the player, skip watermarked photographer previews, and send the exact spelling of names, the number and the year. If you are not sure which photo to use, send a few and tell us your favorite. Most orders ship from Baltimore within 7 to 10 business days of your approval, and you get a tracking email the day it leaves.
What Customers Say
Custom baseball, a gift for Dad
I ordered a custom baseball for my husband with photos of him and our boys at their first game together. When he opened it he just sat there holding it and smiling. The design team got the layout perfect. It's now sitting on his desk at work where everyone can see it. Stacey M.
Custom basketball, a gift for Grandpa
We put all the grandkids' photos on a basketball for my father-in-law. He opened it at dinner and got completely choked up. The whole family was in tears. It's been on the display stand in his living room ever since. Sarah T.
Custom football, a gift for Dad
My daughter and I surprised my dad with a custom football featuring old photos from his coaching days. He kept turning it over looking at every detail. The print quality was way better than I expected and it shipped faster than promised. Amanda R.
Frequently Asked Questions About Holiday Sports Gifts
What is the best holiday gift for a high school football player?
A regulation size custom photo football printed with the player's own photo, name, jersey number and team colors. It is specific to that player, it displays well, and it is the most ordered item on makeaball.com every December. Add a display stand or a second printed panel for a team photo.
What do you get a cheerleader for Christmas?
A personalized 19 inch cheer megaphone with her photo, name, squad colors and year is the signature cheerleading gift. For a smaller gift or a stocking stuffer, the 8 inch mini megaphone prints the same way.
When do I need to order for Christmas delivery?
Order and send your photos by December 1 for standard shipping, or by December 11 with an upgraded shipping method. Production takes 7 to 10 business days after you approve your design (5 to 8 for golf balls, megaphones and water bottles), plus shipping. Carriers set holiday delivery times, so arrival dates are never guaranteed.
Do you have a minimum order?
No. Every item on this page is made as a single piece. Team orders of 12 or more are handled in the Team Spirit Shop, and quantity discounts are available for team and bulk orders.
What photo should I send?
A clear, in-focus photo with some space around the player. Most phone photos are fine. Avoid watermarked proofs from a photographer; ask them for the unwatermarked file. You can also send a logo, the exact text you want, and your colors.
Can I see the design before it is made?
Yes. Our design team creates your artwork within 24 hours of purchase and emails you a digital proof. Nothing goes into production until you approve it, and revisions are included.
Can the ball be used in a game?
They can be played with, but most people keep them as keepsakes because play wears the printed graphics. Display stands are available for most balls.
Do you make gifts for sports other than football and basketball?
Yes: volleyball, soccer, baseball, softball, cheer, golf, hockey, lacrosse, field hockey, flag football, rugby and track, plus blankets, towels, water bottles, ornaments and puzzles for any sport.
More Gift Guides
Senior night gifts · Coach gifts · Player gifts · Graduation gifts · Milestone gifts · Holiday ornaments · Father's Day gifts · Girls flag football gifts · All occasions
Writing a holiday gift guide?
Make-A-Ball is a Baltimore company that has made personalized sports gifts since 2004, with over 54,000 five-star reviews. Editors and gift guide writers can email custserv@makeaball.com for product images, samples and a one-paragraph description. We reply within one business day.