What should you Buy for an Athlete on Valentine's Day?

With February around the corner you might be thinking about Valentine's Day. Maybe you love to get into it and launch headfirst into what has become a Hallmark Holiday, making sure that when the 14th rolls around you're decked with a card, flowers and a box of chocolates to give to your sweetheart? 

Or perhaps you're more of a traditionalist and want to do what they did during the Lupercalia festival, which is one of the earliest records of what might have become modern Valentine's Day. Maybe you're ready to sacrifice a goat to celebrate fertility and health?   

Perhaps you ignore Valentine's Day all together and celebrate love every other day of the year? Maybe you spend Valentine's Day with friends, choosing to celebrate platonic love and friendship? 

The way we see it at Strong Athletic, there really isn't any right or wrong way to pay tribute (or not) when February 14th rolls around every year. However, for those that do want to give something to the person that they love, we thought we'd write a list of gift ideas for Valentine's Day that are specifically for athletes. Keep reading to see what we recommend in our gift guide. 

Top Ten Gifts for Athletes 

1. There's a slight chance that we might be biased, but we think that the best gift to buy for your Valentine is a Strong Athletic Shirt. Priced between $29-$33, a shirt costs about the same amount as a bouquet of flowers, but rather than lasting a week and being really smelly eventually, it will last for years and only smells if you don't wash it. Our brand is one that's meant to make you feel empowered, motivated and to help you make a statement. Isn't that the type of gift that you want to give to your boo on Valentine's Day? Plus, when you buy from us, you're supporting a small-scale, queer-woman owned company that supports the underrepresented in sports. Plus, it'll come wrapped in packaging that's designed to feel like you're opening a gift. Not sure what design they might like? No worries, we have gift certificates.

2. Does your Valentine love to find delicious new recipes? Or maybe they're a bookworm? Looking for the perfect gift for your special human who never leaves home without their favorite book in their hand or who always has a cookbook open in the kitchen? Check out the bookmarks by Life on Mars Goods. Now your sweetheart never has to earmark another page, they can simply slip one of these handmade leather book marks on the edge of the page where they want to start reading next time. Plus, at $15, they're less than a box of chocolates. When you choose this gift, you'll be supporting a Chicago-based small business whose founder is an athlete herself! Our favorite bookmark says "Go to Bed" ;). 

3. Maybe the love of your life is looking for a community of people to exercise with? Rather than grabbing them a tangible gift, you should consider getting them a membership at a small-scale locally owned gym. 2020 was a hard year for small-scale gyms, so you'll also be helping to support an industry that gives back so much to the people that it exists for. Some of our favorite local gyms include: Castlehill Fitness and Lumos Fitness Collective in Austin, Texas. Iron Mountain Strength and Conditioning in Bellingham, Washington. Dyer Fitness in Vancouver, Canada. 

4. Does your Valentine live in stretchy pants and active wear? Add to her collection by gifting her a pair of Superfit Hero's Superhold Pocket Capris. Priced at $88, you know these won't break the bank, and by choosing this brand, you're supporting a small-scale ethical company that wants to "serve and care for a community that has been excluded and marginalized from mainstream fashion and fitness cultures". The Capris come in a burgundy blush color, which goes along with the pinks and red of Valentine's Day.

5. Is the special person you're shopping for una mujer fuerte? If the answer is yes, head over to Garzig Design and grab her a Las Mujeres Fuertes Hoodie. This hoodie is in perfect Valentine's Day colors: Red and Teal and it's designed by Austin, Texas based artist Angel Ortega, who designed the Strong Athletic logo. Priced at $35, this hoodie will keep your boo warm for years and costs about a third of the price of a fancy dinner.

6. Buy your sweetheart some roller skates! There are millions of people across the world who love roller skating and have used it as a way to exercise and for self-expression for decades.  Rather than buy your bae skates on Amazon or from a bigbox retailer, keep it local. Some of our favorite shops to support are Rollergirl in Vancouver, Canada, LowLife MTL in Montreal, Canada, Bruised Boutique in New Hampshire, Medusa Skates in Austin, Texas and Hive Skate Hub in Manchester, UK. Does your love already have skates? If you gift them new skates, be sure to donate any and all of the skating gear that you are no longer using to Derby Without Borders, so that they can get it to a skater that doesn't have easy access to new gear. 

7. Wanna buy you love skates, but the tricky thing is that they don't know how to skate? No problem! Rolla Skate Club makes it easy for anyone of any level to learn how to roller skate with their Roller Skating 101 online skating course. These classes were designed by skaters for people with little to no skating experience and are sure to help your special someone learn how to skate in their shiny new roller skates. Plus, Rolla Skate Club is more than a company that offers online classes, they are a small-call collective located in central Vancouver and believe that "roller skating is for everyone". Check them out! 

8. Perhaps you and your sweetheart could spend Valentine's Day trying out a new sport? Learning something with the person you love is a great way to bond and you'll also get to try something new. If you're in Austin you could try out Capoeira at Capoeira Evolução, plus they even offer you the chance to try out one class for free, which makes trying it 100% affordable. 

9. If your sweetie doesn't want gifts you can make a donation to an organization that supports athletes in sports in you sweetheart's name. One of our favorite nonprofit sports organizations is Pull for Pride, an international advocacy and education program of Women’s Strength Coalition, dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA2+ athletes. We also really adore the work that is being done at Fugees Family, a nonprofit that works with child refugees of war through the sport of soccer. Want to support an organization committed to getting people outside in nature? Wild Diversity is a non-profit that "helps to create a personal connection to the outdoors for Black, Indigenous, all People of Color (BIPOC) & the LGBTQ+ communities, through outdoor adventures and education." We mentioned Derby Without Borders loves to receive donations in the form of skate gear that you're no longer using, but they also need funding to help ship that gear across the world. Rather than buying a box of chocolates and some flowers, you could help pay to get a pair of skates into the hands of a skater who is going to start using them immediately. It'll be like you're giving two gifts, and one will go to a person you've never even met. :) 

10. Is your Valentine a runner? Are they training for an upcoming race, either a virtual one or one that's in person? Could they use a boost to their training routine or their mental game? Rather than giving your Valentine chocolates and a card, consider booking them in with a virtual running coach who can help them prepare. Our favorite coach is Aja Marsh, she believes that, "No matter where you're trying to go and what you're trying to achieve, it takes consistency, curiosity and courage. 

11. We know we call this a Top 10 list, but our final suggestion is too good to leave out. Gift your boo a consulting session with a personal trainer who can help them get closer to their athletic and fitness goals. One of our favorite trainers who works with clients one on one through online sessions is Dibs of Dibs Fitness. Dibs says, "Dibs is my name and inclusive, accessible fitness is my game. I'm part of the rebellion that's taking on the health and fitness industry right now. The folks who are reclaiming exercise as fun, social, self care and accessible to all!" Dibs is based in Montreal, Canada and also runs in person sessions when Covid regulations allow them to safely take place. 

Top 10 Gift ideas to Buy an Athletic on Valentine's Day

1. Buy them Strong Athletic's Strong Athletic Love shirt, preorders end on February 1.
2. Buy them a Life on Mars Good's page holder, so they can save their sport in their favorite sport's memoir 
3. Get them a membership at a small-scale gym in your neighborhood
4. Get them a pair of Superfit Hero's Superhold Pocket Capris, so they have something new for when they lift
5. Get them something from Garzig Design, such as the Las Mujeras Fuertas hoodie
6. Buy your sweetheart a pair of roller skates, make sure to grab them from a small-scale locally owned skate shop
7. Get your lover rollerskating lessons for Valentine's Day. Rolla Skate Club has an online course they'll love. 
8. Take them to try out a new sport, Capoeira Evolução in Austin offers one free class
9. Donate to a nonprofit that works to support athletes in sports or uses sports to help small communities 
10. Get your partner a virtual coaching session for their sport, like Aja Marsh who coaches runners. 
11. Get your Love an online session with a trainer that will understand their goals, such as Dibs of Dibs Fitness

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