2025 Athlete Gift Guide: the Top Gift for middle and High School Athletes

Every December, parents everywhere are searching for that one thing — the gift that will light their kid up. But the truth is that most of what’s under the tree ends up forgotten by February.

The shinier gear, the new warm-ups, the wearables — they’re fun for a week.

Confidence, though? That lasts.

Middle school is one of the hardest times to be an athlete. Pressure grows, comparison creeps in, and self-doubt can take hold fast. What young athletes need isn’t more gear, but someone to remind them why they started in the first place.

That’s what Back The Team is built for. Our mentorships connect youth athletes directly with Olympians and Paralympians: real role models who have fallen, failed, and risen stronger. Every week, kids get to hear stories, ask questions, and go behind-the-scenes to learn mindset tools they’ll carry long after their sport.

Kids don’t just love it. Parents do too:

“My daughter recently went through a really tough time and had completely lost her spark for the sport she used to love. She came away from Back The Team believing in herself in a way I’ve never seen before. Her confidence and joy for her sport are back. And even better, she’s found a community where she feels inspired and ready to take on the season.”

So this holiday season, skip the extra gear. Give the gift of grit through Back The Team — because no present lasts longer than confidence.

Give your athlete the gift of grit.

For press and media inquiries, please contact info@backtheteam.org.