There are few things in this life that people get more passionate about than sports. Chances are that you have a family member or friend in your life who lives and breathes sports. They love their teams, creating fantasy leagues, and playing sports. Whether you are looking to support them in their passion or find them a meaningful gift, there are several actions you can take.
Participate with Them
The best way to come to understand the sport enthusiast in your life is by seeing what they see. This means that you should participate with your friend when they are doing the sports related activities they enjoy. By doing so, you are showing your friend or family member that you not only care about the things they are interested in, but you care about doing them together because you care for your friend. This makes the activities more meaningful. You could do anything with them including watching, playing, pick-up games, and conversations about their favorite sports. For example, if your friend is a big soccer fan, ask them about their favorite players and get a group together for a game regularly.
Theme Your Gifts
While having a friend who is a sports fan can make it easier to narrow down what category of gifts to buy, you still have some leeway on which direction you could go. In general, you have the option to center gifts for any holiday around their interests. There are always a large variety of gifts you can choose from that will make any sports fan happy. To continue the earlier example of your friend who loves soccer, you could get them memorabilia from their favorite team, tickets to a game, or new soccer equipment. If you want the present to be extra special, you should get them something you can do together.
Prepare to Support
If you are unfamiliar with the same sports your friend is passionate about, it might be worthwhile for you to do some research on your end. You might want to look up some basic terminology which can help you understand them when your friend is talking about their sport. It would also be helpful if you knew when the game season starts. This knowledge will help you know when your friend might be less available or when you should plan to watch games with them.
Helping your friends to feel validated in their interests is one of the best ways to support them. As you support the sports enthusiast in your life, you will have more in common and become closer as friends.
Read this next: Things You’re Forgetting in Your Fitness Plan