Below is a list of categories for
gift ideas for water polo players.
Accessories:
• MP3 Players
(including underwater options)
• MP3 Player
Accessories
• Sports
Watch
• Cameras
(digital, disposable, underwater)
• Other
• Misc.
(key chains, stickers, magnets,
etc.)
MP3 Player
Regular MP3 player- An MP3 player
is great for tournaments, in-between
games, and traveling time. The most
popular gift is the IPOD. The technology
is changing so quickly on all MP3
players. Features are contantly
being added and prices are always
dropping. Our suggestion is to stick
with the most popular player- the
iPod. iPods vary in memory and functionality,
so you'll have plenty options. Most
importatly, since it is the most
portable player, iPods have the
most accessories developed by 3rd
party companies.
Waterproof MP3s- Conditioning for
water polo includes swim practice
and sometimes hours straight of
swimming. A water proof MP3 player
can break up the monotony. If the
primary use for the MP3 player is
going to be underwater, it is preferable
to get one of the MP3 players that
is designed specifically for swimming
rather than trying to waterproof
your existing MP3 player. The Finis
SwiMP3 and the Freestyle Audio Fusion
are examples of MP3s designed for
swimming. Beware that the reviews
for both of these products are lukewarm.
Waterproof your existing MP3 player-
H2O Audio produces a casing for
iPods and some other devices, but
the reviews have been pretty negative.
If you do intend to use a casing
for an existing MP3 player, you
will probably need to get the arm
band from H20 as well. In general,
the review of the H20 products is
that it is a great concept, but
that it doesn't always work well.
I suggest you read some online reviews
on CNET.com or Amazon.com before
purchasing.
MP3
Player Accessories
There are a bunch of great accessories
for MP3 players that are great gift
ideas.P
Portable speakers: One of my favorites
for water polo players is the portable
speakers. This is great for tournaments
in-between games. Players can plug
in their MP3 players to the speakers
to share thier music with teammates.
The Sonic Impact i-Fusion and Creative
TravelSound are portable and have
received good reviews, Other good
speakers for MP3 players include
the Bose SoundDock & Altec Lansing
InMotion iM7, althought they are
not very portable (designed more
for use in a room).
Headphones: The headphones that
come with most MP3 players (including
the iPod headphones) are awful.
The top of the line headphones are
the Shure E4C earbuds (great but
pricy). There are plenty of good
options are less expensive.
Sports
Watch
Players can’t wear watches
during games or water polo practice,
but a large part of the sport is
swimming conditioning. There are
some great waterproof watches that
are good gifts. In general, here
are the things you should look for
in a watch for a water polo player:
must be waterproof, digital, large
display so that it can be read underwater,
split/lap functions so that players
can track sets when swimming. The
Speedo "Men Rec. Digital Watch"
is about $25 and the Speedo Beecher
is an analog watch for about $30.
Timex, Nike, and Casio also offers
watches designed for sports use.
Cameras
Digital Cameras- A digital
camera is a great gift idea for
a water polo player to capture moments
at tournaments, practice, and travelling
to games. There are coutless digital
camera options and we are not going
to try to tell the detials of every
camera. A good all-around compact
camera is Cannon's Digital Elph.
Every year they come out with a
new camera and they are reasonably
priced for such a compact camera.
You can also get good deals on the
Digital Elphs that have been out
for 6 months to a couple of years.
Even the older versions will meet
most of your point and shoot needs.
The Elph is great for regular shots,
but it is not a high-end action-sports
camera. If you want to get a good
sports camera, you will have to
trade in for a bigger camera and/or
a heaftier pricetag. For your more
complex camera needs, we suggest
visiting a few stores that have
decent customer service, such as
Good Guys, Best Buy, etc. to get
help with what camera works best
for your needs. Then go back home
and compare prices online before
purchasing. Or go to cnet.com to
read some of the reviews of the
cameras.
Waterproof disposable cameras-
This is an easy gift that you can
purchase from just about any drug
store. Waterproof disposable cameras
are pretty cheap and players can
have fun snapping photos underwater.
Other
Nail clippers- Water polo players
have their nails inspected before
every game and must have extremely
short fingernails and toenails.
This is an easy accessory to purchase
from any drugstore. Consider buying
the type that has a keychain ring
so that players can attach to their
keys or bag.
Misc.
You can find many water polo specific
trinkets online at waterpologear.com
• Key Chain
• Stickers
• Magnet
• License plate frame
• Antenna ball