Coach-facing early referral sheet
Iron Deficiency
Warning Signs
For coaches, parents, and female athletes
Catch low ferritin before heavy legs, short breath, and flat workouts get written off as toughness or bad fitness.
Evidence-basedCoach-safeReferral requiredNot diagnosticCitations on sheet
Performance support starts with testing and meals, not with guessing.
Low Risk (Green)
A mild fatigue pattern without repeat training decline or other strong clues.
Action: review meals, sleep, and recovery while watching the next 2-3 weeks closely.
Moderate Concern (Yellow)
Heavy legs, slower pace, short breath, or frequent illness showing up together.
Action: refer for ferritin-focused lab work and document the pattern now.
High Risk (Red)
Dizziness, near-fainting, severe exercise intolerance, or a fast slide in daily function.
Action: stop normal training load and get same-day medical guidance.
Risk Clusters
Performance
- Heavy legs during paces the athlete usually handles well.
- Workout quality drops even while effort stays high.
- Recovery takes longer after routine sessions.
- Easy runs suddenly feel unusually hard or breathless.
Physical
- Shortness of breath, dizziness, or headaches with ordinary training.
- Pale skin, brittle nails, cold hands, or unusual fatigue in school.
- Frequent illness or trouble bouncing back from small training blocks.
- Restlessness, poor sleep, or afternoon energy crashes.
History
- Heavy menstrual bleeding or a recent big jump in training load.
- Low iron intake, vegetarian patterns, or inconsistent meal structure.
- Altitude blocks or fast growth phases that raise demand.
- Past low ferritin or prior supplementation without recent retesting.
Immediate Referral TriggersRefer to athletic trainer or physician today if you notice:
Heavy legs plus breathlessness lasting longer than 2 weeks
Pale appearance, dizziness, or near-fainting with training
Known heavy menstrual bleeding plus a clear performance decline
Prior low ferritin with no recent retest and symptoms returning
What Not To Say
- Do not call the athlete lazy, out of shape, or mentally weak.
- Do not praise grinding through obvious fatigue when symptoms keep stacking.
- Do not recommend iron supplements as a blind fix without labs or follow-up.
Coach Action Steps
- 1Describe the training change in plain language instead of calling the athlete unfit.
- 2Ask the family to request ferritin alongside the iron workup, not just a CBC.
- 3Support iron-rich meals and vitamin C pairing while medical follow-up is pending.
- 4Lower pressure, document the pattern, and keep the conversation performance-focused.