Coach Resource Center

Last updated: May 2026 · By Trenton Garza, Founder

Coaches are in a tough spot. Your athletes are already seeing supplement advice on TikTok, in locker rooms, in group chats, and from people trying to sell them something. If the adults in the room say nothing, the loudest voice wins.

This resource is built for the middle lane: do not sell, do not endorse, do not prescribe, and do not name a personal favorite product. Educate athletes and parents on how to think. Point them to official resources. Encourage them to bring labels to qualified staff before they take anything.

The line: educate, do not recommend

State policies vary, but the common school-sports pattern is clear: coaches and school personnel should avoid supplying, purchasing, distributing, or recommending specific dietary supplements to athletes. That protects the athlete, the coach, and the school.

Education is different. You can explain that protein is a macronutrient. You can explain that creatine is not a steroid. You can warn athletes that SARMs are not dietary supplements and are banned in sport. You can tell athletes to use Drug Free Sport AXIS, their athletic trainer, a sports dietitian, or their compliance office.

The difference is the sentence structure. "Buy this pre-workout" crosses the line. "If you choose to use a pre-workout, check the label for banned stimulants and verify it through official resources" is education.

What coaches can usually say

• Food, hydration, sleep, and training consistency matter more than supplements.
• Some supplements contain substances banned by the NCAA, WADA, state associations, or school policy.
• There is no such thing as an NCAA-approved supplement.
• Third-party certification like NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Sport, or BSCG can reduce risk.
• Athletes should bring product labels to qualified staff before taking a supplement.
• SARMs, prohormones, peptides, and exotic stimulant products are not appropriate for student athletes.

What coaches should not say

• "Take this exact product."
• "This brand is safe for everyone."
• "Use this dose."
• "Do not worry about drug testing."
• "The school cannot provide it, but I can get it for you."
• "This supplement is NCAA approved."

The 10-minute team talk

If you only get one short talk with your team, use this structure:

1. Start with priorities. Sleep, food, hydration, and training are the foundation.
2. Define supplements. They fill gaps. They do not replace the foundation.
3. Separate basics from red flags. Protein and creatine are not the same conversation as SARMs, prohormones, or high-stim pre-workouts.
4. Explain strict responsibility. Athletes are responsible for what goes into their body.
5. Give the process. Bring the label to the athletic trainer, compliance officer, sports dietitian, or parent before using it.

Parent-night talking points

Parents often assume supplement risk means steroids only. Athletes often assume anything sold in a store is automatically allowed. The truth is in the middle. A parent-night handout should explain that protein and creatine are not the same thing as SARMs or prohormones, and that pre-workout depends on the exact formula.

Use plain language. "If the label includes SARMs, prohormones, peptides, or stimulant names you cannot identify, pause and ask staff before use." "If the athlete is college-bound or already in a testing pool, use the official compliance process before taking anything new." "A certification logo is useful, but verify the exact product in the source database."

Do not make the parent meeting a sales presentation or a brand list. Make it a risk framework. The goal is for parents to know when a product is low drama, when it needs review, and when it should be an immediate no.

Ingredient categories worth teaching

Basic nutrition support

Protein, electrolytes, vitamins, minerals, and creatine are the categories most athletes ask about first. These are not automatically risk-free, but they are easier to evaluate than stimulant blends or hormone-adjacent products.

Caffeine and pre-workout

Pre-workout requires dose awareness. The NCAA has a caffeine threshold, and stimulant stacking is where athletes get sloppy. Teach athletes to count all sources: coffee, energy drinks, pre-workout, and caffeine pills.

Banned and high-risk products

SARMs, prohormones, DHEA, BPC-157, MK-677, DMAA, DMHA, ephedra, higenamine, and similar products should trigger a hard stop and referral to qualified staff. Do not debate the sales pitch. Send the athlete to the official process.

Build a simple school process

The best policy is the one athletes can actually follow. Create a label-review path: athlete brings product, staff photographs the Supplement Facts panel, qualified staff checks AXIS or the relevant certification database, and the athlete gets a clear answer or a referral. Keep the process boring and repeatable.

If your school has a sports dietitian, use them. If not, the athletic trainer and compliance office are usually the right first stop. For high school programs, check the state association handbook and district policy before creating any public guidance.

One consistent process also keeps athletes from shopping for the answer they want from whichever adult sounds least strict.

Red-flag response protocol

When an athlete shows you a risky product, do not improvise an answer in the hallway. Use a consistent protocol. First, tell the athlete not to use the product until it has been reviewed. Second, document the product name and Supplement Facts panel. Third, send it through the athletic trainer, compliance officer, sports dietitian, or athletic director. Fourth, follow up with the athlete and parent in writing if your school policy requires it.

This protects everyone. The athlete gets a real answer. The coach avoids playing pharmacist. The school has a record that staff took the question seriously. And the next time the athlete has a question, they know there is a process instead of guessing or hiding it.

What not to outsource to social media

Social media can be useful for training ideas, but it is a terrible compliance department. Influencers are rewarded for certainty, intensity, and dramatic before-and-after stories. They are not responsible for your athlete's eligibility, school policy, heart rate, sleep, anxiety, or failed test.

Teach athletes to ask three questions when a supplement claim comes from social media: What is the actual ingredient? Is it allowed by my governing body? Who benefits if I buy it? Those three questions slow down most bad decisions.

FAQ

Can coaches recommend protein or creatine?

Many school and sport policies draw a line between general education and product recommendation. A coach can usually teach what protein and creatine are. Recommending a specific product, brand, or dose can create policy and liability problems. Check your school and state rules.

Can a coach share this page with athletes?

Yes, as an educational resource. It does not require athletes to buy a specific product. Still, your school may have a preferred approval process for outside educational materials, so route it through the athletic director if needed.

What should athletes do with a product they already bought?

Do not shame them. Ask them to bring the container in before using it. Photograph the Supplement Facts panel, check for red-flag ingredients, search certification databases, and refer unresolved questions to qualified staff.

What is the biggest red flag?

Anything marketed as a SARM, prohormone, peptide, testosterone booster, post-cycle therapy product, or extreme stimulant. Those categories create far more risk than basic protein or creatine.

Where should staff send athletes for official review?

Use Drug Free Sport AXIS for NCAA contexts, the athlete's compliance office or athletic trainer, and the certification databases for NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Sport, and BSCG. For high school athletes, also check your state association and district policy.

Sources

• NFHS resources and high school activities guidance
• NCAA 2025-26 Banned Substances
• Drug Free Sport AXIS
• USADA Supplement Connect
• FDA warning on SARMs in dietary supplements

Educational content only. This is not legal, medical, eligibility, or school-policy advice. Coaches and staff should follow their athletic department, state association, district, and governing-body rules. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.