Policies and Forms

USA Hockey requires that all local programs publish their locker room policies to the parents of all minor participants. The policies should be specific to the facilities they regularly use. The local program’s policies shall include the program’s (a) practices for supervising and monitoring locker rooms and changing areas; (b) permission or lack of permission for parents to be in the locker rooms; (c) prohibited conduct, including at least all forms of abuse and misconduct prohibited by USA Hockey; and (d) specific policies regarding the use of mobile electronic devices and phones and prohibiting the use of a device’s recording capabilities. 

West Hartford Youth Hockey Locker Room Policy

In addition to the development of our hockey players and enjoyment of the sport of hockey, the safety and protection of our participants is central to the goals of our program. West Hartford Youth Hockey adheres to USA Hockey’s SafeSport Program, as a means to help protect its participants from physical abuse, sexual abuse, and other types of misconduct, including emotional abuse, bullying, threats, harassment, and hazing. To help prevent abuse or misconduct from occurring in our locker rooms, WHYHA has adopted the following locker room policy.

At Both Veterans Memorial Skating Rink and Trinity College’s KC Rink, there are 4 locker rooms available for our program’s use. Each of the locker rooms shares a central restroom and shower area with another locker room. Locker room team assignments will vary and will be posted and available at least 1 hour prior to practices and games. 

Many teams in our program will travel to play games at other facilities, and those locker rooms, rest rooms, and shower areas will vary in size and layout from location to location. At facilities with which they are unfamiliar, parents should allow extra time and some flexibility in making arrangements for their child to dress, undress, and shower, if desired.

Locker Room Monitoring

It is the policy of USA Hockey that all USAH Member Programs must have at least one responsible SafeSport screened Adult (which may include coaches, managers, or other volunteers) present and monitoring the locker room during all team events to ensure appropriate supervision and conduct, and to ensure that only participants (coaches and players), approved team personnel, and family members are permitted in the locker room. WHYHA has predictable and limited use of locker rooms and changing areas (e.g., generally 30-60 minutes before and following practices and games). This allows for direct and regular monitoring of locker room areas and should facilitate coordination of efforts to ensure compliance with this requirement.

Acceptable locker room monitoring should include either a) monitors inside the locker room while participants are present or b) monitors in the immediate vicinity of the locker room (within arm’s length of the door), with the expectation that they will regularly and frequently enter the locker room to monitor the activity inside. When locker room monitors are inside the locker room, it is strongly recommended that there be at least 2 monitors present, both whom have been SafeSport screened. Any individual meeting between a minor participant and a coach or other adult in the locker room shall require that a second responsible adult be present.

For each WHYHA team, the coaching staff and team manager are responsible for compliance with the requirements of this locker room policy. A coach or team manager that fails to take appropriate steps to ensure the locker room policy is adhered to, and/or any USA Hockey participant or parent of a participant who otherwise violates this policy, will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.

Parents in Locker Rooms

Except for players at the younger age groups, we discourage parents from entering locker rooms unless it is truly necessary. Obvious exceptions to this rule are when a player suffers an injury or a uniform malfunction.

Naturally, with our youngest age groups it is necessary for parents to assist the players in getting dressed. We encourage parents to teach their players how to get dressed, so that players can independently dress themselves as early as possible. In circumstances where parents are permitted in the locker room, coaches are permitted to ask that the parents leave for a short time before and after the game so that the coaches may address the players. As players get older, the coach may in his or her discretion prohibit parents from a locker room.

Mixed Gender Teams

Some of our WHYHA teams consist of both male and female players. It is important that the privacy rights of all of our players are given consideration and appropriate arrangements made. There are a variety of ways to comply with this directive, and what works best may depend on the individual players or the locker room availability at a particular facility. We encourage coaches, players and parents of those involved in mixed gender teams to work out an appropriate locker room arrangement that results in a comfortable and non-threatening environment for all players. Arrangements may include two separate locker rooms, shared locker rooms or alternating use of the same locker room. When separate locker rooms are used, both locker rooms require appropriate supervision and monitoring.

Cell Phones and Other Mobile Recording Devices

While we understand that occasional cell phone usage may be necessary in the locker room, WHYHA prohibits the use of voice recording, cameras and video recordings of any kind in the locker rooms.

Prohibited Conduct and Reporting

WHYHA prohibits all types of physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, bullying, threats, harassment, and hazing, all as described in the USA Hockey SafeSport Handbook. Participants, parents of participants, and / or volunteers of WHYHA may be subject to disciplinary action for violation of these locker room policies, or for engaging in any misconduct or abuse that violates the USA Hockey SafeSport Policies. To report any actual or suspected violations, you may email USA Hockey or call 1-800-888-4656. 

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