This memorandum outlines specific Safe Sport requirements for USA Hockey Member Programs. USA Hockey has adopted the policies of the U.S. Center for SafeSport (“Center”), including the SafeSport Code and the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (“MAAPP”), and incorporated the SafeSport Code and MAAPP into the USA Hockey Safe Sport Program Handbook.
Each USA Hockey Affiliate and Member Program must agree to and comply with the USA Hockey Safe Sport Program Policies as a condition of sanctioning by USA Hockey or an Affiliate. In addition, each Member Program must take steps to ensure the Safe Sport Policies are followed at all USA Hockey sanctioned events. All violations of the Safe Sport Program Policies must be properly reported, investigated, and resolved.
SafeSport Training and Background Screen Requirements
Who Needs SafeSport Training or a USA Hockey Screen?
The following page includes a chart of different categories of members and whether they are required to complete SafeSport Training and/or a Background Screen.
The following Participants are required to have SafeSport Training and/or a Background Screen before the Participant is allowed to have regular contact or authority over Minor Athletes (including all practices and team meetings):
Notes
- Participants 16 or under do not require SafeSport Training or a Background Screen.
- Paid officials/referees who live or work in Pennsylvania, per state law, must upload copies of their state required clearances. Minor-aged officials/referees who live or work in PA must upload the state clearances through the screening system, but will not submit a criminal background screen. For more information, see: www.usahockey.com/backgroundscreen
Links to Access Training or to Submit a Screen
• Before completing SafeSport Training or a Background Screen, all members must first register with USA Hockey for the current season at: https://membership.usahockey.com/
• To complete SafeSport Training, please go to: www.usahockey.com/safesporttraining
• To complete a USA Hockey Background Screen, please go to www.usahockey.com/backgroundscreen
Note: USA Hockey is unable to accept background screens from other sports or organizations.
Compliance with Requirements
Member Program registrars cannot place a coach or player on a roster unless they meet the requirements above. Additionally, any referee without the required Training or a Background Screen will not receive their card and crest for the current season. Local programs must ensure all Participants who require SafeSport Training and a Background Screen have met these requirements before they are allowed to have regular contact with or authority over Minor Athletes. Members Programs and Affiliates must audit their Participants regularly for compliance. To track and audit program compliance by staff/volunteers that are not on a team roster, a suggested best practice is to create a roster of volunteers that will identify whether they have completed SafeSport Training or Screening.
The Center for SafeSport requires members to complete SafeSport Training at least every twelve (12) months. This may mean that some participants will be within the 12-month period and eligible at the beginning of the season but will have their SafeSport Training expire and become ineligible during the season if new SafeSport Training is not completed. USA Hockey will email Participants before their SafeSport Training renewal date and notify the Participant’s Member Program and Affiliate. Any Participant who has not taken the required Training on or before the renewal date will be ineligible to participate in any USA Hockey sanctioned event or activity, in any role listed above, until the SafeSport Training is complete.
Required Policies for Member Programs
USA Hockey Member Programs and Affiliates must follow the policies in the USA Hockey Safe Sport Program Handbook. In addition, Member Programs must develop and implement, in writing, the following policies, consistent with the provisions found in the Safe Sport Program Handbook:
1. A Locker Room Policy published to a parent/guardian for each Minor Athlete and for each facility program regularly uses;
2. A Team Travel Policy (including both Transportation and Lodging) applicable to youth teams that is published and provided to all players, parents, coaches, and other adults that are traveling with the team that includes parental consents to In-Program travel and lodging; and
3. A Billet Policy (only for programs/teams utilizing a billeting arrangement) that is provided to the parent/guardian of any billeted player before placing the player in a billet home.
Sample policies may be found at http://www.usahockey.com/safesportprogram.
Consent Forms
In addition to the policies listed above, each Member Program shall make available and store written consent forms consistent with the requirements of the Safe Sport Program Handbook:
1. Dual Relationship Exception to MAAAPP Annual Consent Form 2. Dual Relationship Exception Forms on Specific Dates/Events, including:
- One-On-One Interactions
- Transportation
- Electronic Communications
- Locker Rooms
- Lodging (Not a Shared Room)
- Lodging (Shared Room)
- Personal Care Assistant Annual Consent Form
- Personal Care Assistant Forms on Specific Dates/Events, including:
- One-On-One Interactions
- Transportation
- Electronic Communications
- Locker Rooms
- Lodging (Not a Shared Room)
- Lodging (Shared Room)
- General Consent Regarding MAAPP Annual Consent Form
- Consent for Athletic Training Modalities on Specific Dates/Events
- Consent for Individual Training Sessions on Specific Dates/Events
- Consent for Media and Championship Celebrations in Locker Rooms on Specific Dates/Events
- Consent for Transportation by an Adult Participant on Specific Dates/Events
- Consent for Transportation by Local Program on Specific Dates/Events
Sample forms may be found at http://www.usahockey.com/safesportprogram.
USA Hockey Sanctioned Tournaments
Most Member Programs host sanctioned tournaments during the course of a season. The Safe Sport requirements for USA Hockey sanctioned tournaments may be found here.