The following outlines specific Safe Sport requirements for USA Hockey Member Programs, including changes for the 2022-23 season. 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 chart on the following page sets out the 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):

 

Note: Participants 16 or under do not require SafeSport Training or a Background Screen.

 

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.

 

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 Screen will not receive their card and crest for the current season. Local programs must ensure all Participants who require 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 Training or Screening.

As of January 1, 2022, the Center for SafeSport requires members to complete SafeSport Training at least every twelve (12) months instead of once per USA Hockey membership season. This new annual Training requirement will go into effect for USA Hockey as of April 1, 2022 for the 2022- 23 membership season. 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 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:

A Locker Room Policy published to a parent/guardian for each Minor Athlete and for each facility the program regularly uses;

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, and which includes parental consents to In-Program travel and lodging; and

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.

 

Parental Consent Forms for Member Programs

In addition to the policies listed above, each Member Program shall make available and store written parental consent forms consistent with the requirements of the Safe Sport Program Handbook. Depending on the policy, consent can be required (i) in every instance, (ii) on an annual basis, or (iii) the parent/guardian can determine whether to provide consent annually or in every instance.

Dual Relationship Exception to MAAPP -- Annual Consent Form

Dual Relationship Exception Forms -- Specific Dates/Events, for:

• One-one-one Interactions
• Transportation
• Electronic Communications
• Locker Rooms
• Lodging (Not a Shared Room)
• Lodging (Shared Room)

Personal Care Assistant -- Annual Consent Form

Dual Relationship Exception Forms -- Specific Dates/Events, for

• One-on-one Interactions
• Transportation
• Electronic Communications
• Locker Rooms
• Lodging (Not a Shared Room)
• Lodging (Shared Room)

General Consent Regarding MAAPP -- Annual Consent For

Consent for individual MAAPP policies -- Specific Dates/Events, for

• Athletic Training Modalities, Massages, or Rubdowns
• Consent for Individual Training Sessions
• Consent for Media and Championship Celebration in Locker Rooms
• Consent for Transportation by an Adult Participant
• Consent for Transportation by Local Program

 

Sample forms may be found at https://www.usahockey.com/resourcesanddownloads

 

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: https://www.usahockey.com/resourcesanddownloads