USA Hockey is committed to creating a safe and fair environment for all participants. Respect for the game, opponents, coaches, and officials is a critical part of that environment and it covers several different aspects of sportsmanship and fair play. This Declaration of Safety, Fair Play and Respect will guide a change in culture as to what is considered to be acceptable/unacceptable body checking and competitive contact at all levels of play.

The Declaration clarifies and updates existing rules/definitions to emphasize the key points to more clearly outline what is deemed acceptable and unacceptable behavior. 

The onus on modifying the culture lies with everyone in the game, from players, coaches and officials to media, parents, fans and administrators.

It is recognized that the culture shift is an ongoing effort that will take time and focus that, in the end, will make the game better for all involved.

About Presenter

Kevin Margarucci, who has more than 25 years of experience as a certified athletic trainer, has been involved in hockey in varying capacities (player, coach, certified athletic trainer) for more than 35 years. He works with USA Hockey councils, committees, sections and staff in addition to external constituent groups, in all areas of safety, with a focus on education and research.

Over the course of his career, Margarucci has also worked as an athletic trainer in many areas including high school, collegiate, hospital, and clinical settings as well as the United States Olympic Committee.

Kevin currently serves on the executive committee for the Hockey Equipment Certification Council (HECC).

"Sports Can Battle Racism"

Just over one year ago, in response to the national call for an end to racism, Positive Coaching Alliance launched the Sports Can Battle Racism (SCBR) initiative—a focused effort to go beyond condemnation and develop solutions that work to battle racism within the environment of sports.

PCA strives to be a driving force in this effort by partnering with coaches and leaders across the country, providing them with the tools needed to foster a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Below are some key ways PCA is affecting this societal change:

• Our initiative includes the development and delivery of a new workshop that is already in high demand, Sports Can Battle Racism, A Workshop for Coaches, and a workshop for Student-Athletes.
• Utilize PCA's platform to serve as a conduit to have important conversations, amplify voices, and influence change.  Intentionally recruit, strategize and connect with thought leaders focused on battling racism, improving diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Provide tools to expand on the consciousness of marginalized experiences in the form of movie discussion guides, media pieces, amplifying Black voices, curriculum from PCA's trusted partners, such as RISE, and much more.

About Presenter

Andrew Shriver is a coach, administrator and youth sports consultant who speaks to coaches, parents, athletes and administrative groups throughout the country, emphasizing how youth sports leaders can apply researched methods and philosophies which bring out the best in young athletes. Andrew grew up in a very sports-oriented environment in Cleveland Heights, Ohio where he played soccer, baseball, hockey, golf and swam competitively. He played NCAA, D3 hockey at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN. Upon graduating he taught elementary school and coached high school sports as an assistant coach in boys hockey and then as Head Coach for girls varsity hockey, boys and girls middle school soccer, and then as a parent/coach on more of his 3 children's youth hockey, soccer, baseball and lacrosse teams than he could count over the past 30+ years.

Shriver is currently a coaching certification instructor for USA Hockey, which governs youth hockey in the United States, and serves Minnesota (youth) Hockey, an affiliate of USA Hockey, on special projects.

Since 2016, Shriver has been a trainer for the Positive Coaching Alliance. Coach Shriver has conducted over 100 professional workshops, coaches trainings and player clinics in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Ohio, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Arizona and Connecticut to audiences of coaches, parents, administrators and athletes from sports including baseball, basketball, tennis, golf, lacrosse, hockey, soccer, volleyball and Special Olympics.

Taking pages from the careers of Wooden, Ehrmann, Dungy, Kerr and the like, Coach Shriver is committed to the premise that development that leads to winning must include a working understanding of how ethics, character, psychology, child development and sport science conspire to yield excellence at all levels of any sport.