Locker Room Policy
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ilike2score
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Locker Room Policy
I am not sure I understand this correctly? USA Hockey is now mandating that a Coach, Manager, or other person with a background check be present in a locker room at any and all times? Who is policing this policy? and what is the penalty for non compliance?
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slapshot445
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greybeard58
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From the USA Hockey web site, there also is a statement somewhere that also bans the use of any device capable of taking a picture or recording a video thaat is why the adult also there has been a rash of thefts from locker rooms at a number of arenas.
June 23, 2010
USA Hockey is concerned with locker room activities between minor players, locker room activities between minor players and adult players, adults being alone with individual minor players in locker rooms, and non-official or non-related adults having unsupervised access to minor participants at sanctioned team events.
It is the policy of USA Hockey and USA Hockey InLine that all affiliates, districts, leagues and local hockey programs have at least one responsible adult directly monitoring the locker room during all team events to ensure that only participants (coaches and players), approved team personnel and family members are permitted in the locker room and to supervise the conduct in the locker room. Any individual meetings between a minor participant and a coach in a locker room shall require a responsible adult be with the coach.
Further, responsible adults must personally monitor the locker room environment at all times while participants are present and also make sure the locker room is appropriately secured during times when minor participants are on the ice.
All responsible adults serving as locker room monitors should be gender correct and the co-ed locker room policy must be followed as described in the current USA Hockey Annual Guide. Monitors must be screened and meet all USA Hockey screening standards.
The USA Hockey Annual Guide can be downloaded here. Information on screening standards and the co-ed locker room policy can be found on page 35.
June 23, 2010
USA Hockey is concerned with locker room activities between minor players, locker room activities between minor players and adult players, adults being alone with individual minor players in locker rooms, and non-official or non-related adults having unsupervised access to minor participants at sanctioned team events.
It is the policy of USA Hockey and USA Hockey InLine that all affiliates, districts, leagues and local hockey programs have at least one responsible adult directly monitoring the locker room during all team events to ensure that only participants (coaches and players), approved team personnel and family members are permitted in the locker room and to supervise the conduct in the locker room. Any individual meetings between a minor participant and a coach in a locker room shall require a responsible adult be with the coach.
Further, responsible adults must personally monitor the locker room environment at all times while participants are present and also make sure the locker room is appropriately secured during times when minor participants are on the ice.
All responsible adults serving as locker room monitors should be gender correct and the co-ed locker room policy must be followed as described in the current USA Hockey Annual Guide. Monitors must be screened and meet all USA Hockey screening standards.
The USA Hockey Annual Guide can be downloaded here. Information on screening standards and the co-ed locker room policy can be found on page 35.
I was told, (and please, please, please correct me if I am wrong) that the refs would be policing this and would have the authority to levy $300 fines. Also, that it was recommended that coaches not be included in this supervision and that it be parents.
Also that cell phones are not allowed in the locker rooms AT ALL and should be collected by the adult and returned afterwards.
Also that cell phones are not allowed in the locker rooms AT ALL and should be collected by the adult and returned afterwards.
So let me get this right, a 13 year old referee is going to have the authority to levee a $300 fine on a team/coach/association. Sounds reasonable to me 
Who is going to step up and be the Partent or Responsible party to take all the cell phones and be responsible for the, potentially, thousands of dollars of the kids' phones.
Don't get me wrong, we have all been in lockerrooms that need supervision, and there is a need, but this might be a little overboard.
Who is going to step up and be the Partent or Responsible party to take all the cell phones and be responsible for the, potentially, thousands of dollars of the kids' phones.
Don't get me wrong, we have all been in lockerrooms that need supervision, and there is a need, but this might be a little overboard.
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Nobodyonya
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How would you feel if your child's personal/equipment was stolen would this policy be overboard? I think any preventive measures in place is a good thing. Is it overboard? Maybe, but in my opinion I would rather have it more strict rather than have a policy in place which would be meaninglessALSANITI wrote:So let me get this right, a 13 year old referee is going to have the authority to levee a $300 fine on a team/coach/association. Sounds reasonable to me
Who is going to step up and be the Partent or Responsible party to take all the cell phones and be responsible for the, potentially, thousands of dollars of the kids' phones.
Don't get me wrong, we have all been in lockerrooms that need supervision, and there is a need, but this might be a little overboard.
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greybeard58
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The locker room policy is in the policies section of the USA Hockey Annual Guide on page 35,this is not a playing rule addition or change. Referees can report what they happen to see to the proper authority.
This will be up to Mn Hockey,the Districts and associations to follow the policy. I believe that the Districts will each have policies on enforcement and penalties that refer to this policy. I also believe that some Districts will also ban all photographic devices or cell phones with that capability.
Before everybody gets to excited think about how easy it is to get some embarrassing or obscene pictures and post on the web and apparently this has already happened in some areas where pictures were taken and posted.
As for a fine or penalty maybe we should wait and see what the Districts do have in place and as with all supplemental penalties they can be appealed by using Article 6 of the Mn Hockey By-laws.
Think about this as a safety issue.
This will be up to Mn Hockey,the Districts and associations to follow the policy. I believe that the Districts will each have policies on enforcement and penalties that refer to this policy. I also believe that some Districts will also ban all photographic devices or cell phones with that capability.
Before everybody gets to excited think about how easy it is to get some embarrassing or obscene pictures and post on the web and apparently this has already happened in some areas where pictures were taken and posted.
As for a fine or penalty maybe we should wait and see what the Districts do have in place and as with all supplemental penalties they can be appealed by using Article 6 of the Mn Hockey By-laws.
Think about this as a safety issue.
Provided other parents are there and they are APPROPRIATE, can parents still take some locker room pictures? I mean we have some great and memorable pictures taken of our son by other parents that were taken in the lockerroom that I would want to give up for the world.greybeard58 wrote:The locker room policy is in the policies section of the USA Hockey Annual Guide on page 35,this is not a playing rule addition or change. Referees can report what they happen to see to the proper authority.
This will be up to Mn Hockey,the Districts and associations to follow the policy. I believe that the Districts will each have policies on enforcement and penalties that refer to this policy. I also believe that some Districts will also ban all photographic devices or cell phones with that capability.
Before everybody gets to excited think about how easy it is to get some embarrassing or obscene pictures and post on the web and apparently this has already happened in some areas where pictures were taken and posted.
As for a fine or penalty maybe we should wait and see what the Districts do have in place and as with all supplemental penalties they can be appealed by using Article 6 of the Mn Hockey By-laws.
Think about this as a safety issue.
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greybeard58
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BadgerBob82
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I would think if USA Hockey is going to create a rule as widereaching as this, they ought to provide the impetus for the rule. (i.e. as a result of the incident at XYZ's association in which these things happened, we have created this rule.)
I am not aware of a rink in MN that does not have locker rooms that have a door lock. Each rink has a policy for checking out a key. LOCK THE DOOR and the theft is a none issue.
As for the safety concerns and/or hazing. I view the locker room boxing and general f-ing around as the biggest safety problem when kids are unattended. I imagine USA Hockey's insurance policy has been tapped for some detached toes and other lockerroom injuries. I will bet you that is the real reason for this. If an injury occurs and it is determined no coach or approved parent was in the locker room, insurance will not cover the injury. Potentially the same type of negligence has occured with photos on the internet?
Follow the money and you will likely see the reason for rule changes.
Or else just silly board members finding the solution to a problem that doesn't exist. (i.e. Blue Pucks)
I am not aware of a rink in MN that does not have locker rooms that have a door lock. Each rink has a policy for checking out a key. LOCK THE DOOR and the theft is a none issue.
As for the safety concerns and/or hazing. I view the locker room boxing and general f-ing around as the biggest safety problem when kids are unattended. I imagine USA Hockey's insurance policy has been tapped for some detached toes and other lockerroom injuries. I will bet you that is the real reason for this. If an injury occurs and it is determined no coach or approved parent was in the locker room, insurance will not cover the injury. Potentially the same type of negligence has occured with photos on the internet?
Follow the money and you will likely see the reason for rule changes.
Or else just silly board members finding the solution to a problem that doesn't exist. (i.e. Blue Pucks)
Privacy rules would prevent discussing it, not to mention you are talking about minors. Have you ever tried to find out from the school exactly who was involved in an incident with your kid? You'd think you were asking about troop movements in Iraq. But I think you can be fairly sure both issues are following litigation and the rule changes may be part of the settlement for the parties involved.BadgerBob82[b] wrote:I would think if USA Hockey is going to create a rule as widereaching as this, they ought to provide the impetus for the rule. (i.e. as a result of the incident at XYZ's association in which these things happened, we have created this rule.)[/b]
I am not aware of a rink in MN that does not have locker rooms that have a door lock. Each rink has a policy for checking out a key. LOCK THE DOOR and the theft is a none issue.
As for the safety concerns and/or hazing. I view the locker room boxing and general f-ing around as the biggest safety problem when kids are unattended. I imagine USA Hockey's insurance policy has been tapped for some detached toes and other lockerroom injuries. I will bet you that is the real reason for this. If an injury occurs and it is determined no coach or approved parent was in the locker room, insurance will not cover the injury. Potentially the same type of negligence has occured with photos on the internet?
Follow the money and you will likely see the reason for rule changes.
Or else just silly board members finding the solution to a problem that doesn't exist. (i.e. Blue Pucks)
As a former board member I cringe when I hear about more rules. It is hard enough already to run a practice. God forbid you get stuck as tournament director.
The kids get dropped of 2 hours before practice (mom and dad have bowling). They mill around the arena getting on the arena staffs nerves. They can't get a locker room key because that is only available to the coach. He shows up 15 minutes before practice, after mandating that the kids be there an hour early. Once in the locker room the kids BS up until 3.5 minutes before their ice time and then somehow accomplish in 3.5 minutes what it takes them 30 minutes to do in reverse after practice. There are several minor injuries in the locker room, stepped on fingers, finger in door. True story - our association had a kid get hurt by a flying Baby Ruth candy bar.
The Rink Police is present, the lady who's kid did not make A... she sees and reports all safety violations no matter how minor, except the ones that involve her family.
The kids proceed to the ice. The area is sealed like a crime scene... Coaches cards are checked, only rostered players...God forbid Bantam wander onto the Peewee ice... Coaches helmets snapped, mouth guards in... good to go. If the Peewee coach is sick that night, the Bantam coach that has been with the association since 1942 can't run the practice, we forgot to roster him on the team...
Did you know that a Level 3 referee cannot be on the ice during a practice if he is not on the roster?
After practice the Bantam team joins the rest of the crowd, age 3 - 70 down at the outdoor rink. No helmets, no background checks, no locker room key...nothing. They all skate together in one big messed up pickup game. I think we need to take over the outdoor ice too... it is far to dangerous.
Just sayin...
The kids get dropped of 2 hours before practice (mom and dad have bowling). They mill around the arena getting on the arena staffs nerves. They can't get a locker room key because that is only available to the coach. He shows up 15 minutes before practice, after mandating that the kids be there an hour early. Once in the locker room the kids BS up until 3.5 minutes before their ice time and then somehow accomplish in 3.5 minutes what it takes them 30 minutes to do in reverse after practice. There are several minor injuries in the locker room, stepped on fingers, finger in door. True story - our association had a kid get hurt by a flying Baby Ruth candy bar.
The Rink Police is present, the lady who's kid did not make A... she sees and reports all safety violations no matter how minor, except the ones that involve her family.
The kids proceed to the ice. The area is sealed like a crime scene... Coaches cards are checked, only rostered players...God forbid Bantam wander onto the Peewee ice... Coaches helmets snapped, mouth guards in... good to go. If the Peewee coach is sick that night, the Bantam coach that has been with the association since 1942 can't run the practice, we forgot to roster him on the team...
Did you know that a Level 3 referee cannot be on the ice during a practice if he is not on the roster?
After practice the Bantam team joins the rest of the crowd, age 3 - 70 down at the outdoor rink. No helmets, no background checks, no locker room key...nothing. They all skate together in one big messed up pickup game. I think we need to take over the outdoor ice too... it is far to dangerous.
Just sayin...
a1puck wrote:As a former board member I cringe when I hear about more rules. It is hard enough already to run a practice. God forbid you get stuck as tournament director.
The kids get dropped of 2 hours before practice (mom and dad have bowling). They mill around the arena getting on the arena staffs nerves. They can't get a locker room key because that is only available to the coach. He shows up 15 minutes before practice, after mandating that the kids be there an hour early. Once in the locker room the kids BS up until 3.5 minutes before their ice time and then somehow accomplish in 3.5 minutes what it takes them 30 minutes to do in reverse after practice. There are several minor injuries in the locker room, stepped on fingers, finger in door. True story - our association had a kid get hurt by a flying Baby Ruth candy bar.
The Rink Police is present, the lady who's kid did not make A... she sees and reports all safety violations no matter how minor, except the ones that involve her family.
The kids proceed to the ice. The area is sealed like a crime scene... Coaches cards are checked, only rostered players...God forbid Bantam wander onto the Peewee ice... Coaches helmets snapped, mouth guards in... good to go. If the Peewee coach is sick that night, the Bantam coach that has been with the association since 1942 can't run the practice, we forgot to roster him on the team...
Did you know that a Level 3 referee cannot be on the ice during a practice if he is not on the roster?
After practice the Bantam team joins the rest of the crowd, age 3 - 70 down at the outdoor rink. No helmets, no background checks, no locker room key...nothing. They all skate together in one big messed up pickup game. I think we need to take over the outdoor ice too... it is far to dangerous.
Just sayin...
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drop the puck
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I am no lawyer and I do not work in the insurance industry. That said, this is all about money. Liabilities and lawsuits?
USA Hockey and MN Hockey continue to demand registration and fees of all players, coaches ... and in return provide type of uniform umbrella insurance policy. They also become responsible for the actions of its members in any sanctioned event.
With insurance comes actuary tables, risk assessments, etc... Reduce your risks you pay less. Too many claims and your rates go up.
Mandatory training, eliminationg non rostered personnel on the ice, coaches wearing helmets, and now unchaperoned locker rooms - all about money. Education reduces liability and risk.
By the way most sports association boards also are now carrying umbrella insurance policies to cover its board members and coaches. Economically practical - no, but necessary now none the less.
USA Hockey and MN Hockey continue to demand registration and fees of all players, coaches ... and in return provide type of uniform umbrella insurance policy. They also become responsible for the actions of its members in any sanctioned event.
Insurance coverages include: excess accident (up to $25,000), catastrophic accident (from $25,001 to $2,000,000), general liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence, no aggregate), directors and officer’s insurance for all boards from local programs through District/Affiliate level ($1,000,000 per occurrence, no aggregate), crime insurance for all
programs.
With insurance comes actuary tables, risk assessments, etc... Reduce your risks you pay less. Too many claims and your rates go up.
Mandatory training, eliminationg non rostered personnel on the ice, coaches wearing helmets, and now unchaperoned locker rooms - all about money. Education reduces liability and risk.
By the way most sports association boards also are now carrying umbrella insurance policies to cover its board members and coaches. Economically practical - no, but necessary now none the less.
Last edited by drop the puck on Tue Sep 07, 2010 2:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Outdoor Rinks, Parks, Park & Rec, Youth Football, Open Skate.
Many of these things are run under umbrella policies held by municipalities with much less bs...
The MOST dangerous on ice activity my kids participate in is open skate at the indoor rink. Why is the city not ham strung the by same regs as our association?
Many of these things are run under umbrella policies held by municipalities with much less bs...
The MOST dangerous on ice activity my kids participate in is open skate at the indoor rink. Why is the city not ham strung the by same regs as our association?
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drop the puck
- Posts: 205
- Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 9:12 am
Ask USA Hockey.
Coaching clinics are a very good idea if done right.
I have seen coaches (played D1) take spills on the ice.
Locker rooms get trashed, this one may have been lead by rink managers. The use of cell phone photos ... well that one is rather easily trackable if abused ... never seen any player Bantam down totally undress ... theft maybe a bigger issue ??
Coaching clinics are a very good idea if done right.
I have seen coaches (played D1) take spills on the ice.
Locker rooms get trashed, this one may have been lead by rink managers. The use of cell phone photos ... well that one is rather easily trackable if abused ... never seen any player Bantam down totally undress ... theft maybe a bigger issue ??
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greyhound89
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I saw and partially read the "memos" from USA and Minnesota hockey last night. The USA hockey memo, about four small paragraphs, a little over half a page including USA logo at the top. Minnesota hockey memo, more than one page, many paragraphs, no logo, very lawyer like. MN hockey appears to be the taking the common sense USA hockey "memo" and expanding it into a beast of burden.