To:       USA Hockey Member Programs

Fr:       USA Hockey Safe Sport Program

Date:   December 23, 2024

Re:       Important Updates to the USA Hockey Safe Sport Program

This memorandum is being sent to all USA Hockey Member Programs as it includes important information concerning USA Hockey’s Safe Sport Program. Thank you for your dedication to USA Hockey programs and to the necessary efforts to keep our participants safe and our programs free from misconduct or abuse.

As the national governing body for ice hockey, USA Hockey is required to comply with the requirements of the U.S. Center for SafeSport (the “Center”), including the SafeSport Code for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement (the “SafeSport Code”) and the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (the “MAAPP”) adopted by the Center. The SafeSport Code primarily covers prohibited conduct and the Center’s response and resolution process, while the MAAPP covers training requirements and preventive policies around locker rooms, travel, electronic communications, and other areas where prohibited one-on-one interactions may occur. The Center has revised the SafeSport Code and the MAAPP, and these changes must become effective for USA Hockey by January 1, 2025. USA Hockey has incorporated the revisions to the Code and MAAPP into USA Hockey’s Safe Sport Program Handbook.

USA Hockey must also notify all USA Hockey members and Adult Participants of the USA Hockey’s Center-approved policies. USA Hockey’s Safe Sport Program Handbook, including all approved MAAPP policies, can be found online www.usahockey.com/safesportprogram.

USA Hockey’s Reporting Policy is a key part of its Safe Sport Program, and an effective reporting policy is crucial to preventing abuse. Section IV of the Safe Sport Handbook contains specifics on the Reporting Policy – for more information on making a report, please also see www.usahockey.com/makingareport.

Reports to U.S. Center for SafeSport

If an Adult Participant reasonably suspects that an incident(s) of Child Abuse or Sexual Misconduct has occurred, they must immediately report the incident(s) to the Center as well as applicable law enforcement authorities. Reports to the Center may be made by (1) completing an online report to the Center at www.uscenterforsafesport.org/report-a-concern/  or by (2) calling 833-587-7233.

Reports to USA Hockey

Reports of any allegation of misconduct or other inappropriate behavior that may violate Safe Sport Policies other than Sexual Misconduct or Child Abuse, should be made immediately to USA Hockey or the applicable Affiliate Safe Sport Coordinator, or may also be made to the Center. Reports to USA Hockey may be made by: (1) clicking on the “Report to USA Hockey” link on the USA Hockey Safe Sport Program webpage (www.usahockey.com/makingareport), (2) emailing to usahockeysafesport@usahockey.org, or (3) calling 800-888-4656. The USA Hockey Safe Sport Program webpage contains contact information for each Affiliate Safe Sport Coordinator.

Changes to USA Hockey Safe Sport Program and MAAPP Policies Beginning January 1, 2025

Please review the USA Hockey Safe Sport Program Handbook for all of the updates and the specific application of all policies. Below are a few of the important changes for Member Programs to be aware of:

• While USA Hockey, its Affiliates and Member Programs are prohibited from investigating or issuing any suspension in cases where the Center has exercised jurisdiction over a matter, the revisions clarify that USA Hockey, its Affiliates and Member Programs are permitted to make employment decisions.

• New requirements apply to situations where a player “billets” away from home with a family other than his parents and where the Member Program arranged or coordinated the billeting arrangement. These requirements include required SafeSport Training for the player and player’s family (the player completes the course titled “SafeSport for Youth Athletes (Ages 13-17)” and the parents must complete the course titled “Parent’s Guide to Misconduct in Sports” All adults in the host billet family must complete either the Core SafeSport Training or a Refresher Course, depending on their current status.

• Another important requirement for billeting arrangements is the application of the limitations on one-on-one interactions between an adult and Minor Athlete in the billet home. It is recognized that strict adherence may not always be possible, particularly in the common areas of the home; however, there should never be one-on-one interactions between an adult and Minor Athlete in private areas of a home.

• Although not a substantive change, revisions to the Handbook include more explicit clarifications on the organization that will handle the investigation, response and resolution of allegations of misconduct for which the Center has not exercised jurisdiction. In general, USA Hockey will conduct such investigation and/or disciplinary proceedings in matters involving national programs, teams or participants, or national level volunteers or USA Hockey staff but will refer other matters to the applicable Affiliate or Junior league and for handling by the applicable Affiliate, Junior league or Member Program.

Reminder About SafeSport Training Requirements.

The Center requires SafeSport Training after its Core Training to be completed within 12 months of the prior training., Persons who do not complete required training within 12 months will become ineligible to participate (including billeting) until the training is completed. This is a continuing requirement each year. A person whose training expires will have their registration records automatically updated to reflect that they are ineligible for positions that require training. Member Programs are required to prevent persons with expired training from participating in roles where training is required. This would include coaches; officials over 17 years of age as of 12/31 of that season; players over 17 years of age as of 12/31 of that season and that play on a team that allows minor age players; affiliate and local program administrators, employees and volunteers, as well as USA Hockey staff members or national level volunteers. USA Hockey provides notices to persons in advance of and at the time of training expiration, to advise that the person is ineligible to participate.

In conformance with the Center’s requirements, USA Hockey’s policy requires that all employees and board members of all USA Hockey programs (including adult programs) must complete training.

Locker Room Policy Emphasis.

Locker Room supervision must be a priority for all Member Programs. A significant amount of misconduct occurs in unsupervised locker rooms, and Member Programs can avoid those situations by requiring that their teams always monitor their locker rooms in compliance with USA Hockey requirements. At a minimum, USA Hockey requires that all USA Hockey Member Programs must have at least one responsible screened and trained adult (which may include coaches, managers or other volunteers) present at all times and monitoring the locker room during all team events.

While it is not always possible, two locker room monitors are preferable. Preferred locker room monitoring includes having locker room monitors inside the locker room while Participants are in the locker room; at a minimum, locker room monitors must be in the immediate vicinity outside the locker room (near the door within arm’s length and so that the monitor can sufficiently hear inside the locker room) who also regularly and frequently enters the locker room to monitor activity inside. Affiliates and Member Programs may have more strict locker room monitoring requirements, including by always requiring two monitors and/or by requiring that the monitors be inside the locker room.

If you have any questions regarding these changes or the updated requirements, please reach out to your Affiliate SafeSport Coordinator (Affiliate SafeSport Coordinators) or to USA Hockey at usahockeysafesport@usahockey.org.