Locker Room Policy

In addition to the development of our hockey players and enjoyment of the sport of hockey, the safety and protection of our participants is central to the goals of ACFYHA. ACFYHA adheres to USA Hockey’s SafeSport Program to help protect its participants from physical abuse, sexual abuse and other types of misconduct, including emotional abuse, bullying, threats, harassment and hazing. To help prevent abuse or misconduct from occurring in our locker rooms, ACFYHA has adopted the following locker room policy. This policy is designed to maintain personal privacy as well as to reduce the risk of misconduct in locker rooms.

At Avon Old Farms there are a limited number of locker rooms available for our program’s use. Restrooms are located outside of the locker rooms and showers are generally not available. At ISCC there are a limited number of locker rooms for our program’s use. Restrooms are located in the locker room as well as in the lobby area and showers are available in the locker room. Many teams in our program will regularly travel to play games at other arenas, and those locker rooms, restrooms and shower facilities will vary from location to location. At arenas for which you are unfamiliar, parents should plan to have extra time and some flexibility in planning for their child to dress, undress and shower if desired. 

Locker Room Monitoring

ACFYHA has predictable and limited use of locker rooms and changing areas (e.g., generally 30-45 minutes before and following practices and games). This allows for direct and regular monitoring of locker room areas. It is the policy of ACFYHA that at least one responsible screened adult be present and monitor the locker room during team events to make sure only the appropriate personnel are allowed in the locker room and to supervise the conduct in the locker room. Acceptable locker room monitoring includes having locker room monitors inside the locker room or in the immediate vicinity (near the door) outside the locker room that regularly and frequently enters the locker room to monitor activity inside.

In situations where there is a mixed gender locker room at the PeeWee age and above then we require that there be two responsible screened adults responsible for monitoring the locker room.

Any individual meeting between a coach and a player in a locker room requires that a second responsible adult be present. 

Parents and Family in Locker Rooms

Except for players at the younger age groups [Squirts and below], we discourage parents from entering locker rooms unless it is truly necessary. If a player needs assistance with his or her uniform or gear, if the player is or may be injured, or a player’s disability warrants assistance, then we ask that parents let the coach know beforehand that he or she will be helping the player.

Naturally, with our youngest age groups it is necessary for parents to assist the players getting dressed. We encourage parents to teach their players as young as possible how to get dressed so that players will learn as early as possible how to get dressed independently. In circumstances where parents are permitted in the locker room, coaches are permitted to ask that the parents leave for a short time before the game and for a short time after the game so that the coaches may address the players. As players get older, the coach may in his or her discretion prohibit parents from a locker room.

Mixed Gender Teams 

Some of our teams consist of both male and female players. It is important that the privacy rights of all our players are given consideration and appropriate arrangements made. Given the limited availability of locker rooms at Avon Old Farms and away rinks, we have adopted a mixed gender locker room policy that will apply at the Bantam level and above. The coach in his or her discretion may apply this policy at younger ages as well. If there are both boys and girls in the locker room, then we require that girls must always be wearing shorts and a shirt and boys must always be wearing shorts. No showering. No undergarments. If players need to change beyond shorts and shirts, then they either must wait for the locker room to be single gender or go to the restroom. We understand that these arrangements may require that players arrive earlier or leave later to dress but believe that this is the most reasonable way to accommodate and respect all our players. 

Cell Phones, Other Mobile Recording Devices or Cameras

Cell phones and other mobile devices with recording capabilities, including voice recording, still cameras and video cameras, are not permitted to be used in the locker rooms. If phones or other mobile devices must be used, they should be taken outside of the locker room. The limited exception to this rule is for team events or celebrations where they will be allowed if all players are fully dressed in clothes or their equipment.

Prohibited Conduct and Reporting

ACFYHA prohibits all types of inappropriate language, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, bullying, threats, harassment and hazing, all as described in the USA Hockey SafeSport Handbook. Participants, employees or volunteers in ACFYHA may be subject to disciplinary action for violation of these locker room policies or for engaging in any misconduct or abuse or that violates the USA Hockey Safe Sport Policies.

To report any actual or suspected violations please contact: 

Bill Pauling, ACFYHA’s SafeSport Coordinator

Email: bill.pauling99@gmail.com

Phone: 860-882-8517

Or

USA Hockey Email: SafeSport@usahockey.org

Phone: 1-800-888-4656