Locker Room Policy

To protect the privacy and safety of all participants, the use of cell phones and other mobile devices with recording capabilities, including voice recorders, cameras, and video recording devices, is strictly prohibited inside locker rooms at all times.

If a player, parent, coach, or volunteer needs to use a phone or mobile device, they must exit the locker room before doing so.

Hoffman Ice Hawks Hockey Club is committed to providing a safe and respectful environment for all participants. The Club prohibits all forms of misconduct, including but not limited to: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, bullying, harassment, threats, hazing, and inappropriate or explicit music. These behaviors are defined in the USA Hockey SafeSport Handbook and will not be tolerated.

Participants, employees, coaches, and volunteers who violate this Locker Room Policy or engage in conduct that violates USA Hockey SafeSport policies may be subject to disciplinary action.

To report actual or suspected misconduct, please contact USA Hockey SafeSport by email at SafeSport@usahockey.org or usahockeysafesport@usahockey.org, or by calling (800) 888-4656.

An NCSI background-screened and SafeSport-trained locker room monitor must be present in the locker room at all times. Whenever possible, supervising adults should be the same gender as the participants.

Players may not enter or use a locker room unless an approved locker room monitor is present. If only one player has arrived, at least two approved adults should supervise until additional players arrive.

If only one approved adult is present, whether a coach or volunteer parent, that adult should wait until multiple players have arrived before allowing locker room access.

The same supervision standards apply after practices and games. An approved locker room monitor must remain until the last player has left the locker room. Under no circumstances should one adult be alone in a locker room with one player unless the player is that adult's own child.

This policy applies to all minor USA Hockey participants through the 18U youth level and the 19U girls level, including girls’ locker rooms used by teams with both male and female players.

Any Hoffman Ice Hawks Hockey Club team found in violation of this policy will be subject to automatic sanctions under the Club’s Zero Tolerance Policy:

First Team Offense: $500 fine assessed to the team, and a one (1) game suspension for the head coach

Second Team Offense: $1,000 fine assessed to the team, and a three (3) game suspension for the head coach

Additional Offenses: The Hoffman Ice Hawks Hockey Club President and coaching staff of the non-compliant team will be required to appear before the AHAI Rules and Ethics Committee. Additional discipline may include exclusion from participation in the Illinois State Tournament.

Any individual meeting between a coach and a minor participant in a locker room must include either another NCSI background-screened and SafeSport-training adult, or the player's parent or guardian.

Each team's coach and manager are responsible for ensuring that appropriate locker room supervision is provided.

Under no circumstances may a convicted sex offender enter or access any locker room for any purpose.

For purposes of this policy, "dressing" or "undressing" includes putting on or removing clothing and/or hockey equipment.

Hoffman Ice Hawks Hockey Club recognizes the need to balance USA Hockey and AHAI locker room requirements with practical considerations for families. The following guidelines apply:

A. Mites

Parents may enter the locker room to assist their child with dressing and undressing. Following a game, parents must wait until the coach has completed the team’s post-game meeting before entering the locker room. Whenever possible, siblings who are old enough should remain outside the locker room.

B. Squirts / Girls 6U–10U

The coach will determine whether parents are permitted in the locker room. If parents are allowed, 1) they should only remain long enough to assist their child with dressing or undressing, 2) they should exit the locker room once assistance is no longer needed, 3) they may not enter after a game until the coach has completed the post-game meeting.

At least one NCSI background-screened and SafeSport-trained adult must be present during all locker room activities.

C. PeeWees, Bantams, Midgets, and Girls 12U–19U

Except in emergencies, parents and siblings are not permitted in the locker room. Players at these levels are expected to dress and undress independently. If a player requires assistance, they should leave the locker room and receive help from their parent outside the locker room area.

For teams that include both male and female players, the following locker room procedures apply for Squirts and older age groups.

A. When Separate Locker Rooms Are Available

Male and female players must dress and undress in separate locker rooms. Players may gather together in the locker room for the coach’s pre-game meeting after they are dressed. Following games, all players should attend the coach’s post-game meeting together in the locker room. Following the meeting, players must return to their respective locker rooms to undress and shower, if applicable. The same procedures apply to practices.

For player comfort and cool-down purposes, the removal of skates and certain upper-body equipment (such as helmets, jerseys, and neck guards) before a post-game meeting will not be considered a violation of this policy.

Please note that Triphahn Ice Center provides a designated girls’ locker room for use.

B. When Separate Locker Rooms Are Not Available

When separate locker rooms are not available, one gender will enter the locker room first and change into uniform. That group will then leave the locker room, and the second gender will enter and change. Once both groups are dressed, the entire team may gather for the coach’s pre-game meeting.

Following games and post-game meetings, one gender group will enter the locker room first to undress and shower while the other group will wait outside the locker room. Once the first group has completely exited, the second group may enter to undress and shower.

Teams should alternate which group dresses and undresses first to ensure neither gender is consistently disadvantaged. This rotation serves as a reasonable accommodation and supports equitable treatment of all participants. The same procedures apply during practices.

Hoffman Ice Hawks Hockey Club expects all players, coaches, parents, volunteers, and team personnel to comply with this locker room policy to ensure a safe, respectful, and positive environment for all participants.