Princeton Youth Hockey Association 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 PYHA goals. Princeton Youth Hockey Association adheres
to USA Hockey’s SafeSport Program as a means 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, PYHA 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 Hobey Baker Rink there are 2 locker rooms available for our program’s use. Each of the locker rooms has its own restroom and shower area.
• At Iceland there are eight locker rooms available for our program’s use. Each of the locker rooms has its own restroom and shower area.
• Our teams will also travel to play games at other arenas, and those locker rooms, rest rooms and shower facilities will vary from location to location.
• For practices, the referee’s change room (Baker) or additional locker room (Iceland) may be available for female players to dress. For games, additional private change room availability will be at the discretion of the rink staff.
• Additional Co-Ed specific locker room policy is noted below.

Teams in our program regularly travel to play games at other arenas, and those locker rooms, rest rooms
and shower facilities will vary from location to location. PYHA team organizers will attempt to provide
information on the locker room facilities in advance of games away from our home arena. At arenas for
which you are unfamiliar, parents should plan to have extra time and some flexibility in making
arrangements for their child to dress, undress and shower if desired.

Locker Room Monitoring

PYHA 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. While constant monitoring inside of locker rooms and changing areas might be the most effective way                          to prevent problems, we understand that this would likely make some players uncomfortable and
may even place our staff at risk for unwarranted suspicion.

We conduct a sweep of the locker rooms and changing areas before players arrive, and if the coaches
are not inside the locker rooms, either a coach or voluntary locker room monitors (each of which has
been screened) will be posted directly outside of the locker rooms and changing areas during periods of
use, and leave the doors open only when adequate privacy is still possible, so that only participants
(coaches and players), approved team personnel and family members are permitted in the locker room.
Team personnel will also secure the locker room appropriately during times when the team is on the ice.

Parents in Locker Rooms

Except for players at the younger age groups, 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.

Co-Ed Locker Rooms

As a team sport in which youth teams can often include players of different genders, special
circumstances may exist that can increase the chance of abuse or misconduct. If the team consists of
players of different genders, the privacy rights of all players must be given consideration and
appropriate arrangements made. It is not acceptable under USA Hockey’s Sexual Misconduct Policy for
persons to be observing the opposite gender while they dress or undress. There are a variety of ways to
comply with the above tenets, and what works may depend on the locker rooms that are available at a
particular facility. Although there are likely other acceptable ways to accommodate teams of different
genders, below are some other options for compliance with USA Hockey’s Coed Locker Room Policy:

1) Minimum Attire. Have a minimum attire policy if sharing one locker room. All players should be
required to arrive at the rink wearing their hockey base layers or shorts and t-shirts (in good condition -
no holes or tears in clothing) under their street clothes. All members of the team must have this
minimum attire before entering a co-ed locker room so that no player of one gender has the opportunity
to see players of the opposite gender in a state of dress/undress. If a player is not wearing the required                          minimum attire, that player can be directed to a restroom or private area to change into his/her
minimum attire before entering the locker room.

2) Separate Locker Rooms. A second option is for the program to have players of different genders
change/dress in separate, supervised locker rooms. Then approximately ten (10) to fifteen (15) minutes
before each game/practice everyone is to be ready in gear in one designated locker room so the coach
can address the entire team. If a player (whether boy or girl) is not fully dressed by the time the coach
arrives, then that player must go to a separate locker room or bathroom to finish dressing. The onus is
on the players being properly dressed when the coaches actually begin preparing the team for the
practice or game.

3) Alternate Use of One Locker Room. Another option is the alternate use of a single locker room.
Players of one gender dress in the locker room while players of the opposite gender wait outside. When
the one group is ready (this may mean dressed in gear but not skates and helmets), then the players
switch places and the players in gear wait for players of opposite gender to get dressed. No coaching is
to be done until all the players are together in the locker room. Taking turns is a means of reasonable
accommodation; neither gender group should be favored, nor should one group be the group who
always has to wait to change. Where possible, when players of different genders are together in the
locker room, there should be at least two adults in the locker room that have been properly screened in
compliance with USA Hockey Screening Policy. USA Hockey would consider it acceptable to have one
locker room monitor immediately outside the locker room and regularly checking in on the locker room,
but two locker room monitors is always preferable. If there are two monitors, then they can monitor
from inside the locker room. Having only one person inside a locker room can expose that person to
allegations, so a second person can help protect one another from allegations.

Coaches in Locker Rooms

Coaches sometimes may need to use the team locker room to get dressed before or after practices.
Coaches must always have at least a base layer of clothing at all times while changing or must use a
private area to change into acceptable clothing. Under no circumstances shall an unrelated Applicable
Adult intentionally expose his or her breasts, buttocks, groin, or genitals to a minor Participant. Except
for players on the same team, at no time are unrelated Applicable Adults permitted to be alone with a
minor Participant in a locker room or changing area when at a Facility, except under emergency
circumstances. Any individual meetings between a minor Participant and a coach or other adult in a
locker room shall require that a second responsible adult is present. If a team is using a Facility that
requires shared use of a locker room or changing area, the Member Program must designate separate
times for use by Applicable Adults, if any.

Cell Phones and Other Mobile Recording Devices

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. [it may be permissible to have team
manager collect phones]

Prohibited Conduct and Reporting

PYHA prohibits all types of 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 PYHA 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 SafeSport Policies. Reports of any
actual or suspected violations, you may email USA Hockey at SafeSport@usahockey.org or may call 1-
800-888-4656.

Revised 1/01/2020