CHA 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 CHA’s goals. CHA adheres to USA Hockey’s Safe Sport Program as a means to help protect it’s participants from physical abuse, sexual abuse and other types of misconduct from occurring, including in our locker rooms, The following is CHA’s locker room policy. This policy is designed to maintain personal privacy as well as to reduce risk of misconduct in locker rooms.

The CHA Board believes the locker room is generally a TEAM space where coaches and players can prepare for games and practices and reflect and review after games.

At the Chelmsford Forum  there are 4 locker rooms available for our program's use. Additionally, separate male and female bathrooms are available.

LOCKER ROOM MONITORING

CHA has scheduled and limited use of locker rooms and changing areas (generally 30-45 minutes before and following practices and games). This allows for direct and regular monitoring of locker room areas. 

PARENTS & SIBLINGS IN LOCKER ROOMS

Except for players at the younger age groups, we discourage parents and siblings from entering locker rooms unless it is truly necessary, especially older siblings of opposite gender. 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.

Some general notes:

CO-ED TEAMS

Many of our teams consist of both male and female players. It is important that the privacy rights of all of our players are given consideration and appropriate arrangements made. 

In order to accommodate both female and male privacy rights in the locker rooms CHA has adopted a minimum attire policy at all times.

All players (and Coaches) are required to arrive at the rink dressed in base layers of clothing more than undergarments or change into this base layer of clothing in a separate area so that prior to entering the locker room they are wearing their hockey base layers or shorts and t-shirts. All members of the team must have this minimum attire before entering a co-ed locker room so that no player has the opportunity to see players of the opposite gender in a state of undress.

CELL PHONES AND OTHER MOBILE RECORDING DEVICES

Cell phones and other mobile devices with recording capabilities, which includes voice recording, still cameras, and video cameras, increase the risk for some forms of abuse or misconduct. As a result, the use of a mobile device’s recording capabilities in the locker rooms is not permitted at any USA Hockey sanctioned event, provided that it may be acceptable to take photographs or recordings in a locker room in such unique circumstances as a victory.