Locker Room Monitor

It is the policy of USA Hockey that there be at least one approved and responsible adult monitoring the locker room during all team events when there are minors present in the room. This person must complete all screening/safety requirements and shall appear on the team's USA Hockey roster.

1. Register with USA Hockey (volunteer registration is free). Be sure to save your confirmation number, as you will need to provide to the registrar.

2. Complete the electronic background check. (These are good for two years. If you are unsure if you are due, you can start to complete and it will tell you if you're not due this season)

3. Complete USA Hockey Safe Sport Training. (Required every year. After the initial training a SafeSport refresher is required every year.)

Each team shall assign a Locker Room Monitor for each game, practice, and other applicable team events in which a locker room is utilized by members of the team. The Locker Room Monitor on duty will oversee the locker room areas in an effort to prevent, reduce, and eliminate adverse and harmful behavior. This provides a key component to upholding a safe environment for all players under the USA Hockey Safe Sport Program.

The monitor should be in close proximity to the locker room door so the monitor can hear inside the locker room. It is recommended that the monitor checks inside the room occasionally and immediately enters the room if misconduct is sensed.  Acceptable locker room monitoring could include placing the Locker Room Monitor inside the room if a situation warrants stricter supervision. 

If only a minor and a non-parental adult (coach, medic, etc.) are present in a room, the Locker Room Monitor should become a third occupant of the room.  The Locker Room Monitor should also prevent entry of any unauthorized person into the locker room and shall ask all unapproved individuals to leave the locker room area/hallways.

Locker Room Monitors shall provide supervision to prevent, intervene, and/or report the following harmful behavior:

• Physical abuse: intentional threats of harming a person or intentionally hitting
• Emotional abuse: a formed pattern of deliberate, non-contact behavior that causes emotional distress
• Bullying: the use of coercion to gain control over another person or being needlessly cruel to another individual
• Threats: verbal or physical intimidation, including use of written/electronic communication to transmit a threat 
• Harassment: physical or non-physical behavior that is intended to offend, degrade, discriminate, and/or humiliate
• Sexual harassment: verbal and non-verbal conduct of sexual nature, including advances, requests, and gestures
• Hazing: conduct that is intimidating, humiliating, offensive, or physically harmful
• Use of cell phones: no cell phones or recording devices are allowed in a locker room

It is emphasized that there is “zero tolerance” for abuse or misconduct, so the Locker Room Monitor shall intervene at the first sign or suspicion of any such activity.  The Locker Room Monitor should report any adverse behavior, suspicious individuals, or unsafe events to the Safe Sport Coordinator or a Board Member. 

Q: Do the coaches also need to be listed on the USAH roster as a Locker Room Monitor?

A: No. A coach is eligible to be a LRM simply by being a coach on the team roster since a coach has already met all requirements of an LRM. Of note, this does not work in reverse: an individual listed on the scoresheets as a LR Monitor is not eligible to be a coach simply by appearing on the scoresheet. That person must be registered as a coach to be on the bench.

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Q: Can the Team Manager also be the Locker Room Monitor?

A: Yes. The Team Manager meets the requirements of the LRM and can be appointed to serve as the LRM. The manager does not need to be listed twice on the USAH roster nor labeled as an LRM on the USAH roster to be eligible for this role. 

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Q: We have 1 person designated to be our Locker Room Monitor, so what do we do if that person is not at a game?

A: A coach or the team manager can fill the role of a the LRM if the usual LRM is not present at the game. No other individual can be used as an LRM if not approved as a coach, manager, or LR Monitor on the USAH roster.

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Q: Can anyone serve as a Locker Room Monitor?

A: No. Only approved individuals who appear on the team's USAH roster can serve in the role. If no approved LRM is available (as listed on the USAH roster), a coach or the team manager must fill the role.

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Q: What if we do not have a Locker Room Monitor?

A: By default, the person listed as the team's Head Coach is responsible to ensure that a qualified Locker Room Monitor is present. If no one else who is qualified accepts the role, the Head Coach must perform those duties.

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Q: Do we need to have multiple locker room monitors if we have males and females on our co-ed team?

A: In most cases, the answer is yes since the team is likely to be utilizing two locker rooms. As described in the LRM Responsibilities section above, the LRM should be in close proximity to the locker room door. So if the two rooms are immediately adjacent to each other, a single LRM could be suitable. In all other instances, an LRM should be outside of each locker room when it in occupied by one or more minors.