Safe Sport

The safety of its participants is of paramount importance to USA Hockey. USA Hockey Safe Sport is the organization's program related to off-ice safety.

USA Hockey has long had systems in place to protect its participants from physical abuse, sexual abuse and other types of abuse and misconduct that can be harmful to youth hockey players and other participants. These include without limitation Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Screening, Locker Room Supervision and Hazing Policies, in addition to Codes of Conduct applicable to administrators, coaches, officials, parents, players and spectators. The USA Hockey Safe Sport Handbook is intended to update and collect USA Hockey’s various policies to protect its participants from all types of misconduct and abuse.

In addition to Policies, the Safe Sport Handbook includes information about  the available and required Training of USA Hockey and its Member Programs’ employees, volunteers, administrators, coaches, parents and players on recognizing and reducing circumstances for potential abuse to occur; information on USA Hockey’s Screening and Background Check Program; the availability and procedures for any person to Report suspected abuse or misconduct (including protections from any retaliation or repercussions for such reporting); the procedures and means by which USA Hockey and its Member Programs should Respond to allegations of abuse and misconduct; and how USA Hockey and its Member Programs will Monitor and Supervise the Safe Sport Program to help ensure its effectiveness.

By combining all of these elements into a comprehensive Safe Sport Program, USA Hockey intends to create the safest possible environment for participation in hockey.

A USA Hockey billet is a temporary host family that provides a home for hockey player during the season, offering a “home away from home” environment. Each Tier 1 member program sponsoring a billet should appoint a Billet Coordinator who ensures the current season’s policy is followed. Below is the billet policy for the 2025-2026 season. Any questions regarding the billet program should be directed to AHAI’s SafeSport Coordinator at safesport@ahai.org.

For more information about the AHAI Billet Policy and Application, download the PDF below:

The U.S. Center for SafeSport offers training courses for parents of USA Hockey players and young athletes. These courses are free and available online, featuring age-specific content tailored to the learner.

For parents, the training offers an introduction to the importance of fostering positive and welcoming environments in sports to minimize opportunities for misconduct or abuse. It also provides guidance on where to report abuse, should it occur, along with a downloadable guide containing age-appropriate material.

• Parent’s Guide to Misconduct in Sport (30 minutes)
• SafeSport for Volunteers: Abuse Awareness and Prevention Essentials

The youth athlete training courses are designed for kids and young athletes, broken down by age ranges, and serve as an introduction for them and their parents or caregivers to understand the significance of creating safe environments in sports, where misconduct such as bullying or abuse is less likely to happen. The courses also offer information on reporting procedures if needed.

• SafeSport for Kids, Ages 5-12 (15 minutes)
• SafeSport for Youth Athletes, Ages 13-17 (15 minutes)

To access the child and youth athlete training, a parent or legal guardian must create an account to give consent for their child. Once the account is created, parents can select the course that best suits their child’s actual or developmental age.

The U.S. Center for SafeSport has also developed interactive educational resources to foster a culture of safety and respect in any sports program. These specialized training programs are also offered to address specific topics such as mandatory reporting, health professionals, and diverse athlete needs.

• Abuse Prevention for Adult Athletes (30 minutes)
• Health Professionals: Your Role in Preventing Abuse in Sport (90 minutes)
• Creating Safe and Inclusive Environments for Athletes with Disabilities (60 minutes)
• Understanding Mandatory Reporting (90 minutes)

A PDF certificate is available after each training session. These courses are not mandatory but can be found as a resource at: athletesafety.org. Additional information about the training can be found here: https://uscenterforsafesport.org/courses/#empowered-families.

NOTE: USA Hockey does not record or track a person’s completion of any supplemental courses. These courses are not a substitute for any required training for adult participants who are required to complete the Core course and/or Refreshers with regular contact with or authority over minor athletes and hockey players who are 17 years of age prior to December 31 of the applicable registration year.

Thank you again for all of your efforts to support the safety of participants in USA Hockey programs.