Locker Room Policy

This is the locker room policy for all Levittown-East Meadow-Hicksville Ice Falcons (LEMH) teams.  This policy is for all teams, regardless of competing under USA Hockey or the American Athletic Union (AAU) regulations.  Our teams compete in the New York Islanders High School Hockey League, otherwise known as the High School Hockey League of Nassau County (HSHLNC). 

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In addition to the development of all LEMH hockey players and enjoyment of the sport of hockey, the safety and protection of our participants is central to our goals.  LEMH 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, LEMH 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.

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At numerous ice rinks in Nassau County, New York, where we play, there are several locker rooms available for our program’s use.  Each of the locker rooms may have its own restroom, and some may have a shower area with one or more locker rooms.  Some teams in our program may also occasionally or regularly travel to play games at other arenas, and those locker rooms, rest rooms and shower facilities will vary from location to location.  At ice rinks for which you are unfamiliar, parents should plan to have extra time and some flexibility in planning for their child to dress, undress, and shower if desired.  

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Locker Room Monitoring

LEMH 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.

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Parents in Locker Rooms

In general, parents are prohibited from all locker rooms.   If a player needs assistance with his or her uniform or gear the coach will aid the player.  If a player is ejected from a game or if a player is injured, a coach or registered team volunteer must give permission for parents to enter a locker room.  No coach or volunteer is allowed to be 1-on-1 with any player inside a locker room and may ask a registered team volunteer or parent to join them in the locker room for these rare occasions.  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.

 

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. Where possible, LEMH will have the male and female players dress/undress in separate locker rooms and then convene in a single locker room before the game or team meeting. Once the game or practice is finished, the players may come to one locker room for a team meeting, and then the male and female players will proceed to their separate locker rooms to undress and shower, if available. If separate locker rooms are not available, then the players will take turns using the locker room to change. We understand that these arrangements may require that players arrive earlier or leave later to dress, but we believe that this is the most reasonable way to accommodate and respect all our players.

 

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.  If the team allows music to be played, only 1 player will be allowed to bring a mobile device in the locker room, and he/she will have prior permission from the coach in order to do so.  If parents need to reach their player inside the locker room, they should contact the coach.   Phone numbers for all coaches are on TeamSnap.

 

Prohibited Conduct and Reporting

LEMH 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 LEMH 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