Governance

Dressing Room

Policy

Hockey Saskatchewan follows the Hockey Canada policy with respect to dressing rooms. Hockey Saskatchewan firmly believes all participants (athletes, officials, coaches, team staff, etc.) have a right to access safe, inclusive, and equitable dressing spaces. In this regard, all participants have the right to utilize the dressing room or appropriate and equivalent dressing environment based on their gender identity, religious beliefs, body image concerns and/or other reasons related to their individual needs.

We believe in balancing the safety, privacy, modesty and wishes of our participants without compromising the aspects of camaraderie, social integration and bonding inherent in a team sport. This Policy attempts to meet these goals while providing a safe and respectful environment for participants.

This Policy represents a shift in philosophy from previous dressing room regulations. As will be further explained below, this new model is based upon creating safe, inclusive and equitable dressing room environments that are designated team spaces for everyone, while providing proper supervision.

Procedure

Scope:

The Dressing Room Policy applies to all minor hockey teams sanctioned by Hockey Canada and its Members.

Definitions

“Dressing rooms” – officially designated spaces for changing in and out of gear. Mostly, these men’s and women’s, multi-stall spaces and occasionally can be all-gender, multi-stall spaces.
“Dressing environments” – spaces beyond dressing rooms (in close proximity to them) that can be temporarily repurposed to provide a space for a small number of participants to change in and out of their gear (e.g., official’s room, multi-purpose room, meeting rooms, single-unit washrooms).
“Policy” – means this Dressing Room

Procedure

The Minimum Attire Rule

To best promote inclusion and to respect the privacy of all participants on a team, Hockey Canada requires all participants to wear ‘minimum attire’ at all times in a dressing room or in dressing environments where more than one participant is present. This means that participants should arrive at the rink wearing a base layer (e.g., shorts and t-shirt, compression shorts and shirt or sports bra). A participant not arriving at the rink wearing their base layer can use an appropriate private space (e.g., private restroom stalls or empty/unused dressing rooms) to change into the base layer and then enter the team dressing room with the other participants.

It is the responsibility of all coaches and team staff to instruct players regarding the minimum attire rule and ensure that players are complying with this Policy.

Hockey Canada recognizes the physical limitations of some facilities and encourages associations to work creatively and proactively, using an athlete-focused, ethical, and values-based approach, with local facility management to ensure that appropriate and equivalent dressing environments are available to all participants who would prefer not to get dressed in the team dressing room.

Team Talks

Hockey Canada stresses the importance that all participants are treated as valued members of a team. Therefore, coaches and team staff should only engage in pre- and post-game talks when all athletes are present in the dressing room.

Use of Showers – Recommended Best Practice

As outlined in the purpose section, there are many reasons why athletes may require privacy (religious reasons, chronic conditions, body image, gender). The following guidance around the use of showers, is an additional step in creating environments within which athletes feel safe and secure. It is recommended that when showers are not private stalls, that these be used in a manner that respects the privacy of all participants. When in open concept showers, it is encouraged that all athletes wear certain “minimum attire” at all times, including swimwear. In order to facilitate this, participants could use a private restroom stall to change out of their base layer and into their swimwear prior to using the shower. Similarly, they could dress in a private restroom stall after they have completed their shower. Coaches and/or team staff should ensure they are able to supervise the dressing room while participants are showering, following ‘Rule of Two’ guidelines below.

Officials Dressing Rooms

Given that dressing room spaces for officials and officiating teams are often shared by officials of a wide variety of ages and genders and may be used by different sports at the same time, safety and privacy are of the utmost importance. To create a safe and welcoming environment for everyone who uses an officials dressing room space, the minimum attire rule and shower recommendations described should be applied.

Applicable Laws

Hockey Canada Members that have mediated human rights settlements within their Province/Territory with respect to specific dressing room parameters are exempted from this Policy within their jurisdictions, but solely to the extent required so that they may continue to adhere to such settlements.

Rule of Two

To best ensure safety for all participants, all minor hockey programs sanctioned by Hockey Canada and its Members are required to implement the ‘Rule of Two’ for all dressing rooms. The ‘Rule of Two’ requires two trained and screened adults to be present in the dressing room or immediately outside the dressing room with the door propped open to monitor the environment and ensure it is free of any discrimination, harassment, bullying, or other forms of maltreatment. The Rule of Two remains in place when showers are in use.

Prohibition on Violent Activities in Dressing Rooms

To ensure the safety of all participants in the dressing room, no type of violent conduct of any kind (including locker room boxing) bullying, or hazing is permitted. It is the responsibility of coaches and team staff to ensure that no such violent behaviour is taking place in dressing rooms or dressing environments. Should anyone experience maltreatment in violation of this section of the Policy, a complaint may be submitted to Hockey Canada’s Independent Third Party.

Prohibition on Recording in Dressing Rooms or Dressing Environments

To respect the privacy of participants, no videos, still photos, or voice recordings of any kind may be taken using any device with recording capabilities in a dressing room or dressing environment. Cell phones are only permitted to be used in a dressing room or dressing environment for the purposes of controlling music played in those spaces.

Hockey Canada Links:

RETURN TO GOVERNANCE