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Blue Book - WAHC Policies

WAHC 2023-24 Blue Book

The material presented in this manual is for players, coaches, managers and parents of the WAHC. We believe the success of the WAHC hockey is achieved when all players, parents and coaches work together. We hope these guidelines will serve as an information resource for everyone to understand the goals, policies & practices of our Club.

The WAHC BLUE BOOK serves as the Member Handbook. This member handbook is a guide to inform the WAHC membership of necessary communications and serves as a reference/source for WAHC's policies and procedures. The Blue Book and its contents, policies and procedures are developed, reviewed and approved by the WAHC Board of Directors annually.  Changes may be made throughout the season. Any changes or modifications require WAHC Board of Directors approval. The Club will notify members of any changes, updates or amendments to the Blue Book during the season via Club-wide email alerts. 

Members of the WAHC, including parents, players, coaches and managers, are subject to the guidelines, processes and policies set forth in the WAHC Blue Book, as amended from time to time. 

It is the sole responsibility of the WAHC member to read the Blue Book and any updates.


 

CODE OF CONDUCT

PLAYER DEVELOPMENT CHARTER

Locker Room Policy

Following is information regarding our policy and practices for supervising and monitoring locker rooms, permission for parents to be in the locker rooms and our expectations for player behavior at our rink(s) and in the locker rooms. 

Our policy and standard of practice is designed to maintain personal privacy as well as to reduce the risk of misconduct in locker rooms. 

Locker Room Monitoring:

PRESEASON & TRYOUTS
Generally WAHC is assigned 2 locker rooms for each hour of scheduled ice.  We will have limited use of the locker rooms – generally 30 minutes before and following an on-ice session for in-season team practices/games (15 minutes for Preseason & Tryouts). 

We ­will have 2 Volunteer Locker Room Monitors (LRM) assigned per scheduled pre-season or tryout ice time.  LRMs will be stationed in each locker room to monitor behavior.  Supervised locker rooms will be available to players no more than 15 minutes prior to the on-ice session.  LRMs will remain in the locker rooms at all times. Lockerrooms will be cleared 15 minutes after the scheduled ice session – or until all players have left the team room if sooner. 

Our LRMs are required to have completed the USAHockey background screening and Safesport training.

Cell Phones and Other Mobile Recording Devices:

Cell phones and other mobile devices with recording capabilities, including cameras/video are not permitted to be used in the locker rooms.  If phones must be used, we ask the players to take them outside of the locker to use.  Players not abiding by this policy, will be asked to bring their cell phone to the Player Check-In table and parents will be notified.

Inappropriate Behavior, language and horse-play:

We expect our players to be respectful teammates and exhibit the same good behavior you as parents expect from your children.   We cannot tolerate inappropriate language, gestures, and other rough-housing behavior in our locker rooms.  Players not abiding by this policy will be asked to leave the team room and parents will be notified.

Parents In The Locker Rooms:

Except at the 8 & Under age groups (e.g. Girls 6U/8U), we discourage parents from entering locker rooms unless it is truly necessary.  If a player needs assistance with his/her skates or gear, we ask that our parents let the LRMs know beforehand that they will be helping the player – and our LRMS will assist to make sure appropriate arrangements are made.  In PreSeason and Regular Season instances, we would ask that the player meet the parent right outside the locker room doors to tie skates, snap helmets. It is very important, in these instances where assistance is needed that the parent(s) remain near the entrance to the locker room, so that the player does not wander far searching for the parent(s) – creating an unsafe environment.  During TRYOUTS, we will ask our players to come to the Lobby area to have their skates tied. 

Males In The Girls Locker Rooms:

For 10U and above, there will NOT be ANY males in the locker rooms.  During the regular season, for a player still needing assistance from her dad to tie skates, fit gear or make helmet adjustments, she will take her skates, gear, helmet just outside the locker room door for her dad to assist.  As previously noted, It is very important , in these instances where  dad is needed, that dad remain by the entrance to locker room, so that the player does not wander far searching for dad – creating an unsafe environment. During TRYOUTS, we will ask our players to come to the Lobby area for assistance with their gear and to have their skates tied. 

Male coaches will only enter a dressing room, WHEN ALL the girls are fully dressed, AND if there is a female LRM present.  The female LRM will remain in the locker room during this time.  For this reason, it is very important that the girls arrive in enough time - prior to the scheduled ice time to allow them to get dressed and have skates tied by 15 minutes prior to the ice time (or a time designated by the Head Coach) – to allow the coach/on-ice instructor enough time to  talk with the team before the ice-session. 

Attending to Injuries:

The volunteer LRM will be present in the locker room while the coach and/or EMT is assisting the player. 

This policy will be strictly enforced; it is in place to help our players feel more comfortable in THEIR locker room.  We understand that these arrangements may not be the most convenient and may require a little extra time, but we believe that this is the most reasonable way to accommodate and respect all of our players.  We thank you for your understanding and cooperation.   If you have any questions or concerns, please email administration@woodburyhockey.com.

 

Respectfully,

The WAHC BOARD

Commitment To Team

As stated in our mission statement, the WAHC is committed to the development of our players and coaches in providing a gratifying and rewarding youth hockey experience.  As a volunteer-run organization, we recognize that the individual commitment of our players and parents is a key component in building ‘successful’ teams. Moreover, team building is a vital life skill that our players need to develop and is a skill that will be used long beyond their hockey careers. 

To facilitate team-building and successful teams, we recognize the MN Hockey Commitment to Team Rule (Youth Rules and Regulations, Section II Registrations D. below)  and support our coaches in implementing an individual team policy that is aligned to this MN Hockey ‘Commitment to Team Policy’ and communicated to the team parents & players. The goal is to assist coaches and guide their team with a consistent attendance policy to help effectively develop and reinforce these “Team” skills in our players. 

D. Commitment To Team - Players are expected to participate in all team activities (practices, games, tournaments, etc). An allowance for an "excused absence" upon notice that is reasonable under the circumstances may be established by teams and associations. However unexcused absence is grounds for consequence to a player, as determined by the team or association, up to and including suspension. A team or association rule and/or policy as to "excused absences" or as to consequences for unexcused absences must be reasonable and may not be implemented in a manner that discriminates between player participation in one outside program versus another.