Policies - One-on-One Interactions

In this policy, “Applicable Adult” shall mean and refer to:  

1. Adult members of USA Hockey who have regular contact with minor Participants;  
2. Any adult authorized by USA Hockey, an Affiliate or Member Program to have regular contact with or authority over minor Participants; and 
3. Adult staff and board members of USA Hockey, an Affiliate or a Member Program.  
4. Additionally, with respect to the One-on-One Interactions Policy, the Locker Room Policy, and the Athletic Training Modalities Policy, an Applicable Adult shall also include all adult members of USA Hockey while at a Facility.  

Provided, that, an Applicable Adult shall not refer to an adult in an interaction between a minor Participant and that Participant’s legal guardian. 

One-on-one interactions between a minor Participant and an Applicable Adult at a Facility are permitted if they occur at an observable and interruptible distance by another adult and the other adult is made aware of the interaction. One-on-one interactions between minor Participants and an Applicable Adult at a Facility are otherwise prohibited, except for meetings with mental health care professionals and health care providers as described below, and under emergency circumstances. 

Meetings between Applicable Adults and minor Participants at a Facility may only occur if another adult is present and is advised the meeting is taking place, except under emergency circumstances. Such meetings must occur where interactions can be easily observed and at an interruptible distance from another adult. If a one-on-one meeting takes place in an office at a Facility, the door to the office must remain unlocked and open. If available, it will occur in an office that has windows, with the windows, blinds, and/or curtains remaining open during the meeting. 

If a mental health care professional and/or health care provider meets with minor Participants at a Facility, a closed-door meeting may be permitted to protect patient privacy provided that: (1) the door remains unlocked; (2) another adult is present at the Facility; (3) the other adult is advised that a closed-door meeting is occurring; and (4) written legal guardian consent is obtained in advance by the mental health care professional and/or health care provider, with a copy provided to the Member Program. 

Individual training sessions between Applicable Adults and minor Participants are permitted at a Facility if the training session is observable and interruptible by another adult. It is the responsibility of the Applicable Adult to obtain the written permission of the minor’s legal guardian in advance of the individual training session if the individual training session is not observable and interruptible by another adult. Permission for individual training sessions must be obtained at least every six months. Parents, guardians, and other caretakers must be allowed to observe the training session.  

Coaches are prohibited from interacting one-on-one with unrelated minor Participants in settings outside of the program that are not observable and interruptible (including, but not limited to, one’s home and individual transportation). All other Applicable Adults are prohibited from interacting one-on-one with unrelated minor Participants in settings outside of the program that are not observable and interruptible (including, but not limited to, one’s home and individual transportation), unless parent/legal guardian consent is provided in advance. Nonetheless, such arrangements may raise risks of actual or perceived misconduct, and are strongly discouraged.

Updated Sept 29, 2024.