TBL Locker Room Policies

TBL is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all of our members both on and off the ice. As part of this commitment, TBL has compiled a list of activities that are deemed detrimental to both TBL and its respective teams. Any detrimental conduct occurring in the locker rooms, in or around the rink, face to face or via verbal and/or written communications between player/player, player/coach, player/parent or coach/parent will be reported immediately to the respective R&D Committee Representative.

This report must be completed and submitted in writing on the R&D Complaint form that is available on our web site, from your team manager or directly from the R&D Committee. The R&D Committee will investigate all complaints submitted to them and present their findings to the Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors will then make a ruling based on the findings of the R&D Committee. These rulings can result in player, coach and/or parent disciplinary actions including but not limited to:

1) Short term suspension from the team (for player and/or coaches)

2) Long term suspensions from the team (for players and coaches)

3) Removal from the team for the remainder of the season (for players and coaches)

4) Termination from the membership of TBL (for players and coaches)

5) Short term suspension from USA Hockey Events (parents)

6) Long term suspension from USA Hockey Events (parents)

Detrimental Activities include but are not limited to:

1) Verbal harassment

2) Physical harassment

3) “Locker Boxing”

4) Failure to follow the below policy on mixed gender locker rooms

Findings and or disciplinary actions by the R&D Committee can be appealed to the board of directors following the process outlined in the club by laws.

It is not acceptable under USA Hockey/Missouri Hockey By-Laws – Policies on Physical and Sexual Abuse – for members to be observing the opposite gender while they dress/undress. (Page 11 of 11 Twin Bridges Lightning Rules and Regulations June 2019)

To provide an enjoyable and safe experience for all players, please make certain that proper adult supervision is present in locker room settings at all times, including the provision for having more than one adult supervisor present in the locker room, and arrange to provide supervisors who are of the same sex as the children they are to protect. (‘In the locker room’ means being inside the locker room and/or standing right outside the door, not at the concession stand or somewhere nearby in the lobby area).

Please follow these Coaching Ethics Guidelines:

a) Where possible, have the male and female players undress/dress in separate locker rooms; then convene in a single dressing room to hold the coach’s pre-game meeting.

b) Once the game is finished, hold the coach’s post game meeting; then have the male and female players proceed to their separate dressing rooms to undress and shower.

c) In cases where separate facilities are not available, have one gender enter the locker room and change into their uniforms, that gender would then leave the locker room, while the other gender enters the locker room and gets dressed. Both genders would then assemble in the locker room and hold the coach’s pre-game meeting.

d) Following the game and the coach’s post game meeting, where separate facilities are not available, the second gender group enters the locker room and undresses/showers, while the first group waits outside until they have undressed/shower and left the room. Once the second group leaves, the first group enters the locker room and undresses/showers. This should be done on a rotating basis (taking turns) so neither gender is always “last” to dress/undress and shower. Taking turns is a means of ‘reasonable accommodation’ so neither gender group is favored.

e) Have a minimum attire policy of sharing one locker room. All players should be required to arrive at the rink wearing their base layers or shorts and t-shirts under their street clothes. All members of the team must have the minimum attire before entering a co-ed locker room so that no player of one gender has the opportunity to see players of the opposite gender in a state of dress/undress.

Reinforce to all players, coaches, officials, volunteers and parents at the beginning of each season at your organization’s parent’s meetings that your organization takes this issue seriously and has adopted a fair and equitable Co-Ed Locker Room Policy.