A note from USA Hockey –
Dear USA Hockey members and parents,
The U.S. Center for SafeSport offers training courses for parents of USA Hockey players and young athletes. These courses are free and available online, featuring age-specific content tailored to the learner.
For parents, the training offers an introduction to the importance of fostering positive and welcoming environments in sports to minimize opportunities for misconduct or abuse. It also provides guidance on where to report abuse, should it occur, along with a downloadable guide containing age-appropriate material.
- Parent’s Guide to Misconduct in Sport (30 minutes)
- SafeSport for Volunteers: Abuse Awareness and Prevention Essentials
The youth athlete training courses are designed for kids and young athletes, broken down by age ranges, and serve as an introduction for them and their parents or caregivers to understand the significance of creating safe environments in sports, where misconduct such as bullying or abuse is less likely to happen. The courses also offer information on reporting procedures if needed.
- SafeSport for Kids, Ages 5-12 (15 minutes)
- SafeSport for Youth Athletes, Ages 13-17 (15 minutes)
To access the child and youth athlete training, a parent or legal guardian must create an account to give consent for their child. Once the account is created, parents can select the course that best suits their child’s actual or developmental age.
The U.S. Center for SafeSport has also developed interactive educational resources to foster a culture of safety and respect in any sports program. These specialized training programs are also offered to address specific topics such as mandatory reporting, health professionals, and diverse athlete needs.
- Abuse Prevention for Adult Athletes (30 minutes)
- Health Professionals: Your Role in Preventing Abuse in Sport (90 minutes)
- Creating Safe and Inclusive Environments for Athletes with Disabilities (60 minutes)
- Understanding Mandatory Reporting (90 minutes)
A PDF certificate is available after each training session. These courses are not mandatory but can be found as a resource at: athletesafety.org. Additional information about the training can be found in the Center for SafeSport Online Training Catalog.
NOTE: USA Hockey does not record or track a person’s completion of any supplemental courses. These courses are not a substitute for any required training for adult participants who are required to complete the Core course and/or Refreshers with regular contact with or authority over minor athletes and hockey players who are 17 years of age prior to December 31 of the applicable registration year.
Thank you again for all of your efforts to support the safety of participants in USA Hockey programs.