Player Safety

Hockey Canada: Safety Requires Teamwork & Safety for All : 2012-2013

An information guide to Hockey Canada's Risk Management and National Insurance Programs & A Guide to Understand Bullying, Harassment, and Abuse for Parents and Guardians.


Return to Play from Injuries

Please be advised that Hockey Canada, in consultation with the Hockey Canada Chief Medical Officer, and the HDCO Hockey Trainers Certification Program committee, has approved the following amendment to the recommended Return to Play process as taught within the Hockey Canada Safety Program and Hockey Trainers Certification Program :

With respect to players returning to play, muscular and skeletal injuries (excluding fractures) can be signed off by physicians, chiropractors, physiotherapists, or nurse practitioners. Fractures as well as all neurological injuries including spinal injuries and concussions must be signed off by a physician. (Note this does not pertain to the Hockey Canada Injury report Form related to the insurance program. This will still need to be completed by a physician or a dentist if a dental injury).

Concussion - Return to Play Protocol: Hockey Canada Six-Step method for return to play for Concussion in sport.

MDHA Adheres to all Hockey Canada Bulletins:

HEO Minor Mouth Guard PolicyHEO Minor's recent decision to change the status regarding use of mouth guards, the change is to remove the penalty from games.  The use of mouth guards remains STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.

Co-Ed Dressing Room Policy : At the Atom level and below, mixed genders may change in the same room at the same time with the presence of two adults. Teams at the PeeWee level and higher are to utilize the dressing room policy. Please view the link.

Cameras, Cell Phones & PDAs : The use of any form of Camera, Video Camera, Camera Phone or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) is prohibited in any recreational facility change rooms, during any HEO Minor sanctioned event. Please view the link.

Photography and Media Coverage :  No photography is allowed in any dressing room.  Please view the link.

GHA Policies

Volunteers on ice : Volunteers are welcome on ice if they follow this policy.

GHA Social Media Policy : Policy about the use of public communications through internet mediums and websites.

Trainer's  Responsibilities

Each team requires one trainer behind the bench during a game. It is helpful to have a couple of parents with their Trainer certification in the event that the official team trainer is unavailable.

  • distribute and collect MEDICAL INFORMATION SHEET
  • check and verify safety of equipment
  • check and verify safety of arena, rink surface
  • available and prepared to render First-Aid
  • work behind the bench during games.
  • Fill out and submit Injury Report forms.
  • Prepare the water bottles for each game ( or get someone to do this).

When do I need to complete an Injury Report?

An Injury Report must be completed and submitted to the Risk & Safety chair when:

  • A player required the assistance of a trainer due to an injury which results in the course of a hockey event
  • A player is taken by ambulance to a hospital
  • If the injury will not allow the player to return to active duty based on a physician's diagnosis
  • If the possibility exists that there could be any expenses related directly to the injury or if a possible claim/suit could result from the injury against the HC. insurance program

It is the Team Management's Responsibility to file claims and reports (submitting them to the Risk & Safety chair).    **** ODHA Injury Report ****In addition, this form must be completed by the trainer any time a player is injured and misses a shift or is removed from the game. This form is for data gathering and is used for research on sports injuries. Once completed please ensure a copy is given to the risk and safety chair of MDHA.  **** HDCO Injury Report Template ****

Player medical information sheet

This form has to be completed prior to the first game being played. It is to be kept with the trainer at all events. The MDHA recommends once the forms are completed that you copy them and keep one with the manager and one in the trainers bag. MEDICAL INFORMATION SHEET