Fair play and respect are the backbone of any successful recreational sports program. In order for a positive environment to be created, it is imperative that all Participants have respect for all participants/players, coaches, officials, administrators, spectators and the sport of hockey. Hockey is a game demanding high levels of concentration and skill. Participants must recognize the importance of following all staff and/or coach instructions and agree to follow such instructions.

SPHA reserves the right to refuse admission to, or eject, any Participant whose conduct is deemed by SPHA to be disorderly, who uses vulgar and/or abusive/offensive language, and/or who fails to comply with any rules, terms, and conditions applicable to any Program, Tournament and/or any facility’s rules in which SPHA operates out of. Any dues/fees paid in advance of a Participant’s removal from the Program, Tournament and/or facility, are and will remain fully non-refundable. 

Types of misconduct that may result in suspension, ejection or other appropriate disciplinary action include, but are not limited to, the following:

• SEXUAL HARASSMENT: Sexual harassment constitutes discrimination and is illegal under federal, state, and local laws. For the purposes of this policy, “sexual harassment” is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal, physical, and/or visual conduct of a sexual nature when, for example: (a) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s playing status, (b) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for player decisions affecting such individual(s), or (c) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive playing environment. Sexual harassment takes many forms but the most common forms include unwanted sexual advances or requests for sexual favors; sexual jokes and innuendo; verbal abuse of a sexual nature; commentary about an individual’s body, sexual prowess, or sexual deficiencies; stalking, leering, whistling or touching; insulting or obscene comments or gestures; display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures; and other physical, verbal or visual conduct of a sexual nature.
  
  
• HARASSMENT: Harassment based on any other protected characteristic is also strictly prohibited. Under this policy, harassment is verbal, written, physical, or visual conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual because of his or her race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, parental status, citizenship, political activity or affiliation, genetic information, physical or mental or sensory disability, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by law and that: (a) creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment, (b) unreasonably interferes with an individual’s performance, or (c) otherwise adversely affects an individual’s playing opportunities. Harassing conduct includes, but is not limited to, epithets, slurs or negative stereotyping; threatening, intimidating or hostile acts; stalking (whether or not sexual in nature), denigrating jokes; and written or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group that is placed on walls or elsewhere on Kraken Hockey League premises or circulated using email, phone (including voice messages), text messages, social networking sites or other means. In addition, taunting or unsportsmanlike conduct directed at opponents or officials will not be tolerated. SPHA does not tolerate any abusive behavior, including racial, sexual, and other derogatory slurs directed at players, coaches or officials. All Participants are reminded that any language that is hateful or discriminatory in nature will be penalized with automatic ejection from the Program and/or Tournament.
  
  
• PHYSICAL ABUSE: Physical abuse means physical contact with a participant that intentionally causes or has the potential to cause the participant to sustain bodily harm or personal injury. Physical abuse also includes physical contact with a participant that intentionally creates a threat of immediate bodily harm or personal injury. Physical abuse also includes the providing of alcohol to a participant under the age of consent and the providing of illegal drugs or non- prescribed medications to any participant. Physical abuse does not include physical contact that is reasonably designed to coach, teach, or demonstrate a hockey skill. Permitted physical conduct may include, but is not necessarily limited to, shooting pucks at a goaltender, demonstrating checking and other hockey skills, and communicating with or directing participants, during the course of a game or practice, by touching them in a non-threatening, non-sexual manner. Any SPHA participant who engages in any act of physical abuse is subject to appropriate disciplinary action including but not limited to suspension, permanent suspension, and/or referral to law enforcement authorities.
  
  
• EMOTIONAL ABUSE: Emotional Abuse involves a pattern of deliberate, non-contact behavior that has the potential to cause emotional or psychological harm to an individual. These behaviors may include, but are not limited to, verbal acts, physical acts or acts that deny attention or support. Examples of emotional abuse prohibited by this policy include, without limitation: (a) verbal behaviors that involve (i) personal attacks on a participant (e.g., calling a participant worthless, fat, or disgusting); or (ii) recurrent and excessive yelling at a participant or participants in a manner that serves no productive motivational purpose; or (b) physically aggressive behaviors, such as (i) throwing sport equipment, water bottles, or chairs at or near participants; or (ii) punching walls, windows, or other objects.
  • Emotional abuse does not include generally accepted and age-appropriate coaching methods of skills enhancement, physical conditioning, motivation, team building, appropriate discipline, or improving athletic performance.
    
    

• BULLYING: Bullying is the use of coercion to obtain control over another person or to be habitually cruel to another person. Bullying involves an intentional, persistent, or repeated pattern of committing or willfully tolerating physical and non-physical behaviors that are intended to cause fear, humiliation, or physical harm in an attempt to socially exclude, diminish, or isolate another person. Bullying can occur through written, verbal or electronically transmitted expression or by means of a physical act or gesture. Bullying behavior is prohibited in any manner in connection with any Program(s) and/or Tournament(s). Examples of prohibited bullying behavior include, without limitation physical behaviors, including punching, kicking, or choking an athlete; and verbal and emotional behaviors, including, the use of electronic communications (i.e., “cyber bullying”) to harass, frighten, intimidate, or humiliate. While other team members are often the perpetrators of bullying, it is a violation of this policy if a coach or other responsible adult knows or should know of the bullying behavior but takes no action to intervene on behalf of the participant(s) targeted. Any Participant who engages in any act of bullying is subject to appropriate disciplinary action including but not limited to suspension, expulsion and/or referral to law enforcement authorities. The severity and pattern, if any, of the bullying behavior shall be taken into consideration when disciplinary decisions are made.

It is recommended that each Participants review and familiarize themselves with any applicable Program and/or Tournament rules and/or policies that may be issued for a Program and/or Tournament, as such rules and/or policies may have specific guidelines contained within.

All Participants taking part in any and all activities, including those on the ice, are required to sign a waiver through mySPHA.