Code of Conduct

1. Who this Code applies to

This Code applies to players, parents, legal guardians, coaches, staff, volunteers, contractors, club and team representatives, spectators and guests participating in or connected with a DTHA session, review, evaluation, meeting, camp, clinic, team-development engagement, trip, digital communication or other service.

A host arena, club, league, governing body or event may impose additional rules. The higher safety or conduct standard should be followed where requirements differ.

2. Shared standard

Everyone involved with DTHA must act honestly, respectfully, inclusively and safely. Performance, competition, authority, frustration and disagreement never excuse humiliation, intimidation, harassment, discrimination, bullying, hazing, abuse, threats, retaliation, deliberate property damage or reckless conduct.

Participants must respect the dignity, privacy and boundaries of others; follow lawful instructions and reasonable safety directions; and contribute to an environment in which people can learn, make mistakes and speak about concerns without fear.

3. Player responsibilities

Players are expected to arrive prepared, make an honest effort, listen during instruction, respect teammates and opponents, and care for equipment and facilities. They should ask questions and communicate when they are confused, injured, unwell, unsafe or uncomfortable.

Mistakes are part of learning. Blaming, mocking, excluding or punishing another player for an error is not acceptable. Players must not use violence outside the rules of hockey, discriminatory or degrading language, hazing, threats, sexualized behaviour or conduct that creates unnecessary risk.

4. Parent and guardian responsibilities

Parents and guardians should support effort, learning, attendance, recovery and enjoyment without making approval depend on performance. Coaching during a DTHA session should come from the responsible coach. Concerns should be raised privately and calmly, away from active play and children whenever practical.

The responsible adult must provide accurate contact and participation information, follow arrival and collection arrangements, respect staff and facility rules, and avoid confronting players, officials, coaches or other families. They should not ask a child to conceal pain, symptoms, fear, misconduct or a boundary concern.

5. Coach, staff and volunteer responsibilities

Adults working with players must use age-appropriate language, maintain professional boundaries, plan responsibly and give feedback about observable behaviour or performance rather than a child's worth. Development decisions should consider age, maturation, experience, health, school, recovery and the individual in front of the coach.

Adults must not use degrading punishment, sexualized behaviour, hazing, retaliation, favouritism tied to personal benefit, threats or relationships that exploit authority. They must not diagnose an injury, illness, nutrition issue or mental-health condition outside their qualifications and should direct the family to an appropriate professional where necessary.

6. Inclusion and freedom from maltreatment

DTHA does not accept discrimination or maltreatment based on race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, citizenship, ethnic origin, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, family or marital status, level of play, body type or another protected or personal characteristic.

Prohibited conduct includes physical, sexual, psychological or verbal abuse; grooming; neglect; stalking; bullying; cyberbullying; hazing; coercion; threats; retaliation; and deliberately isolating or humiliating a participant. Conduct may be unacceptable even if it is described as a joke, tradition, motivation or team bonding.

7. Communication with minors

Communication with a minor must have a legitimate coaching, safety, scheduling or program purpose and must remain transparent, respectful and appropriate for the player's age. A parent or guardian should be included in direct digital communication whenever practical, especially for scheduling, payment, performance concerns or sensitive topics.

Secretive, manipulative, sexualized, threatening or highly personal messages are prohibited. Adults must not pressure a minor to hide communication from a parent, guardian or another responsible adult.

8. Supervision, one-to-one situations and transportation

Activities involving minors should be open, observable and interruptible where practical. Avoid unnecessary isolated one-to-one situations. When individual coaching is appropriate, use a visible location, maintain professional boundaries and ensure the parent or guardian understands the arrangement.

Transportation of a minor by a coach or staff member is not part of an ordinary DTHA service unless expressly arranged with the parent or guardian and handled consistently with applicable club, facility, insurance and safeguarding rules.

9. Dressing rooms and private spaces

Privacy, modesty and applicable facility or team rules must be respected in dressing rooms, washrooms and changing areas. Photography, audio recording and video recording are prohibited in private changing spaces.

Adult access must be limited to a legitimate supervision, safety or assistance purpose. Supervision should avoid unnecessary one-to-one isolation and should respect the participant's age, privacy and stated needs. Phones and other devices must not be used in a way that compromises privacy.

10. Physical contact and coaching boundaries

Instructional physical contact must be necessary, explained where appropriate, proportionate and consistent with the coaching purpose. A participant's discomfort or request to stop must be respected unless immediate safety requires intervention.

Romantic or sexual conduct between an adult in authority and a minor is prohibited. Adults must not use gifts, special access, private communication or selection influence to create secrecy, dependence or personal obligation.

11. Concussion, injury and return to participation

A suspected concussion, significant injury or concerning symptom must be taken seriously. A player should stop and report symptoms; adults must not pressure the player to continue, minimize the report or treat determination as a test of toughness.

DTHA will follow applicable emergency, facility and return-to-participation requirements within its role. Medical assessment, diagnosis and return-to-sport clearance belong to appropriately qualified health professionals. Ontario sport organizations may also have specific duties under Rowan's Law and their governing rules.

12. Education, recovery and whole-player well-being

Hockey should remain compatible with school, sleep, family responsibilities, recovery, social development and appropriate medical care. No participant should be told that one selection decision determines their value or future.

Coaches and families should use ambitious but age-appropriate expectations, watch total workload and make room for health, learning and life outside the rink.

13. Alcohol, drugs, tobacco, vaping, doping and impairment

No adult may supervise, coach, transport or make safety decisions while impaired. Alcohol, illegal drugs, cannabis, tobacco and vaping are not permitted in youth activity spaces except where a lawful facility rule expressly allows an adult product in a separate area unrelated to supervision.

Participants must not encourage underage substance use, share medication, misuse supplements or support doping or other dishonest performance practices. Questions about medication or supplements should be directed to a qualified health professional and, where relevant, the applicable sport rules.

14. Fair play, officials and competition

Participants must respect opponents, officials, coaches, teammates and the rules of competition. Cheating, intimidation, deliberate injury, abuse of officials, manipulation of evaluation or selection, and pressure to retaliate are inconsistent with this Code.

Competitive emotion must be managed without turning a hockey disagreement into a personal confrontation or public attack.

15. Digital conduct, images and confidentiality

Participants must not post humiliating, discriminatory, threatening, sexualized or private content about another person. Appropriate permission is required before sharing an identifiable image or video of a minor. Team, evaluation, health and family information should not be published or forwarded without authority.

Video supplied for DTHA review must be used responsibly. Hockey disagreements should not be escalated through group chats, social media or anonymous accounts.

16. Raising a concern

Report a safety, conduct, boundary or privacy concern as soon as reasonably possible to DTHA at info@dtha.ca or (942) 882-2701. Include the facts you know, preserve relevant messages or records and avoid public speculation that may harm a child or compromise a fair review.

Call emergency services where there is immediate danger. A concern involving suspected child abuse, criminal conduct or conduct governed by another organization may need to be reported directly to a child-protection authority, police, the facility, club, league, insurer or appropriate independent sport body. DTHA's internal process does not replace mandatory reporting or another body's jurisdiction.

17. Response, interim measures and consequences

DTHA may gather relevant information, preserve records and use temporary safety measures while a concern is reviewed. Depending on seriousness and authority, responses may include a conversation, education, written expectations, supervision conditions, restricted communication, removal from an activity, suspension or termination of service, or referral to another body.

DTHA will consider safety, context, seriousness, repetition, age, power imbalance and available evidence. DTHA will not promise confidentiality that would prevent a necessary safety or legal response, but information will be shared only as reasonably needed.

18. Good-faith reporting and non-retaliation

Retaliation against a person who raises a concern, supports a participant or takes part in a review in good faith is prohibited. A report that is not substantiated is not automatically a false report. Knowingly fabricated allegations, deliberate interference with a review and retaliatory complaints are also inconsistent with this Code.

19. Acknowledgement and updates

Participation in a DTHA activity requires conduct consistent with this Code. DTHA may ask a participant or responsible adult to confirm that the Code has been reviewed. DTHA may update it when services, safeguarding expectations or legal requirements change. The effective date identifies the current version.