Zero Tolerance
Policy
A
key policy of USA Hockey is the Zero Tolerance Policy. The policy,
which has been spread through the use of posters, spells out what
makes up unsportsmanlike behavior and what type of penalty should
be handed out as a result.
While
officials cannot receive penalties for inappropriate behavior,
they are required to conduct themselves in a businesslike, sportsmanlike,
impartial and constructive manner at all times. Officials must
remember they are ambassadors of the game and must always conduct
themselves with this responsibility in mind.
Officials
also have the responsibility to stop a game whenever parents or
spectators displaying inappropriate behavior interfere with other
spectators or the game. Officials will identify all violators
to the coaches, who will then remove them from the spectator’s
viewing and game area. Once removed, play will then resume. Officials
also have the right to assess a minor penalty against the team
whose fans display inappropriate behavior.
Such
disruptive behavior by parents and spectators includes, but is
not limited to:
-
Use of obscene or vulgar language in a boisterous manner at
any time,
- Taunting
of players, coaches, officials or other spectators, and
- Throwing
of any object in the spectators viewing area, player’s
bench, penalty box or ice surface, directed in any manner as
to create a safety hazard.
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