USA Hockey SafeSport.
Protecting athletes is foundational to our sport. Every NEWHOA official must complete SafeSport certification before stepping on the ice — every season, no exceptions.
Creating safe
environments.
The U.S. Center for SafeSport is an independent nonprofit organization focused on ending all forms of abuse in sport — emotional, physical, and sexual. USA Hockey requires all officials, coaches, and team personnel to complete SafeSport certification as a condition of participation.
SafeSport training equips officials with the knowledge to recognize signs of abuse, understand their reporting responsibilities, and maintain appropriate boundaries with athletes — particularly minors.
NEWHOA Policy
No official may be assigned to — or work — any NEWHOA-scheduled game without a current, valid SafeSport certification on file. This applies to every official, every level, every season.
Four steps to compliance
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Create a SafeSport Account
Visit safesport.org and create a free account using the same email address tied to your USA Hockey membership. This links your certification to your official's record automatically.
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Complete Core Training
First-time users complete the full SafeSport Core Training course (~90 minutes). Covers abuse prevention, recognition, reporting, and policies.
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Complete Annual Refresher
Returning officials complete the annual refresher modules each season (~20–30 minutes). Covers updates and emphasizes key topics.
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Submit Proof to NEWHOA
Certification syncs automatically with your USA Hockey record. If you experience any issue, email a screenshot of your completion certificate to info@newhoa.org.
What the course covers
SafeSport training is taken seriously. The course isn't long, but it's substantive.
Recognizing Abuse
Identifies warning signs of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse in sport settings, including grooming behaviors and boundary violations.
Reporting Obligations
All USA Hockey members — including officials — are mandatory reporters. Covers who to contact and how to file a proper report.
Appropriate Boundaries
Appropriate adult–athlete relationships, communication guidelines, travel and locker-room policies, and social-media conduct.
Policies & Procedures
USA Hockey's Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP) and the consequences for policy violations.
Links & contacts
For SafeSport-related questions specific to NEWHOA, contact us directly. For national SafeSport resources, use the links below.
USA Hockey SafeSport
usahockey.com/safesport
Program overview, certification links, policy documents.
U.S. Center for SafeSport
safesport.org
National authority on athlete protection and abuse prevention.
SafeSport certification must be completed and on file by October 15 each season, or before your first assigned game — whichever comes first. Officials who miss the deadline are removed from the assignment pool until certification is confirmed.