Respect in Sport

Respect in Sport – Parent   Program
Hockey Canada and its Branches have embarked on an undertaking to enhance the safety and enjoyment of the game of hockey for its participants by introducing an on-line Respect in Sport Parent Program.  The Parent Program empowers parents to ensure their child’s safety, encourages positive and effective communication, and creates a standard of respectful behavior for all parents of active participants.  This program reinforces a parent’s role by encouraging positive sport behaviors and providing insight into the other roles that others play, such as coaches and on-ice officials.
The second key aspect of the program helps parents to understand their role as “empowered bystanders”. The program encourages parents to speak up as a group to remind an individual when their behavior is unacceptable and not allowed by the association.  Thus, the parents are taking control of the arena and are helping to improve the environment for one and all.  In effect, the parent group is “self-policing”.
To this end, effective for the 2015/16 hockey season, at least one parent or guardian of a participant of each household at the IP and Novice levels, and those households with registrants new to hockey up to Midget level, must take the on-line course.  The parent or guardian must fully complete the course before the participant begins his/her first regular season session for IP participants or first regular season game for Novice players and older.  If you are a parent or guardian of a first time registrant, then you cannot take the Parent Program until the child is registered.  This will ensure that the parent or guardian will have access to the newly registered participant information, i.e., accurate name and date of birth (DOB) as recorded in the Hockey Canada registration data base.  The same name and DOB will be used for the Respect in Sport Parent Program registration.  This will ensure that the participant’s record will reflect completion of the course.
A Registrar’s meeting will be scheduled in June, chaired by Craig Shouldice ODMHA Registrar, where details will be provided on the Parent Program application through the HEO website or directly at https://heoparent.respectgroupinc.com/secure/.  A press conference is also planned to provide support to Associations across the Branch on the program roll out.  Copies of the HEO/ODMHA implementation plan will be forth coming.  Also, information on bulk registration will be provided by the ODMHA office shortly.
The cost for the on-line course is $12.00 per household.  While only one participant can be certified by taking the course, the course can be followed by any member of the household, such as other parents, grandparents, etc. for the same fee.  This program is also being introduced to a number of other minor sports in Canada.