Player Safety & Concussion Information
The right response, fast.
Injury protocols, required forms, and training for coaches, parents, officials, and team managers. Know what to do before something happens — not after.
USA Hockey Concussion Return-to-Play Form
Required before any player returns after a concussion. Must be signed by a licensed health care provider — not a coach or manager.
USA Hockey Player Safety Hub
Full injury management guide, protocols, and safety resources from USA Hockey's Player Safety Department.
Recognize
Signs observed by coaches and parents: appears dazed, forgets instructions, moves clumsily, answers slowly, loses consciousness, or shows personality changes.
Symptoms reported by players: headache, nausea, dizziness, blurry vision, sensitivity to light or noise, feeling "foggy" or just not right.
Remove & Report
Any player showing signs or symptoms is removed from play immediately — no exceptions. Do not wait for symptoms to worsen.
Notify the parent or guardian on site. Document the incident and report it to Evan Turcotte at playersafety@nhselects.com.
Return to Play — Four Steps
No player returns to practice or competition without completing all four steps and submitting the USA Hockey Return-to-Play Form signed by a licensed health care provider.
Step 1: Complete rest until symptom-free at rest. Step 2: Light aerobic exercise with no resistance training. Step 3: Sport-specific exercise. Step 4: Full-contact practice — only after medical clearance. Each step requires a minimum of 24 hours with no symptoms before progressing.
Spinal Injury
If a player is down and you suspect a neck or spine injury: do not move the player. Stabilize the head and neck. Call 911. Keep the player calm and still until EMS arrives. Do not remove the helmet.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Start hands-only CPR immediately. Send someone — don't go yourself — to retrieve the rink's AED. Know where the AED is located at MacMorran before every event. Early CPR and defibrillation are the difference between life and death.
Neck Laceration Protectors — Required
Neck laceration protectors are required for all players under 18 effective August 1, 2024. Cut-resistant socks, sleeves, and undergarments are strongly recommended for all players.
NH Selects adopts USA Hockey's Safe Sport Handbook in full, including its Locker Room Policy and Electronic Communications Policy. Every coach, team manager, board member, and volunteer with player contact must complete USA Hockey registration, which requires a national background check and SafeSport training, before they are allowed any contact with players. No player-contact role is exempt.
Locker Room Policy
Only USA Hockey-registered, background-screened, SafeSport-certified coaches and team managers, along with rostered players, are permitted in locker room and bench areas during NH Selects sessions.
Locker rooms and changing areas are monitored under USA Hockey's Locker Room Policy. No player is ever left in a locker room or changing area under the unmonitored supervision of a single adult.
Electronic Communications
Coaches and staff do not engage in private, one-on-one electronic communication (text, direct message, or social media) with a player. Any communication with a player includes a parent or guardian, or goes through a group channel visible to parents, such as the team email list or team app.
Official NH Selects social media is managed by designated staff under the organization's own accounts (@nhselectsofficial), not by individual coaches.
Supervision & Certification
At least one registered, background-screened, SafeSport-certified coach is present for every on-ice session. SafeSport certification is renewed every season; background screening is renewed every two seasons. Anyone whose certification lapses is ineligible to participate until it is renewed.
Report a Concern
If you have a concern about a coach, staff member, or volunteer's conduct, contact playersafety@nhselects.com. Suspected abuse or misconduct can also be reported directly to the U.S. Center for SafeSport at uscenterforsafesport.org or 833-587-7233. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911.
Player safety doesn't end at the boards. Mental well-being affects how players show up on the ice, at home, and in relationships. NH Selects recognizes both mental health and mental performance as part of a complete player development program.
Mental Health
Emotional well-being and overall psychological functioning. Anxiety, depression, burnout, or trauma can affect any player, coach, or family member — and how they show up in the game and at home.
Mental Performance
Managing stress, staying composed after a bad shift, keeping focus in high-stakes moments, and bouncing back after a tough loss. A player can be mentally healthy and still benefit greatly from these tools.
If a player or anyone on your team is in crisis, call or text 988 any time, day or night. Free, confidential support.
Coaches and officials can earn player safety continuing education units (CEUs) for CPR, Mental Health First Aid, and Stop the Bleed. NH Selects strongly encourages all coaches, managers, and parents to complete these courses.
Questions about a protocol, an incident, or player safety at NH Selects? Contact us directly.
playersafety@nhselects.com →