Carolina Amateur Hockey Association

Designated USA Hockey Affiliate Association 
for North and South Carolina

“Ensuring every day will be a great day for hockey!”

Carolina Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) is the USA Hockey governing body for ice hockey in the states of North Carolina and South Carolina. Formed in 2000, CAHA's mission is to encourage, foster and promote the development and growth of the sport of amateur hockey in North Carolina and South Carolina.

All Member Associations must complete the CAHA Member Association Renewal Form prior to July 15, 2020. For the 2020-2021 season, CAHA is requesting basic association information, contact information, signed Member Association and SafeSport Agreements.

IMPORTANT NOTE -  CAHA will be holding the 2020-2021 USA Hockey Registry release for associations until the member association renewal is complete.

Important Information Regarding USA Hockey's National Background Screening Program

As we hope you are all aware, in order to comply with new requirements from the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (“USOPC”), USA Hockey will be implementing a national level background screening policy. Beginning on April 1, 2020, background screening will be conducted by our national background screen vendor, NCSI, and information on background screening will be included following your registration. This letter is also to notify you of other important dates and information regarding background screening.

As of March 22, 2020, applicants will no longer be able to submit new USA Hockey background screens through Affiliate vendors, and will not be able to submit new screens through NCSI until April 1, 2020.

If you were screened after April 1, 2019 for the 2019-20 season, your screen is valid for the 2020-21 season, and you will not need to be screened under the new system until prior to the 2021-22 season. If your most recent screen is from prior to April 1, 2019, you will need to be screened under the new system, after April 1, 2020, in order to participate in the upcoming season.

All new screens submitted through the new NCSI national screening program after April 1, 2020 will be valid for two seasons. For example, a screen submitted and approved on April 15, 2020 will be valid through the end of the 2021-22 season, which is August 31, 2022.

Background screens through NCSI under the national program will cost $30 for all domestic screens. For international screens (members who have lived outside of the US for six consecutive months in any one county during the past 7 years) the flat rate fee in $150. If that country is solely Canada, the flat rate fee is $75.

Please note that all coaches, officials, board members, employees, volunteers, billets, and anyone else who will have regular contact with, or authority over, minor athletes are required to submit to a background screen before any such contact with minor athletes.

Matt Meinig
CAHA SafeSport Coordinator
safesportcaha@gmail.com

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Hockey announced today a presidential directive that changes the penalty for racial/derogatory slurs of any kind that fall under Rule 601 (e. 3) from a game misconduct to a match penalty.

“We continue to get reports of disturbing incidents of racial and other derogatory slurs, behavior which is reprehensible and has absolutely no place in our game, especially around our children,” said Jim Smith, president of USA Hockey. “For reasons I cannot explain or understand, the current penalty in place does not seem to be enough of a deterrent to stop this type of conduct.”

>>Letter from USA Hockey President Jim Smith

Smith noted that while modifying the severity of the penalty is an important step, it’s also vital that parents and coaches take the time to address the topic with athletes.

Effectively immediately, anyone penalized under Rule 601 (e.3) will receive a match penalty, which carries a five-minute penalty, disqualification from that game, and suspension from further participation until such time the governing Affiliate or junior league has conducted a hearing to review the matter. Affiliates or junior leagues have up to 30 days to investigate and conduct a hearing and the offending individual(s) is subject to further discipline.

Pat Kelleher, executive director of USA Hockey, noted the importance of all stakeholders working together for the betterment of the sport.

“The use of hateful language is a hurdle to creating a welcoming environment for families that want to be involved in our sport. Eradicating this kind of behavior from our game is critical as we continue to make a positive impact on society through hockey.”

All players seventeen (17) years of age or older on or before December 31 (2003, 2002 and 2001 birth years), that play on a team in a classification that allows minor age players, are required to complete U.S. Center for SafeSport online training before being added to the team and prior to participation (on-ice or off-ice). This requirement applies to all teams in the Youth, Girls, High School, Junior Hockey, Flex Hockey and Disabled Hockey program classifications that allow both minor age and adult age players. Players required to take the training must complete the Core Center for SafeSport Training prior to being added to the team.

The training that the players need to complete is the same training as other adults -  accessed through the USA Hockey website by clicking on “register for SafeSport Training”  www.usahockey.com/safesporttraining.

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