Dressing Room Policy Change in N.S. Minor Hockey Community Receives Strong Endorsement | Breaking:

Members of the minor hockey community in Nova Scotia are voicing their opinions on the recent change to Hockey Canada’s locker room policy that encourages players to report to the arena wearing a base layer and wearing “minimal clothing” in areas of open concept shower.

The policy has been in effect since September 12 and players are still adjusting to the new policy.

Hanna Marshall, a 20-year-old hockey player who plays for a team on the East Coast, said that while she understands the intent of the policy is to be more inclusive, she thinks some things are a little silly, particularly a rule about wearing swimsuit in the shower.

“For 15 years, I’ve never had anyone uncomfortable with it,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s necessarily hygienic to wear a bathing suit in the shower.”

But others in the community see a benefit. Jack Taylor, a 12-year-old player, said that while his age group doesn’t use the rink’s shower, he does see a benefit to the swimsuit rule.

“I think it’s good. Some people may not feel safe taking their clothes off and some people may not feel comfortable, so I think it’s a good rule,” Taylor said.

Shawn MacDonald’s sons play hockey and he said he believes the changes at Hockey Canada will make it more comfortable for everyone in the locker room.

“We went through this with COVID, where we had to go through a lot of changes, a lot of adaptations we had to make and we just kept going,” MacDonald said.

Inclusion is encouraged

Bill Short, head coach of the Dartmouth Whalers Minor Hockey Association, said he supports the policy change because it is more inclusive.

“We have different gender identities, we have people with body issues, we have children who sometimes lack self-confidence and this will help them,” she said.

Short said this new policy means mixed teams will now be able to prepare together in the same locker room.

“When we have co-ed hockey, which we have at the Dartmouth Whalers, we have girls who maybe want to go to the same locker room as the boys and, up until this point, they had to be in their own rooms, so they’re not really part of the team.” per se,” he said.

“So now you can go into that room with that cape on and dress up with the kids.”

Beth Vallis, head coach of the Dartmouth High U18 girls varsity hockey team, said the locker room rules are intended to provide a safe environment for athletes.

“For girls in particular, girls and women leave the sport at a very young age. We have a very high attrition rate, so anything we can do to retain players and make it inclusive is something good,” Vallis said.