The Emergency Contact Card Every Hockey Team Should Have
Every hockey team prepares for games.
They prepare lineups.
They prepare travel plans.
They prepare Tournament schedules.
Very few prepare for family emergencies.
While everyone hopes a Tournament weekend goes exactly as planned, medical emergencies can happen to players, parents, siblings, grandparents, coaches, or spectators. When they do, emotions run high, and decisions often need to be made quickly.
One of the simplest ways to reduce confusion is for every team to create an Emergency Contact Card before the season begins.
Why Every Team Needs One
Imagine a Player suffers a serious injury and is transported to the hospital by ambulance.
Both parents immediately leave the Arena.
Their eight-year-old daughter is still sitting in the stands.
The family’s Hockey equipment remains in the dressing room.
The coach is preparing for the next game and doesn’t know where the parents have gone.
Or imagine a parent watching the game, experiences chest pain, and is taken to the hospital.
Their child is still on the ice.
Who tells the coach?
Who comforts the Player?
Who takes the child back to the hotel after the game?
Who contacts the other parent?
These situations are uncommon—but they are real.
A simple plan developed before the Tournament can make an enormous difference.
Information Every Emergency Contact Card Should Include
Parent Information
• Parent or guardian names
• Mobile phone numbers
• Hotel name and room number (during tournaments)
• Home address
Emergency Contacts
• Primary emergency contact
• Secondary emergency contact
• Relationship to the family
• Phone numbers
Player Information
• Player’s full name
• Date of birth
• Health card or insurance information
• Allergies
• Medical conditions
• Current medications
• Family doctor or medical clinic
Travel Information
• Vehicle description
• Licence plate number (optional)
• Airline and flight information (if travelling)
Emergency Family
Every family should identify another trusted team family who has agreed to help if an emergency occurs.
This family may be asked to:
• Stay with siblings
• Take the player back to the hotel
• Pick up equipment from the dressing room
• Drive family members if needed
• Communicate with the coaching staff
• Assist until additional family members arrive
Choosing an Emergency Family before the tournament removes uncertainty during an already stressful situation.
Discuss the Plan
The Emergency Contact Card should not simply be collected and forgotten.
Before the first tournament, the Team Manager should briefly review the team’s emergency procedures with parents.
Everyone should know:
• Who contacts emergency services
• Who accompanies an injured player
• Who contacts parents if they are separated
• Who communicates with tournament officials
• Who looks after siblings if both parents leave for the hospital
• Who informs the coaching staff if a parent experiences a medical emergency
Five minutes of discussion can prevent hours of confusion later.
Protect Privacy
Emergency information should be treated with care.
The Team Manager should:
• Keep paper copies in a secure folder or binder.
• Use password-protected digital files whenever possible.
• Share information only with those who need it during an emergency.
• Destroy outdated forms at the end of each season.
Parents should also notify the Team Manager whenever emergency contact information changes.
Preparing for the Unexpected
No one wants to think about emergencies during a tournament weekend.
Fortunately, most families will never need to use an Emergency Contact Card.
But if the unexpected happens, having a plan allows parents to focus on what matters most—the well-being of their family.
Preparation isn’t about expecting the worst.
It’s about making sure your team is ready to support one another when it matters most.
That’s what great hockey communities do.
