What is Psychological Safety?

Psychological safety isn't just a buzzword — it's the foundation for team culture, player development, and long-term athlete retention. Safe Sport , Respect in Sport, and your governing bodies all promote and reinforce practices that promote psychological safety:

✅ It’s when a young player feels safe to:

• Tell a coach they don’t understand a drill — without being belittled.

• Speak up when a teammate is being excluded — without being labeled a troublemaker.

• Ask for help when they’re struggling — without fear of being benched or blamed.

Psychological safety means mistakes aren’t punished with shame and feedback is encouraged, not silenced.

🏒 In a hockey context, it shows up when:

• Coaches normalize failure as part of growth.

• Boards protect kids by enforcing reporting procedures — not brushing things under the rug.

• Parents model calm, respectful sideline behavior (even when tensions run high).

  
  

Research shows that psychologically safe teams outperform, stay together longer, and build stronger mental resilience.

Want to create a winning culture that’s actually worth winning in? Start by making sure every player feels seen, safe, and supported. Check our our free downloads to see how your association's scorecard measures up to protect the hearts behind the helmuts.

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