Ringette

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Ringette is a Canadian sport game which was first introduced in 1963 in North Bay, Ontario by Sam Jacks, who worked at the Department of Parks and Recreation. The first-ever ringette game was played in Espanola, Ontario in the winter of 1963-1964. Developed originally for girls, ringette is a fast-paced team sport played on an ice rink in which players use a straight stick to pass, carry, and shoot a rubber ring to score goals. Sam Jacks also invented floor hockey.

For ten years, play centered in Ontario and Quebec; however, the sport quickly spread across Canada and is now played in all ten provinces and the Northwest Territories.

Unlike ice hockey the game does not begin with a faceoff. Rather one of the teams starts with the ring in their end of the central face off circle.

As of 2004, there are over 50,000 Canadians playing ringette.

Ringette is played internationally as well, there are many different countries playing ringette other than Canada, for instance Sweden and Finland.

Mirl (Red) McCarthy (1930-1995) was a key person in the development of the sport in its earliest days. He was the man responsible for organizing the very first ringette game ever played. Red wrote the first rules of ringette and was the individual to recommend stick colours to identify positions. Red worked for many years with the local association in his home town of Espanola, Ontario.

Red was a key figure in many sports and youth activities in Northern Ontario and was the Recreation Director for Espanola for 41 years.

Ringette is the fastest game on ice.

Ringette tends to be a much faster game than hockey.

More than 7,000 certified ringette coaches are registered in the National Coaching Certification Program, and 1,724 registered referees trained under Ringette Canada's National Officiating Program. In addition, there are thousands of volunteers who administer clubs, leagues, and tournaments across Canada.

The growth has continued internationally with the formation of associations in the U.S.A., Finland, Sweden, Russia, and France. In addition, Ringette Canada has been instrumental in demonstrating the game in the Netherlands, Switzerland, West Germany, along with New Zealand, Australia and Japan. There are various skill levels of play across the nation; beginning with Bunnies, (a learn to skate program) and then formal teams in categories of C, B, A, AA, and in some cases even Regional AAA Teams. Many communities offer all four levels, and in keeping with the philosphy of a place for every skill level, some leagues break down the first skill level into three levels of Recreational, C1 and C2 and B level into two, B1 and B2. This makes for place for every player of every age and skill level. Other communities that are smaller without the benefits of neighbouring communities to play in a league with will only have some of these breakdowns.Across the country many tournaments are held throughout the season, with Regional and/or League Championships being the highlight for the B and C teams, while the Provincials are the finale for the A and AA teams. Some Provinces have Provicial Championships even at the B level. Each year Provinces select Teams at the Junior, Belle, Deb, and Intermediate AA divisions to play in the Canadian Championships. (Please note, that as mentioned below in the age Divisions, since 2001 the Deb & Intermediate Divsions have been combined into one Dvision, named "Open", for National Championships.)In addition, Tween AA teams play in the Eastern or Western Canadian Championships. There are World Championships in our sport, with Canada picking a National Team to represent us at those Championships every two years.In addition, Open AA teams play in the National Ringette League (NRL). Across Canada, Ringette is played by all the provinces and the North West Territories.

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Age Divisions

  • Bunnies 7 years & under
  • Novice 9 years & under
  • Petite 11 years & under
  • Tween 13 years & under
  • Junior 15 years & under
  • Belle 18 years & under
  • Open 19 years & over

Since the 2000/01 season, the Deb & Intermediate Divisions have been combined into one Division named "Open."

  • Intermediate 21 years & over
  • Deb 23 years & under
  • Masters 30 years & over
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Rules

After a stoppage in play, or the beginning of a period, a free pass is taken from the circle closest to where play was stopped. The free pass must be taken within 5 seconds. The free pass is similar to a face-off in ice hockey. The second most important rule is the blue line rule. The ring must be passed over the blue line, and then touched by another player. If the ring goes over both blue lines, the team who sent it over the lines may not touch the ring until the opposing team has taken it.

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External links

fi:Ringette

Unlike hockey goalies are the only ones allowed inside the crease. This is for the safety of the goalie. If a player passes through the crease while her team has the ring or with the ring on her stick the whistle is blown and the ring is either given to the goalie to throw if the violation was by the opposing team or to one of the free pass circles if the violation was by her own team.

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