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Toss the Ring and
Reap the Rewards
Ringette — a game girls love to play
BY KAREN SECORD
Lisa Hearty is not afraid to admit that her favourite smell is
“very fresh ice.”
At 24 years old, Lisa has spent countless hours crouched
confidently, in an untouchable space, defending her ringette
team’s net.
“When I’m not playing, I miss the ice,” she says.
Lisa was only eight when her father brought her to the
rink to learn a game that quickly became her favourite sport.
At 10, she strapped on goalie pads for the first time. As a
teenager, representing Gloucester, she participated in three
national ringette championships, played on Team Eastern
Ontario in the Ontario Winter Games and accepted an invitation
to try out for Team Canada. Today, she plays Open A
on an over-18 competitive team, wearing a Carlsbad Springs
jersey.
“Ringette is an exciting game,” says the Blackburn
Hamlet resident. “I don’t think I will ever give it up. The
friends I’ve made playing ringette I will have for life.”
Teamwork, skating skills and play-making are the foundation
of this very un-hockey-like game. And although Lisa
has played hockey, her game of choice is still ringette.
“I never would have had the opportunities I’ve had, like
going to nationals, if I were playing hockey,” Lisa explains.
“Ringette is a smaller community. It is close-knit. I’ve played
with many of the same girls for years.”
A GAME OF COOPERATION
Ringette is a game of cooperation. Teams must play as a
unit to be successful. The rules don’t leave room for a single
player to carry the ring from end to end (see Explaining
Ringette). Hence skating, teamwork and strategy become far
more important than stick handling.
According to the Canadian Ringette Association, “The
game combines the fast break of basketball, the dexterity of
lacrosse, the speed of hockey and the finesse of soccer.”
Lisa believes that good communication skills and an ability
to read the play are just as important to as her physical
prowess as a netminder.
“The goalie has to watch the whole play and predict what
the other team is going to do,” she says. “I need to talk constantly.
It’s taught me to be more outgoing and confident.”
A LITTLE GAME HISTORY
A relatively new sport, ringette was invented in 1963 in
North Bay by recreation director and sports enthusiast Sam
Jacks. Responding to a need for a winter sport for girls, Jacks
composed the first complete set of rules for this game in 1964.
More than 25, 000 Canadians play ringette on more than
1,800 competitive and recreational level teams. Although primarily
a female sport, there are no restrictions to males playing.
And hundreds of boys across the country take up the
challenge every year.
“We have a great learn-to-skate program in ringette
called Bunnies (seven years old and under),” explains Gord
Stringer, president of the Nepean Ringette Association. “Boys
tend to play ringette at this level and move to hockey in the
novice level (nine years and under).
Ringette divisions are separated by both age and skill levels.
After Bunny, nine-year-old players enter Novice, advancing
through Petite (11 and under), Tween (13 and under)
and Belle (18 and under) before playing Open (19 and up).
More than 6,500 coaches and 1,600 officials support
these players. The volunteer coaches have, for the most part,
learned the rules of the game with their children. They participate
in coaching clinics to reinforce the rules and learn
game strategy.
“Experienced coaches often come back to lend a hand,”
explains Gord. “We have many loyal volunteers who just love
the game.”
While Canada and Finland are the top two countries in
the sport, with strong national teams, there are now associations
in France, Sweden, Russia and the United States. In
addition, Ringette Canada has been instrumental in demonstrating
the game in the Netherlands, Japan West Germany,
New Zealand and Australia.
In 1990, the first-ever World Ringette Championship was
held in Gloucester; since then it has been held every two
years. The 2008 International Ringette Federation World Cup
Championships will take place November 4 to 8, 2008, in
Sault St. Marie at the Steelback Centre. The “Soo” will host
the Jr. Invitational Ringette Tournament at the same time.
Last season, Nepean Ringette Association teams — with
320 players in all levels — earned gold (Belle AA) at the
Canadian Ringette Championships and silver (Junior AA). At
the NCRRL (National Capital Region Ringette League)
Championships, Nepean’s Petite AA, Tween A and Junior B1
all took home gold. Belle AA and Junior AA won gold at the
AA Provincial Ringette Championships.
“There is nothing like finishing a two-day six-game tournament
and your muscles are hurting,” says Lisa. “It’s just the
best feeling.”
Fast-moving and fun, ringette is giving girls skills for life.
Karen Secord is a writer who lives in Westboro.
Ottawa Page 21 Due West/Due East Magazine • Fall 2008