What is ringette? (And why you and your kids will love it)
Every Saturday morning at the ungodly weekend hour of 7 a.m., I leave the house with my eight-year-old and head to our local arena. This is not an uncommon occurrence in our little town, where most kids play hockey up to five times a week. But my child is there for ringette, a different (and lesser-known) sport.
I grew up playing ringette for many years and loved it so much. The teamwork, collaboration, and fun were cornerstones of my childhood, and I really wanted my kids to try it to see for themselves that hockey (while great!) isn’t the only winter sport Canadian children can participate in.
Ringette is an incredible team ice sport that’s great for encouraging teamwork and improving skating skills in a fun and supportive environment. Here’s everything you need to know about this unique winter sport.
What is ringette?
Ringette is an ice sport, played with a stick (like a hockey stick, minus the blade) and a rubber ring instead of a puck. The positions, number of players, and aim of the game are similar to hockey, with the end goal being to use the stick to get the ring into the opposing team’s net. There are two forwards (right wing and left wing), one centre, two defence, and one goalie. The equipment is also the same, though a proper ringette face mask is required. (It has diamond shapes on the face cage instead of squares, to prevent a ringette stick from sliding through.) One major difference from hockey is the requirement for passing the ring over both blue lines. This makes it a uniquely teamwork-focused sport, as no one player can make a beeline for the net without the help of teammates.
Ringette versus hockey: What will your kids prefer?
Ringette is a no-contact sport, meaning there is no checking, hitting, or tripping allowed. It’s also billed as “the fastest sport on ice” because of the quick pace of play. Because no puck handling is required, passing is mandatory, and there are only three players from each team allowed in the offensive and defensive zones at a time, things move along quickly.
Girl power: Ringette was invented for women
While girls are encouraged to play hockey now, that wasn’t always the case. When ringette was first created in 1963, women weren’t allowed to play hockey. Ringette gave women a way to participate in a fun ice sports league that is empowering and joyful. While boys are allowed to play (my son does!) it still seems to be a sport mostly dominated by girls, and that creates an environment that’s positive for everyone.
Ringette is an affordable winter sport
My family loves winter sports, but the costs can add up quickly. Just one day of skiing for a family of five can be up to $700. Hockey can be incredibly pricey as well, depending on your child’s level and how many tournaments they participate in. Ringette offers a consistently cheaper alternative that still allows children to develop skating skills, be on a team, and stay active through the winter months.
Ringette is an extracurricular that allows kids to play without pressure
Because of its team-oriented nature, there’s less pressure to perform as an athlete. Instead, the focus is on team play. Overall, ringette is less about being the best and more about having fun. This can be especially appealing to younger kids, who might not feel confident yet or are just developing their skills. It can be a huge confidence builder for kids to be allowed to play instead of perform.
Playing ringette: How to get started
When I wanted all my kids to try ringette, I looked for a “learn to play” option nearby. We were lucky that our town offered this for ages five to 10. My kids all had fun, but one ultimately decided that early morning weekend wake-ups weren’t for him, and my youngest decided she’s not ready to commit to developing her skating skills just yet. But my eight-year-old fell in love. He’s all in on the sport in the same way I was at that age. One out of three isn’t bad!
To prepare for playing, I looked around for inexpensive equipment. I got my son’s equipment on buy-and-sell sites and secondhand shops. It’s all the same as hockey, minus the face cage, which I ordered online from a specialty shop.
My son’s skating has already significantly improved, and now he gives me a run for my money when we go skating together. And every Saturday as I head to the arena with him, I get to experience the twin joys of watching him happily play and experiencing my own nostalgia for the sport.
I was so inspired by watching him that I signed up for a nearby women’s league. Thanks to the growing interest in women’s sports, many women’s leagues are available now at a variety of levels and for a variety of sports. After I laced up my own skates again, I was ready for some Friday night fun. And it felt just as good as I remembered.
Header photo: Cambridge Turbos NRL on Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0
My daughter plays ringette in Barrie and she loves it. I agree it is a great sport for girls and promotes team engagement because of having to pass the ring over the blue line. I highly recommend this sport when parents are considering hockey for their children, this is another ice sport that is competitive , fun and worth trying.