#WhyRingette - Why Friends were the Reason Sam Chose Ringette
1) Tell me about yourself & how you got to where you are today. What is your #WeAreRingette story?
My name is Sam MacLean; I’m 23 years old and grew up (and still live) in London! I just finished my undergrad at King’s University College at Western, where I double majored in religion and French, and will be heading to Teacher’s College this fall (also at Western). Afterwards, I hope to teach high school or work with students with exceptionalities! This year will be my third season playing London Open A ringette as a defenceman (is that a word, lol?) as well as my third year on the LRA Board of Directors as Secretary. Besides the riveting task of taking meeting minutes, I also help run our association’s social media. I have also previously helped coach the FUN 1 and 2 program (back when it was still Bunnies). Outside of ringette, I’m a big fan of travelling and visiting new places, doing anything creative like sewing and DIY projects, and am a huge concert fanatic!
2) Tell me about your ringette journey thus far.
I started playing ringette in 2007 at the age of 7 after I was introduced to the sport by my babysitter, who played at the time. She gave me a bunch of her old gear to start off with, and funnily enough, I still use the same equipment bag all these years later! My first time ever skating in hockey skates also happened to be my first ringette practice. I had taught myself how to rollerblade the previous summer, so it took me about 10 minutes to learn how to translate that skill to the ice (albeit rather poorly, LOL). I aged out of the bunnies program after that first year and continued on playing regional until my second year of U12. I made the London U12 A team and had such a fun year going to further tournaments and games and ending it off at my first RO Provincial Championship. I wouldn’t consider myself competitive and honestly prefer to play sports for enjoyment. However, I continued playing as a Lynx at the A level for six years total before moving back to regional for my last two years of youth ringette. During this time, I helped coach within our U8 program for a few years. After aging out of U19, I signed up to play on a London Open B team, but sadly only lasted two games before getting concussed. I was out for the rest of the season and thought I was done playing forever. Covid hit later that year, and when we were all able to get back on the ice, I continued casually helping out with our U8s. My best friend and former teammate’s mom asked me in 2021 if I was interested in joining the LRA Board of Directors. I really had no clue what I was signing up for, but I agreed nonetheless. I’ve now been sitting on the board for the last two years! It’s been interesting to be behind the scenes instead and to see all of the work that goes into allowing a sport to run smoothly. It’s also been a great way to give back to the association I grew up playing for. In the fall of 2021, LRA put in a second Open A team for the first time in years, which got me back into playing ringette even though I thought I was done. Since we’re a fairly young team compared to others in the Open division, we haven’t had the best winning record in the past two years. However, we somehow pulled it together last season and earned a bronze medal at Provincials! Out of the 8 Provincial Championships I’ve competed at, this was my first and only medal so it felt like a huge accomplishment, especially after winning only maybe two games all season long! So that’s where I’m now- playing Open A and sitting on the Board again this season. :) I’m also working at Eagle Lake Ringette Camp for the first time this summer as the LIT Program Coordinator, which is an exciting opportunity I didn’t expect to have!
3) When did you first know Ringette was for you?
I had a lot of fun in my first year playing, but since I was in the bunnies program with so many other players and no set teams, I didn’t start LOVING the sport until the following year. In my first year of novice, I got a chance to actually form friendships with my teammates and attend my first overnight tournament. Growing closer with other players made me want to keep playing and ultimately became the reason I stayed with Ringette. It’s such a small sport that you’re able to build a community as you grow up playing with similar people each year. I played soccer for a bit while growing up, and while I enjoyed the sport, hopping from team to team with brand-new people was not for me. I’ve made so many memories on and off the ice throughout the years that I’m very grateful for!
4) Why Ringette? Why Ringette over another sport?
My favourite thing about Ringette is how team-oriented it is. In some sports, you can have a few star players on your team that allow you to win games, but for you to constantly succeed in ringette, you have to work as a unit. This sport shows you that you really are only as good as your weakest link. I think this also translates to the off-ice vibes and allows teammates to become so close to one another! I’ve made some lifelong friends through Ringette, which makes the sport very dear to my heart. The rules and gameplay also make for a fast-paced game where every member on the ice is important. In addition to ringette, I play flag football for Western University and a community team, and it is a very different pace and style of game. As much as I love both sports, Ringette is just so fast-paced the entire game, which brings a certain kind of excitement that other sports don’t always have.
5) What advice might you have for someone in the same situation as you and thinking about dropping one thing because “it’s just too much”?
As someone who is known for always having too many things on their plate, I know how heavy it can feel when you’re trying to balance so many commitments and activities at once. It can be a lot between school, ringette, work, football, and other hobbies! I think that there’s always a way to keep doing what you love- even if that means taking a step back. I’ve learned that it’s okay to say no and take things off your plate for a bit, because the things you love can easily turn into negative aspects of your life when they become too consuming. I really felt this in grade 11 when I was feeling stressed with the commitment of having a ringette 3+ times a week while trying to keep my grades up for university applications and enjoy my high school experience. I ended up playing at the regional level instead of A for the following two years, and I had the best time! It was a lower commitment, and I was still able to be on the ice, doing what I love.
6) If you had the chance to sit down and talk with someone who doesn’t know ringette or who might be thinking about playing, what would you say to them?
Try it! It is a fantastic, unique, growing sport with a great community. I have had teammates who have started at all different ages and were able to succeed and love playing the sport so there is no wrong age to get started!
7) Where do you hope to see a ringette in 1, 5 and 10 years?
I would love to see the sport grow even more- both here in Canada and globally! It’s crazy how many people still don’t know what a ringette is when I tell them I play. I’d also love to see the continuation and expansion of high-performance programs like AAA and NRL to allow players to play at more elite levels to match up with other sports like hockey and the opportunities they offer. I know we have a long way to go before Ringette is in the Olympics, considering the sport is only played in a handful of countries, but I hope to one day watch an Olympic match and cheer on Team Canada! Maybe in a decade, we’ll make it there!
8) What one piece of advice could you offer a future player, coach or parent?
Remember why you’re playing (or coaching). There have been many instances where I’ve felt a lot of pressure or stress because my team wasn’t performing well, or things were going poorly or there were “political issues” within the sport, but at the end of the day, we’re all here because we enjoy ringette and want to enjoy and grow our sport. It’s easy to get worked up about things, but I think keeping your love for the sport at the forefront of your mind is essential.
9) If you could tell your younger self something, what would it be?
Do things because YOU enjoy them, not because you think you’re supposed to do them or because others are doing it. It’s important to check in with yourself and see if the things you put your time and energy into still serve you. There’s no shame in letting go of something that no longer brings you joy. Find new endeavours to fill in the empty spots and hold onto the things that make you feel the most like you!
