Ringette is a uniquely Canadian winter sport that's played on the ice or in the gym "gym ringette". While ringette looks a bit like hockey, it has some very distinct differences - making it the fastest game on ice. The main goal of ringette is to use a stick to shoot a ring into the opposing team's goal. The team with the highest score at the end wins.
Ringette is played with a ring and a straight stick
The ring is hollow and made of rubber. Sticks are not recycled hockey sticks. Companies produce sticks with tapered ends with steel, aluminum, or plastic tips. Different styles, flex and weight are available.
Ringette is played 5 on 5 plus goalkeepers
Teams are usually made up of 11 to 17 players, with six skaters on the ice simultaneously (a goalie, two defences, a centre, and two forwards).
The ring is passed at every blue line
A player cannot carry the ring over a blue line in either direction. The ring must be passed over the blue line to another teammate. That teammate is permitted to skate ahead of the ring carrier and already be across the blue line before the ring crosses it.
Players never enter the goalkeeper’s crease
If the ring lands in or on the crease, the only player who can touch it is the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper usually picks up the ring and throws it to a teammate. The goalie has five seconds to pass it out of her crease.
Players have 30 seconds to take a shot on the net
Teams have 30 seconds to take a shot on goal after they gain possession of the ring. If time runs out on the shot clock, a buzzer sounds and the other team is awarded the ring.
In the offensive zones, the game is played 3 on 3
You will notice the free-play lines (small red lines at the top of the circles) on the ice. From this line to the end boards, it’s a game of 3 on 3. Players can rotate in and out of the free-play zones producing a lot of movement and creativity.
Ringette players wear protective equipment
Players wear a neck guard, elbow, knee, and shin pads and equipment that provides hip and tailbone protection. Helmets with a full-face mask are mandatory. The masks must have triangular or tight horizontal bars to prevent the stick from penetrating.
There is no intentional body contact
Ringette promotes a no-contact policy when it comes to the physical aspect of its game. Penalties are given when a player makes excessive body contact with another player, checks a player too high on the stick, trips, hits, or interferes with another player.
What is ringette?
Ringette has some very distinct differences to other ice sports. In fact, while it looks a bit like hockey, it more closely resembles lacrosse or basketball in terms of its offensive and defensive play.
Ringette emphasizes team play over individual stardom.
Deliberate contact is prohibited.
Ringette offers competition at every skill level - recreational leagues, elite leagues, university, National Ringette League and international competition.
Ringette strongly promotes the physical learning principles of Long Term Athlete Development.
Ringette seeks to develop individuals to their maximum potential as an athlete and as a person.
Who can play ringette?
While ringette was created for women and girls to have a competitive on-ice sport, the sport has evolved to include EVERYONE - girls and boys, men and women
