Callie: The sport of ringette has been around
for 55 years, but has the sport reached its peak?
With ice hockey becoming more and more popular
to female players, can ringette survive?
I'm Callie Lane and today we're going to be talking
to some coaches, players, and experts about
how the sport is dealing with change.
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Ringette was invented in 1963 by Sam Jacks,
a park and recreation director in North Bay, Ontario.
His three sons all played hockey,
but believed that females should have the same
opportunities to play an on-ice game.
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Ringette has faced some fierce competition
from hockey over the last 20+ years,
due to the success of the Women's National Hockey Team.
The national team has won several
world championships and four Olympic gold medals.
Even though ringette is not an Olympic sport,
some players and coaches would like to see
the sport expand and provide more opportunities
for young players.
Ringette isn't in the Olympics currently,
but there should be opportunities for it
to be in the Olympics because it's played
in multiple countries.
I feel like ringette isn't as popular as hockey,
and is kind of dying.
I think that ringette isn't very popular,
but like...hockey is more popular,
but I like to stay in this sport
because I know it better.
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I think exposure and getting the word out there.
I think there's still a lot of people that have
no idea what the game of ringette is about
and how awesome it is.
Once parents are exposed to the game,
they actually see what it's like and realize
that it's an amazing game that they want their daughters
to be a part of.
A lot of older ringette girls are trying
to give back to the sport, and inspire younger girls
to keep playing, but I feel like people are making
the switch just because ringette's not in
the Olympics and there's nothing to go towards
that will pay out in the end.
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Callie: A lot of ringette players today
find themselves playing the sport for the friendships
and because playing ringette runs deep
in their family history.
I play ringette because it's a sport where I can meet
a bunch of girls from a different area,
and I was drawn to it when my dad put me on skates
when I was about three years old
and put me in the sport.
My mom really liked playing ringette before,
so we saw a "come try ringette" thing,
and I was like, a really little kid back then.
I was like, "Ooh, what's this?!"
and she's like,
"Oh! I used to play that, we should come try it."
And I was like, "OK."
Callie: And it's not just the players who love
the sport of ringette - the coaches are just
as passionate about the game; good competition,
team bonding, and friendships
are what keep them in the game.
The biggest thing I love about the sport
is the competitiveness and the speed and of course,
I've played with a bunch of girls that I've played with
for 10 years now, so the friendships
make or break the sport.
I believe it's a true team sport.
Callie: Todd Buchanon with Ringette Manitoba says
that playing ringette has advantages over playing hockey,
especially when it comes to skating and teamwork.
And I think from a skill development perspective,
it allows you to develop your skating skills quicker
and in a more fluid way than perhaps hockey.
Callie: Buchanon says that while ringette leagues
continue to change in size,
the leagues are becoming more competitive
at the amateur level and the national level.
For CBC Kids News, I'm Callie Lane.
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