Ringette - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Ringette is a team sport

Sport

A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...

played on an ice

Ice

Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...

surface. Played primarily by females, Ringette requires the use of straight sticks to control a rubber ring; with the objective of the game being to score goals by shooting the ring into the opponent's net. It was introduced by Sam Jacks

Sam Jacks

Samuel Perry Jacks was the Canadian inventor of the sport of ringette and floor hockey. He was posthumously inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2007....

in North Bay, Ontario

North Bay, Ontario

North Bay is a city in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is the seat of Nipissing District, and takes its name from its position on the shore of Lake Nipissing.-History:...

in 1963. It is played in countries such as Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, Finland

Finland

Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...

, the United States and Sweden

Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

, with the largest community in Canada, with over 50,000 participants.

Players

Only six players on each team are permitted on the ice at one time, usually one centre

Centre (ice hockey)

The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...

, two forwards

Forward (ice hockey)

In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in...

, two defenders

Defense (sport)

In many team sports, defense or defence is the action of preventing an opponent from scoring. The term may also refer to the tactics involved in defense, or a sub-team whose primary responsibility is defense...

, and a goaltender

Goaltender

In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...

. However, a team plays "short-handed" (is "down" one or two players) when a player gets a penalty and must sit for a defined interval in the penalty box.

A team may "pull" the goalie off the ice and substitute an extra attacker. If the goalie is pulled and the play returns to that team's defensive end, one skater may become an acting goalkeeper (AGK). Once she enters the crease, she is bound by the same rules as a regular goalkeeper.

Free Pass

The game begins with the visiting team receiving control of the ring on the defending half of the center circle. One player from the visiting team must pass the ring to another player within 5 seconds or else possession is lost and granted to the opposing team.

Blue lines

Players are not permitted to carry the ring over the blue line; they can advance the ring over the line only by passing it to another player. The last player to contact the ring prior to it crossing is ineligible to play it in that zone until it either exits the zone or is contacted by another player on either team.

If a goaltender throws the ring across the blue line, a delayed violation is signaled.

Free Play Line

The line at the top of the defensive circles is called the Free Play Line. It marks the restricted area of each team's attacking/defending zones. Only 3 players from each team, plus the defending goaltender, are permitted into the restricted areas.

Exceptions include:

The defending team must have one player out of the free play area. If a team has 2 penalized players, only two players in addition to the goaltender may be in the zone.

If a team has pulled their goaltender, an additional player is allowed into the attacking or defending zone. The goaltender must be completely off the ice before the additional player is permitted to enter.

If the violation is non-intentional, the team in violation will lose possession of the ring and have it granted to the non-offending team. If the violation is deemed intentional, a delay of game penalty is assessed. If an intentional violation occurs in the last 2 minutes of the game, a penalty shot is awarded instead.

Crease

The crease is a zone in front of the goal mouth defined by lines on the ice. Goaltenders are the only players permitted in the crease. If another player goes into the crease while carrying the ring, the play is stopped, and the goalie receives the ring for a goalie ring. If any member of the defensive team goes in the crease, they cannot touch the ring within five seconds of passing through the crease, or possession of the ring is given to the other team. (In this case, the defending team still defends as normal, just with trying to not touch the ring.)

When the ring enters the crease, the goaltender then has five seconds to throw, pass with stick, hit, or push the ring out to another player. The goalie can pass the ring beyond the blue line using the stick, but if she passes it beyond the blue line by hand, her team must wait five seconds before touching the ring. If the goalie does not pass it within five seconds, the ring is awarded to the other team for a free pass from one of the free play circles. The goalie may use the stick to touch the ring outside the crease, and can also pass through the crease, but may not pull it into the crease. This results in a whistle with a loss of possession, and a penalty if shes already been given a warning.

The team in possession of the ring has 30 seconds to shoot, or it gives up possession to the other team. The shot clock is reset when possession of the ring changes teams, when the ring stops in the goaltender's crease, or when the ring bounces off the goalie. The shot clock is only applied in competitive levels, starting at the petite level (10 to 11).

Violations

A violation is a minor penalty called for violations of game play rules, usually due to improper movement or handling of the ring. Common violations include entering the crease or touching the ring on either side of the blue line.

If a violation is committed by the team in possession of the ring, play is stopped immediately. The ring is awarded to the opposing team in the zone the violation occurred. If a violation is committed by the team not in possession of the ring, a 'delayed violation' is signaled by the official (arm raised with a 90 degree bend at the elbow) and a 5-second count begins. If the team in violation touches the ring within that time period, play is stopped and the violation is assessed. If the count expires, the violation is dropped and play continues.

If a violation occurs that would award the defending team a free pass in their own zone, the ring is given to the goaltender as a "goalie ring". Play resumes immediately when the goaltender receives the ring. Time is not provided for teams to perform line changes as can be done on a free pass, although on-the-fly changes are permitted as in normal play.

Penalties

Penalties in ringette have the same concept as in hockey, with the notable exception that less body contact is allowed. Penalties are of the following classes:

Minor penalties, such as boarding, charging, cross checking, elbowing, holding, illegal substitution, hooking, high-sticking, tripping, body contact, slashing, interference, delay of game, and unsportsmanlike conduct. The offending player must sit in the penalty box
Penalty box
The penalty box is the area in ice hockey, rugby league, rugby union and some other sports where a player sits to serve the time of a given penalty, for an offense not severe enough to merit outright expulsion from the contest...

for 2-4 minutes depending on the severity of the penalty. other exceptions apply. and her team plays short-handed. The penalty ends if the team with the penalty is scored on, or the penalty time runs out. (If the defense is serving two penalties, the oldest penalty ends.)

A major penalty is assessed for serious offenses, generally involving intent to injure, such as slashing, body contact, and boarding. Major penalties are four minutes in length and do not end upon the scoring of a goal.

-- body contact, slashing, tripping, boarding, charging and any other physical contact penalty, and unsportsmanlike can become a 4 minute major penalty depending on the severity and roughness. Also, players can receive two penalties at the same time for a combination of four or more minutes.

Misconduct and Match penalties may also be called. They result in a player's ejection from the game. The penalized team does not play short-handed on account of this penalty.

If the team not in control of the ring commits a penalty, play is not stopped until the penalized team gains control. This is called a delayed penalty. A minor penalty is nullified if a goal is scored during the delay, unless penalties of equal class were called on both teams.

A team can work off at most two penalties at a time. If a team commits a third penalty, the penalized player sits in the penalty box, but her interval does not start until the first of the other penalties expires (and so forth if there are more penalties). A team plays with a minimum of three skaters on the ice, regardless of the number of penalties. If freeing a player from the penalty box would give the team more players on the ice than it is entitled to (such as when the team is down to three attackers, but there are two other players in the penalty box), she will not be freed until a whistle stops play. During the stoppage, the team must remove one player from the ice to return to its proper strength.

A team with two penalties can have only two players (instead of the usual three) in its defensive zone. But if a third person is active in the defenseive zone while two man down a third penalty will be called. If there is a third penalty that penalty time won't start till the first penalty is over. All three players may enter the offensive zone.

Equipment

Required equipment for ringette is:

ringette stick - can be wooden, plastic or composite, with rubber, metal or plastic tips.
player skates ( no figure / plastic beginner skates) - goalies may choose to use goalie skates
shin pads (or goalie pads)
protective girdle
ringette pants - covering pants.
gloves
elbow pads
jersey
helmet with ringette facemask (must be a triangular mask, or another shape that a tip of stick cannot fit through)
neck guard
shoulder pads - in some associations/provinces, shoulder pads are optional after tween. In Ontario, shoulder pads are necessary until Open, other provinces may vary.

- also, in some places mouthguards are necessary too.

The ringette facemask is much like a hockey one except the bars are situated so that the end of a ringette stick cannot enter the mask. (triangles not squares)

Ringette sticks have tapered ends, with plastic, rubber or metal tips specially designed with grooves to increase the lift and velocity of the wrist shot. A ringette stick is also reinforced to withstand the body weight of a player - a ring carrier leans heavily on her stick to prevent opposing players from removing the ring.

Differences from hockey

Ringette is related to ice hockey

Ice hockey

Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...

in equipment and playing surface, but differs in rules and approach to the game. In hockey, puck handling requires agility and concentration. In ringette, the challenge is in catching or "stabbing" the ring. To catch a ring, a player must stab through the hole in the ring with the stick, usually while the player is on the move. Once stabbed, the ring is easier to control than a puck is, but ringette's blue-line rules force more passing. This makes ringette a game centered around skating and passing. As a result, players learn teamwork; a team cannot depend on one or two dominant players. The lack of puck-handling in Ringette allows players to focus on improving their skating, which increases the tempo of the game. Increased control over the ring often results in higher scores, despite a ring being larger than a puck.

Levels of play in Canada

There are several levels of play in Ringette, categorized by age. Divisions were recently renamed as U* divisions under the new Long Term Development Plan (LTDP) rolled out nationally by Ringette Canada for the 2009-10 ringette season:

U9 under 9 years (previously called 'Bunny' division, a beginner's program for young children, boys are also able to attend

U10 primarily 8 & 9 years (previously called the 'Novice' division, but younger age players i.e 7 years old with well-developed skating skills can move directly into U10 division)

U12 10 & 11 year old players (previously referred to as 'Petite' division)

U14 12 & 13 year old players (previously referred to as 'Tween' division)

U16 14 & 15 year old players (previously referred to as 'Junior' division)

U19 16 to 18 year old players (previously referred to as 'Belle' division)

18+ 18 years and older players (previously referred to as 'Open' or adult division)

NRL Known as the National Ringette league, for elite players aged 18+

In 2010 the league put back in place previous age groups.( Belle instead of U19 etc.)

Boys are permitted to play at any age level but are restricted to competing at the "B" level or lower in many places.
Levels of competition, based on skill, range from recreational to competitive, and include: Rec, C, B, BB, A, and AA and AAA, with AA being the highest level at which league competition occurs. AAA ringette in Canada is restricted to tournaments, such as the Canada Winter Games, involving regionally or provincially represented teams. The National Ringette League (NRL) was introduced in season 2004-2005 and includes open-aged players at AA/AAA level. The league showcases 18 teams in two divisions; Eastern (12 teams) and Western (6 teams).

World Ringette Championship results

Year	Location	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1990	Gloucester Gloucester, Ontario Gloucester is a suburb of and within the City of Ottawa. Gloucester Township was established in 1792 and originally included lands east of the Rideau River from the Ottawa River south to Manotick. It was incorporated as a township in 1850 and became a city in 1981... , Ontario Ontario Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa.... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...	Alberta Alberta Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...	Ontario Ontario Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....	Quebec Quebec Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
1992	Helsinki Helsinki Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is... , Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...	Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... West	Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... East	Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
1994	Saint Paul Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city... , Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state... , United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...	Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...	Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... East	Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... West
1996	Stockholm Stockholm Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area... , Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....	Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...	Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...	United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
2000	Helsinki Helsinki Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is... , Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...	Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...	Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...	United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
2002	Edmonton Edmonton Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census... , Alberta Alberta Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...	Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...	Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...	United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
2004	Stockholm Stockholm Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area... , Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....	Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...	Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...	United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
2007	Ottawa Ottawa Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario... , Ontario Ontario Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa.... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...	Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...	Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...	Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
2010	Tampere Tampere Tampere is a city in southern Finland. It is the most populous inland city in any of the Nordic countries. The city has a population of , growing to approximately 300,000 people in the conurbation and over 340,000 in the metropolitan area. Tampere is the third most-populous municipality in... , Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...	Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...	Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...	United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
2013	North Bay North Bay -Places:North Bay, Ontario, a city in Ontario, CanadaNorth Bay Village, Florida, a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida*North Bay, Door County, Wisconsin, an unincorporated community in Door County, Wisconsin... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

Recent development

Canada Post will issue four stamps in a series entitled Canadian inventions: sports featuring four sports: ringette, basketball, five-pin bowling and lacrosse, ringette and five pin bowling holding the distinction of having been invented in Canada. The commemorative stamps were issued on August 10, 2009. Invented by Sam Jacks of North Bay Ontario in 1963, the game of ringette was designed to emphasize skill and teamwork with no intentional body contact, the game of ringette was and remains a great sport. The stamp will feature well-worn equipment used in each sport—with a background line drawing of the appropriate playing surface.

Combination with other sports

Some of the Canadian players also play in the national bandy

Bandy

Bandy is a team winter sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal.The rules of the game have many similarities to those of association football: the game is played on a rectangle of ice the same size as a football field. Each team has 11 players,...

team.http://www.nationalringetteleague.ca/nash-a-triple-threat-p139560-en Their best results are 4th at the Bandy World Championship for women 2007

Bandy World Championship for women 2007

The Bandy World Championship 2007 for women 2007 was contested between 7 bandy playing countries. The championship was played in Budapest, Hungary from 11 February-17 February 2007.-Premier tour:* 11 February* 12 February...

and 2010.

External links

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