Prince George Ringette Association

What is Ringette

   

Ringette is a unique winter ice sport played primarily by females, but is open to all. This non-contact sport has players using a straight stick and a hollow rubber ring. Ringette rules require individuals to pass over each blue line, thus encouraging team play. Ringette is now played across Canada, including the Northwest Territories. 
Ringette boasts a total registration of 50,000 players across Canada and is played internationally in Estonia, Finland, Sweden and the United States. The sport has also been introduced to Japan, Australia, Czechoslovakia and Switzerland.

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A quick Primer

RINGETTE is played on the same ice surface as hockey. Neither team is allowed to have skaters in the goalie crease. If the team with the ring has a skater in the crease then they lose possession.

  • If a player attempts to take the ring out of the crease they lose the ring. If the offensive team loses the ring it is a Goalie Ring. If the defensive team loses the ring then the offensive team gains the ring on a Face-Off in the attacking zone.
  • On a Goalie Ring  the goalie is given five seconds to throw the ring towards a team mate. The referee counts the seconds by extending his/her arm.
  • If the ring is in the crease the goalie has five seconds to get rid of it by either hitting it with her stick or picking it up and throwing it. If the ring is thrown beyond the Blue Line then the offensive team re-gains possession on a Face-Off.
  • Face-Offs in Ringette are like free kicks in soccer. The ring is placed in the appropriate face-off circle. On the whistle one player then takes possession and has five seconds to either shoot or pass to a team mate; they cannot ’carry’ the ring out of the circle. During this five seconds no other player is allowed in the Face-Off circle.
  • There is no icing or two-line Off-Side; i.e. the center line does not come into play.
  • Penalties, similar to hockey, are called for various infractions. Body contact of any type is not allowed. When a team is two players short they can only have two skaters in their defensive zone.
The details and further explanation of these rules can be found in Ringette Canada’s Official Rule Book, available through local or provincial association.