What is Ringette?

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 at the same time (a goalie, two defense, 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 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 line 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 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 another player.

Why play ringette?

• 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 plays ringette?

• EVERYONE - girls and boys, men and women, pre-schoolers to seniors!

Where can you play ringette?

• ANYWHERE there is an arena - or a gym.
• Can’t find a league or a team? Start one. We’ll help you.

What equipment do you need?

• ringette stick
• ringette ring
• skates - goalies may choose to use goalie skates
• shin pads, worn under the pants (or goalie pads)
• protective girdle with a ‘cup’ or a ‘jill’
• ringette pants
• gloves
• elbow pads
• jersey
• helmet with ringette facemask
• neck guard 

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Information is off of Ringette Canada Website - https://www.ringette.ca/our-sport/basics-of-ringette/