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Courtesy of

For ten years, play centered in Ontario and Quebec, however the sport quickly spread accross Canada and is now played in all ten provinces and the Northwest Territories. In fact, the sport has become one of Canada's favorite activities for females, with over 50,000 participants across Canada - a remarkable growth rate for such a young sport.

More than 9,000 certified ringette coaches are registered in the National Coaching Certification Program, and 2,866 registered referees trained under Ringette Canada's National Officiating Program. In addition, there are thousands of volunteers who administer clubs, leagues, and tournaments across Canada.

The explosive growth is continuing internationally with the formation of associations in the U.S.A., Finland, Sweden, Estonia, and France. In addition, Ringette Canada has been instrumental in demonstrating the game in the Netherlands, Switzerland, West Germany and Japan. Ringette is turning out to be one of Canada's fastest growing exports!

Ringette Canada has been following a well planned strategy for development and is now responding to an increasing interest from boys who want to try the game. It is expected that this trend will continue in the future, and when combined with the increasing enrollment of girls and women, ringette will become a very popular sport in Canada and internationally.

Time Line

1963

Sam Jacks invents what we know today as Ringette. Jacks, the late Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of North Bay, Ontario, Canada, introduces the game to the Northern Ontario Directors Municipal Recreation Association. Red McCarthy, Recreation Director for Espanola, is asked to experiment with the basic set of Ringette rules by the Northern Ontario Directors of Municipal Recreation. Original rules are experimental in several Northern Ontario communities, including Espanola, where the first Ringette game ever, is played by an Espanola high school women's hockey team.

1964

Original rules of Ringette introduced to Quebec (Town of Mount Royal) by Herb Linder, a personal friend of Sam Jacks. First complete set of rules for Ringette are composed.

1966

First community associations formed in Sudbury and North Bay.

1967

Ringette is introduced to the Province of Manitoba, in Fort Garry.

1969

First Ringette provincial sport governing body is formed - the Ontario Ringette Association - under Dave Bass, its first President.

1971

First Invitational Ringette Tournament is held, initiated by Oshawa Ringette Association in Ontario.

1972

Manitoba Ringette Association is formed under Barry Mattern.

1973

Quebec Ringette Association is formed with Pierrefonds Lois Logan as inaugural President. Ringette makes its way over the Rocky Mountains and is introduced to Langley, B.C. The Ontario Ringette Asssociation hires its first full time staff member, Marjorie Keast.

1974

Ringette is introduced to Alberta. Nova Scotia Ringette Association is formed under the leadership of Herm Wills, their first President. Winnipeg and Kitchener hold their first invitational tournaments. British Columbia becomes the fifth province to form a Provincial Association. Representatives from Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec and Nova Scotia form a steering committee for Ringette Canada, the national sport governing body. Ringette Canada founded in November, with June Tiessen of Waterloo, Ontario, as its first President.

1975

First invitational tournament held in Pierrefonds, Quebec, becomes the second inter-provincial tournament in Canada (the first was in Oshawa). Ringette receives first major television exposure as Pierrefonds' Lois Logan coordinates a Hockey Night in Canada intermission feature film. First newsletter for Ringette published, ORA Newsletter. First Ringette Week is organized and held in February. Howard Pierce of Kingston, Ontario becomes second President of Ringette Canada. First regional and provincial championships are held in Ontario.

1976

First invitational high school Ringette tournament held in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Provincial Association formed in Alberta under direction of Nelson Ball. Ringette played for the first time in the Ontario Winter Games. First Ringette Canada Annual General Meeting held in Halifax, Nova Scotia. June Tiessen returns as President (1976-77). Saskatchewan Ringette Association becomes the seventh provincial sport governing body under Bob Gotts.

1977

First Annual Provincial Summer Sports Camp for Ringette players is held in Toronto. Ontario Ringette Association Hall of Fame is initiated. Manitoba's Barry Mattern is elected third President of Ringette Canada.

1978

Ontario Ringette Association hires full time Technical Director, Wes Clark. Manitoba Ringette Association hires part-time Administrative Director, Barb Smith. Federation Sportive de Ringuette du Quebec withdraws from Ringette Canada but returns in 1981. Coaching and officiating certification programs established for the first time in Ontario. Ringette Canada National Coaching Committee, with ORA's Wes Clark as Chairman, develops the first Level 1 technical coaching manual for certification courses sanctioned by the National Coaching Certification Program. First Ringette Canada planning seminar held in Banff, Alberta, to determine the direction for the national organization.

1979

First-ever edition of Ringette Review is published. First Canadian Ringette team travels overseas to Europe (Finland). First Canadian Ringette Championships are held in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Ontario Juniors from Oshawa, the Ontario Belles from Ajax and the Ontario Debs of Kitchener, become the first Canadian Ringette Champions. National Level 1 coaching certification program takes effect.

1980

Nova Scotia hires half-time Technical Co-ordinator, Sandra Alexander. Nova Scotia is designated as the host province for the 1982 Canadian Ringette Championships. Second Canadian Ringette Championships are held in Waterloo, Ontario after Saskatchewan withdraws bid: The Ontario Juniors of Sudbury, Belles of Waterloo, and Debs of Etobicoke win Canadian Championships. Federation Sportive de Ringuette du Quebec hires its first full-time employee, Technical Director Serge Lamontagne. Ontario Ringette Association hires first full-time Program Co-ordinator, Diana Ceccol.

1981

Molly Pirie of Nova Scotia is named Host Chairman for 1982 Canadian Ringette Championships and is selected Ringette Canada's Executive of the year. The third Canadian Ringette Championships are played in Sudbury, Ontario. The Ontario Juniors of Kitchener, Belles of Gloucester, and Debs of Fort Richmond-Winnipeg, Manitoba win the Canadian titles. Manitoba Debs, coached by Garry Johnson, are first non-Ontario team to win Canadian Ringette Championship. Québec teams participate in Ringette Canada Canadian Ringette Championships for first time, represented by teams from the Lac St. Louis Regional Ringette Association. Ringette Canada adopts expanded, corporate structure for its Board of Directors. Terry Youngman of Saskatchewan becomes fourth President of Ringette Canada. New Brunswick becomes the eighth provincial Ringette Association with Gilles Laplante as first President.

1982

Newfoundland forms provincial association with Francis Walsh as its first President. The fourth Canadian Ringette Championships are held in Dartmouth-Cole Harbour, N.S., with Sudbury Juniors, Gloucester Belles and Kildonan Transcona (Winnipeg) Debs capturing Canadian crowns. Newfoundland Belles participate for first time in the Canadian Ringette Championships in Dartmouth. First Ringette Canada Public Relations Planning Conference is held in Ottawa. First Ringette Canada Women's Leadership Workshop is held in Ottawa. Ringette Canada achieves full residency status at National Sports and Recreation Centre in Ottawa. Ringette Canada hires first full-time employee, Executive Director, Wes Clark. Ringette Canada officiating program is developed, complete with manuals and resources for the certification series. Shoppers Drug Mart becomes first major sponsor of Ringette Canada.

1983

Ringette Canada gains control of the official Ringette rules and Ringette rulebook copyright with co-operation of Ontario Ringette Association. Second Ringette Canada planning seminar - Vision '83 - is held in Ottawa with representation from all 10 provinces. Ringette Canada hires first bilingual office secretary, Jo-Ann Gallant. Ottawa's Betty Shields becomes the fifth President of Ringette Canada. The fifth Canadian Ringette Championships are staged in Sherwood Park, Alberta. The Waterloo Juniors of Ontario, and Transcona Belles and Kildonan-Transcona Debs of Manitoba, win the Canadian Ringette Championships.

1984

Ringette Canada Director of Public Relations Tom Mayenknecht wins first-ever national sports award for Ringette. The Ringette Review is awarded Doug Gilbert Media Medallion at Canadian Sports Federation National Awards - selected best Canadian amateur sports magazine produced by a volunteer editor. Ringette Canada coaching program and officiating manuals achieve bilingual status. The sixth Canadian Ringette Championships held in Port Coquitlam, B.C. Micron becomes Official Skate of Ringette.

1985

Doug MacQuarrie is hired as Ringette Canada's first Technical Director. Ringette Canada representatives travel to the Soviet Union, Finland and Sweden to promote Ringette. Ringette is introduced in Soviet Union ('Ringette in Russia') by St. James Ringette Association of Winnipeg. Itech joins Shoppers Drug Mart and Micron as part of our team of national sponsors. Ringette is introduced in Japan by Barry Mattern. Betty Shields secured the Jeanne Sauve Cup as a symbol of Deb supremacy at the Canadian Ringette Championships. Ringette Canada breaks 20,000 barrier in player registrations. P.E.I. becomes the 10th provincial member. Their first President was Vimmy Gregory. Ringette Canada holds first marketing meeting.

1986

Change in rules to 'extended zone' concept is approved by members. Northwest Territories becomes the 11th provincial member with Denis Fedun as the first president. Betty Shields becomes a finalist for the Air Canada Executive of the Year. International Ringette Federation is formed under President Betty Shields with Terry Youngman and Wes Clark on the Board of Directors. IRF approves the constitution written by Terry Youngman. First Finnair International Ringette Tournament is held in Finland. Ringette is introduced to Australia and New Zealand by the Maples Ringette tour. New fundraising program begins -'Clingmaster Wrap'.

1987

New format adopted for the Canadian Ringette Championships. Graeme Rodden wins Doug Gilbert Media Award from the Sports Federation of Canada. Player registration tops 27,000 level. Ringette Week experiences increased promotion due to the Micron sponsorship.

1988

Air Canada becomes a major sponsor of the Canadian Ringette Championships, with Club Laverendry (of Winnipeg) as a co-sponsor.

1989

Player registration tops the 28,000 level.

1990

The first ever World Ringette Championships are held in Gloucester Ontario. Team Alberta takes the gold and the all new Sam Jacks Trophy. C.T.V. televises the Canadian Ringette Championships from Calgary, Alberta. Ted Black does the play by play.

1991

Ringette participates in the 1991 Canada Winter Games in Prince Edward Island. T.S.N. televises the Canadian Ringette Championships from Hull, Québec. R.D.S., the french network re-transmitted the event. Gino Reda does the Play by play. Ringette Canada completes the level 3 technical component of the National Coaching Certification Program.

1992

The Royal Bank of Canada becomes a major sponsor. The second World Championships are held in Helsinki, Finland. Russia, United States, Sweden, France, Finland and two teams from Canada participate. Canada West wins the gold. T.S.N. televises the Canadian Ringette Championships from Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. Gino Reda does the play by play. Experimental rules are introduced for the 1992-93 season and the 1993 Canadian Ringette Championships.

1993

Canadian Airlines International becomes a major sponsor. T.S.N. televises the Canadian Ringette Championships from Kitchener, Ontario. Vic Rauter does the play by play.

1994

The Third World Championships are held in St-Paul, Minnesota. Finland wins the gold.

1995

Ringette participates in the 1995 Canada Winter Games in Grande Prairie, Alberta. T.S.N. broadcasts a one hour special on the 1995 Canadian Ringette Championships in Winnipeg.

1996

The Fourth World Ringette Championships are held in Stockholm, Sweden. Canada wins the gold. Final result: 1-Canada, 2-Finland, 3-USA.

1997

RDS broadcasts highlights of the gold medal games from the CRC's in Montréal.

1997

Ringette Canada's national marketing campaign launched.

1998

The first-ever truly national ringette team travels to Europe to participate in an International Summit Series against Finland.

TSN broadcasts a one hour special on CRC's in Edmonton.

Ringette will participate in the Canada Winter Games in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. CRC's will be held in Halifax-Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, April 5-10.