Contents
Profile
Ringette
- Governing body
- International Ringette Federation (IRF)
- Invented
- 1963, North Bay (Canada)
- Players
- 5 + goaltender
- Equipment
- Rubber ring + straight stick
- Body contact
- not allowed
- Strongholds
- Canada, Finland
What is ringette?
Ringette is a Canadian team sport played on an ice hockey rink. Instead of a puck, a rubber ring is played with a straight stick that has no blade. Players put the stick into the ring to carry, pass and shoot it. Because body contact is forbidden, fast and precise passing is at the heart of the game.
The most important rules
- Each team has five skaters and a goaltender on the ice.
- The ring may not be carried over a blue line. It must be passed to a teammate who receives it on the other side of the line.
- Only three skaters of a team may be in each attacking and defensive zone at the same time (plus the goaltender).
- Body contact and checks are not allowed.
- A shot clock runs during possession: a shot on goal must be taken within a set time.
- Only the goaltender may enter the goal crease.
The combination of passes across the lines, a limited number of players per zone and the shot clock makes ringette extremely fast and team-oriented.
History
Ringette was developed in 1963 by Sam Jacks in North Bay (Ontario, Canada). The aim was a team sport of their own for girls, without the physicality of ice hockey. The sport spread quickly in Canada and reached Finland in the 1970s, which today is the strongest nation alongside Canada.
The governing body is the International Ringette Federation (IRF). World Championships are held regularly, and the finals between Canada and Finland are the highlights.
Popularity and getting started
In Canada, a great many girls and women play in organised leagues. Ringette is also played in Finland, Sweden, the USA and other countries. In Germany the sport has so far hardly caught on. If you want to try it, you'll need skates, a helmet with a cage and protective gear similar to ice hockey equipment.
Related sports with different equipment are bandy and broomball.
Equipment
The equipment is similar to ice hockey: skates, helmet with ringette face protection, gloves, elbow and knee pads, padded pants and a neck guard. The stick is straight with a reinforced tip at the end. The goaltender wears goaltending gear and has her own special stick.
Ringette and ice hockey compared
| Ringette | Ice hockey | |
|---|---|---|
| Object | Rubber ring | Puck |
| Stick | straight, no blade | with a curved blade |
| Body contact | forbidden | allowed (adults) |
| Blue line | ring must be passed | puck may be carried |
| Players per zone | limited | unrestricted |
Ringette: all encyclopedia entries
Ligen & Wettbewerbe
Associations
International Ringette FederationIRF
The International Ringette Federation is the international governing body of ringette and organises the World Ringette Championships.
Frequently asked questions
+What is the difference between ringette and ice hockey?
Ringette is played with a ring instead of a puck and a straight stick without a blade. Body contact is forbidden, and the ring must be passed over every blue line.
+Who invented ringette?
Sam Jacks, a recreation director from North Bay, Ontario, Canada, in 1963.
+Do men play ringette too?
Ringette is predominantly a sport for women and girls, but there are also mixed and men's teams.
Sources & further links
Editorially researched and checked against association and rulebook information. Found a mistake? Write to us via the Contact page.
Read more in the encyclopedia
Sport
Ice hockey
Ice hockey is a team sport on skates in which two teams, each with five skaters and a goaltender, try to put a hard rubber puck into the opposing goal with their sticks. Three periods of 20 minutes of effective playing time are played.
Sport
Bandy
Bandy is a team sport on skates, played with a small ball and curved sticks on an ice surface the size of a football pitch. Eleven players per team, two halves of 45 minutes: bandy is regarded as the forerunner of ice hockey.
Sport
Broomball
Broomball is a team sport on ice played without skates. Players wear shoes with grippy rubber soles and play a ball with a stick whose head resembles a broom. The rules are similar to ice hockey.
Term
Offside in ice hockey
In ice hockey, an attacker is offside if both skates cross the blue line into the attacking zone before the puck has completely crossed that line. Play resumes with a faceoff in the neutral zone.