It’s a sport with an indoor and outdoor version in which during winter it is done on ice rink which most probably describes outdoor court version. The game played indoors can also be termed as gym ringette. It’s primarily played by ladies on an icy surface using ice hockey skates. A ring colored in blue is used when playing this game whereby goaltenders expecting players use rods which are straight with no blade. Unlike most of the games around the world, this game does not involve intentional body contact like a strategic component.
This sport was started in 1963 and spread to several countries including Sweden, France, and Finland. It was fully introduced to the north bay in 1965 an attempts to form a four-team league was made for the growth of the sport. After some few meetings and talks, the sport was handed over to a group of directors in Ontario for further organization and development to a larger scale. This sport is played in two halves each taking fifteen minutes; however, the format is slightly different in National league Ringette whereby it’s made of four quarters going for fifteen minutes, fifteen minutes break in the quarters between the first and the last quarter.
Each team produces six competent players in the format of one at the Centre, two in the front, defenders not exceeding two in number, and a goaltender. Once a team pulls the goalie from the ice, a player goes to the defensive end also termed as the offensive end. The goalie can be moved and play returns to the team’s defensive end. At this point, one player can the goaltender at the moment after entering into the crease and is protected by the rules of a regular goaltender. To commence ringette, the visiting team’s player passes the ring to a player in five seconds from defending the line of the center circle.
The player is not allowed to leave the circle or go past the center line when passing the ring otherwise possession is lost to the host team. Crossing the blue lines dictates advancing the ring by passing the ring to a player in the same team i.e. players are not allowed carrying the ring past two blue lines as per the game rules. Possession can be lost and the opponent team ends up being offered a free pass if a player holds the more than once on the blue lines. A minor penalty can be signaled if the goaltender should throw the ring passed the blue lines. Ringette line/free playing line is a red line drawn at the defensive circles which marks the restricted areas for the attacking and defending team
zones. Only The defending goaltender and three players are allowed to get to the areas of restriction.
A number of the basic equipment required to make the game a reality include the following:
- Ringette stick which is ordinarily lightweight composite composed of metal or plastic tips.
- Ringette ring
- Ice/goalie skates
- Elbow pads
- Ringette gloves
- Protective girdle
- Ringette pants