Ringette

General Rules

• Ringette is a team sport where each team consists of six players with one player always present in the centre, two players in forward, two players as defenders and one goaltender. 
• The game is played with 2 equal halves which last for 20 minutes. According to the National Ringette League, where the format consists of 4 equal quarter breaks of 13 minutes each. 
• The team can pull the goalie out of the ice rink and can substitute it with another player from the offensive and the defensive end. But, if the team remains unsuccessful of adding an extra player in the field, then the goalie can return to the defensive end. 
• The game begins when the visiting team gets the ring of control on the centre of the defending half. The players are required to pass the ring to other players within 5 seconds without crossing the boundary line or leaving the half-circle. 
• The participants cannot carry the ring across the blue lines and have to pass it to other players before the blue lines. 
• A penalty is signalled if the goaltender throws the rubber ring on or across the blue line. They can only use their respective sticks for moving or passing the ring through the blue line. 
• A red Free Play Line is present at the defensive circle's top. This is the prohibited area for all the players of the attacking and defending zones. The free playline is only open for three players from each team along with the goaltender.
• The defending team may allow one player in the free play area. If the team has more than 1 player penalized, for example, two players are penalized then two players along with goaltender may be present in the zone. 
• Inside the crease, only goaltenders are permitted any players aside from them if any player arrives in the red line is given a penalty score.
• Ringette is complete non-contact sports where the players are given penalties if they make any intentional and excessive body contact with the other players. It is also not permitted to trip or hit and even interfere with other players during the match. 

History of Ringette

It's a winter team sport, played on an ice rink using ice roller skates. The game originated in the year of 1963 in the city of Espanola, Ontario. 

In 1964, the original rules of Ringette were drafted by Mirl Arthur "Red" McCarthy. In 1966, the first ringette community was successfully established in Sudbury and North Bay. Later in 1969, The Ontario Ringette Association was founded, which was the first-ever provincial governing body of the sport. 

During the 1970s, the sport was successfully introduced in British Columbia and Alberta. In 1979, the first-ever edition of Ringette Review was published. The same year, the first National Level 1 Coaching Certification Program begun to encourage players and coaches. 

In 1990, the World Ringette Championship was held in Gloucester for the first time where Team Alberta emerged out as the winner and clinched the gold medal.

In the 1990s, Ringette was included in the Winter Games in the city of Corner Brook, Newfoundland. The same year, the Women's National Team program was held across the country.

In 2002, the first Leadership Retreat for High-Performance Women Coaches took place, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the sport in the following year in Canada. In 2012, the second U-19 event of the World Ringette Championship organized in London, Europe. 

Gym Ringette