Children’s Ringette

The Children’s Ringette program provides an age and stage appropriate physical activity experience for young ringette players under the age of 10.

Children’s Ringette is focused on creating opportunities that emphasize: 

• age and stage appropriate activities
• fun and play
• grouping children based on skill and readiness
• maximum participation and engagement
• opportunities to practice learned skills
• adapted game play (small area games and mini-nets)

 

SEASON STRUCTURE

The Children’s Ringette season runs from October to March

Registration fees cover approximately 20 ice times.

Each ice time will be a minimum of 45 minutes and a maximum of 60 minutes in length.

 

DIVISIONS

Regina Ringette offers a Learn to Play Program as well as three divisions in Children’s Ringette:

• Learn to Play
• FUNdamentals 1 (FUN1)
• FUNdamentals 2 (FUN2)
• FUNdamentals 3 (FUN3)

 

Learn to Play

The Learn to Play (LTP) division provides children with an introduction to the sport of ringette, offering an opportunity to learn with players of similar abilities.

The ice-times are focused on the development of skills such as skating and stopping, as well as ringette-specific skills like ring control and shooting.

Each ice-time will start with a group activity and then break into smaller, manageable stations to play and work through skills during fun activities.

Ice-times will be on Sundays, dates and times to be determined.

The LTP division includes children ages 4-8 with little or no skating experience.

LTP Leadership:

One Leader from the Regina Ringette Association will oversee the LTP group based on session plans that have been developed for the program.

Additional on-ice helpers, made up of Parent and Player Volunteers, will help facilitate each ice-time.

All on-ice volunteers will need to be insured through Ringette Saskatchewan, obtain a Criminal Record Check, and obtain the applicable courses deemed necessary by Ringette Saskatchewan and Regina Ringette.

LTP will also require Parent Helpers to volunteer as Off-Ice Greeters at the rink each session.  These parents will be responsible for the dressing room keys, the on-ice sign-in sheet and be present as a general contact.  No experience is necessary, and they will be in contact with the Director of Children’s Ringette for any concerns.

 

FUNdamentals Divisions:

 In the FUNdamentals divisions, new players will participate in on-ice skills evaluations at the start of the season to help place them into the appropriate division and draft them onto teams. Previous registrants will have a graded report card for placement.

Some of the factors being considered to evaluate the participants include:

• falling and getting up
• skating forward and backward
• stopping
• ring control – shooting and passing

Coaching:

Each team in the FUNdamentals divisions will have three certified Coaches, including at least one adult female. Coaches will help to evaluate the participants, draft the teams, and lead their team practices and games using Coaching resources from Regina Ringette. 

Regina Ringette will support all new Coaches through the Coach-the-Coach Mentorship program which will pair a Support Coach with each team and provide additional hands-on training, as well as practice manuals.

Anyone interested in Coaching can either apply at the start of the season on the Regina Ringette website, can indicate their interest on their child’s registration, or can contact the Director of Coaching or the Director of Children’s Ringette.

All on-ice coaches will need to be insured through Ringette Saskatchewan, obtain a Criminal Record Check, and obtain the applicable courses deemed necessary by Ringette Saskatchewan and Regina Ringette.

Once formed, each team will need additional Parent Volunteers to fill a Manager and/or a Treasurer position, as well as a Team Covid Safety Officer position.

 

FUN1

FUN1 is for children who are new to ringette or new to skating, learning basic game structure, and still developing basic skills.

Each 45-minute ice-time will be divided into:

• 30 minutes of practice time concentrating on the development of skating and basic ring skills, an introduction to some of the rules of ringette, as well as fun games and team activities.
• 15 minutes of game time against another FUN1 team.

 

The Game portion of each ice-time will be:

• Cross-Ice format
• 3-on-3
• No Goalies or goal creases
• No Passing lines
• 2-minute shifts (facilitated by the Coaches)
• No officials
• No Scoreboards or Standings
• No Game sheets

 

The FUN1 division will have ten ice-times each season, generally one per week, and ice-times may be any weekday evening or on the weekend.

Teams in this division will collect a nominal player fee to cover such things as:  the league equipment deposit, team clothing, team pictures and team bonding activities.

 

FUN2

FUN2 is for children who have improved their skating ability, are ready to learn more rules of ringette, and have developed some basic skills.

Each 45-60 minute ice-time will be divided into:

• 50-60% practice time concentrating on the development of skating skills, ring skills, passing, shooting, checking, basic goalie instruction, and an introduction to the rules and game concepts of ringette.
• 20-30 minutes of game time against another FUN2 team.

 

The Game portion of each ice-time will include:

• Half-Ice format
• 3-on-3 skaters plus a goalie on each team
• Goalies use goal sticks only and players will rotate through the goalie position
• Goal Creases (one existing, one hand-drawn)
• One Passing line (the existing ‘ringette line’)
• 2-minute shifts (facilitated by a Timekeeper using the buzzer)
• 1 Official to enforce penalties and violations (Coaches can help to enforce rule violations) with safety top of mind
• No Scoreboards or Standings
• A modified Game Sheet

 

The Home team on the Schedule will provide a Timekeeper and the Game Sheet, and the Visiting team’s Coaches will be responsible to draw one Goal Crease.

FUN2 teams will also be allocated additional practice ice (2-3 per month) that they will pay for out of fees collected by the team.  Registration fees cover game-day ice and referees.

The FUN2 division will have 14-16 ice-times each season, approximately 1-2 per week, and ice-times may be any weekday evening or on the weekend.

Teams in this division will collect a nominal player fee to cover such things as: the league equipment deposit, extra team practice ice, team clothing, team pictures and team bonding activities.

 

FUN3

FUN3 is for children who demonstrate that they have acquired the physical, cognitive, and social readiness for more challenging play.

FUN3 will play full-ice, one hour ringette games with Ringette Canada Rules and mini nets.

• Games will be 2×17-minute stop time periods
• Games are officiated by two referees
• Goal Cap of 3 goals per player, per game
• Regular Game Sheet (provided by the home team)
• Scoreboards and Standings
• 1 Timekeeper (visitor) and 1 Scorekeeper (home) each game

 

Teams in FUN3 will be allocated additional practice ice weekly that they will pay for out of Team collected Fees. Registration fees cover game-day ice and referees.

Ice-times in this division will be one to two times per week and may be any weekday evening or on the weekend.

FUN3 teams often participate in nearby tournaments throughout the Ringette season.

Teams in this division will collect a nominal player fee to cover such things as: the league equipment deposit, team practice ice, tournament registration/travel, team clothing, team pictures and team bonding activities.

 

EQUIPMENT

Full ringette equipment is required. Jerseys and Goalie equipment will be provided.

 

HOW TO REGISTER

On the Regina Ringette website, please register directly for the Children’s Ringette program.

 

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why do FUN1 and FUN2 play Cross-Ice and Half-Ice games?

These divisions play adapted games on a smaller area to ensure more touches, interactions, shots on net and passes for the participants. Teams will be around nine to twelve players to ensure the majority of players are participating at a time. With these adaptations, children can experience maximum participation, practice learned skills and move through the FUNdamentals divisions based on skill and readiness.

 

Will teams be re-drafted at Christmas?

We do not expect to draft new teams at Christmas. Some players may be moved up to the next division, but we expect that most teams will stay in-tact for the full ringette year. Your Commissioner will communicate any changes and will help you navigate any player movement off or onto your team.

 

What are Jamborees?

Jamborees are like mini tournaments for the FUN1 and FUN2 divisions. They are a more formal way for participants to have some competition at their level of play. Jamborees will consist of some skills, some fun activities, and some gameplay. Jamboree gameplay will follow the same rules as regular gameplay for the division.

Players will register for a Jamboree individually, and the Coordinators of the Jamboree will place players with their regular teammates for the Jamboree activities.

We expect each Local Association will host one Jamboree per ringette year – in Regina, Buffalo Plains and Saskatoon.

 

 

CHILDREN’S RINGETTE FAQ

• FAQ Document – Link to Ringette Sask FAQ