History of Ringette in New Brunswick

History of Ringette in New Brunswick


Ringette is Canada’s on ice game made specifically for young women conceived by Sam Jacks in 1963 in Northern Ontario.  The first ever ringette game was played in Northern Ontario during the year 1963-1964. 
November 23rd to 29th, 2003 has officially been designated Ringette Week in Canada and this year also marks the 40th anniversary of the sport in Canada.  To mark the celebration, a variety of activities have been put in place to give the sport a higher community profile and we encourage every Ringette player to participate in the events planned by their association through out New Brunswick.

Ringette in New Brunswick was first introduced in Newcastle in 1974.   Betty Sullivan   was watching a hockey game on TV and a mini ringette game was shown between periods.  She investigated the game further and then decided it would be a great sport to have for girls.  She then proceeded to register 80 girls making up four teams in Newcastle using a rubber ring, made by Heath Steele Mines.
In 1981, there were three regions playing ringette, (Fredericton, Newcastle and Caraquet).  Under the guidance of Rene Pelletier, Sport consultant in the Northumberland County, NB became the 8th province to join Ringette Canada under the presidency of Gilles LaPlante of the Miramichi. Riverview, Oromocto and Saint John associations were soon to follow.     Today there are four regions playing ringette in New Brunswick with eleven associations.

Ringette has come and gone and returned in several locations around the province. The earliest paper records only date back to 1985, which saw Chatham, Fredericton, Oromocto, Saint John and Riverview, registered with Ringette New Brunswick.   In 1986   Renous entered the ringette world for a short burst as well as Beresford, St Isidore, Shippegan in 1987.  Beresford, now known as Chaleur Ringette is still with   RNB, growing from 25 players to 65 players last year.

In 1990 Paul Pineau introduced ringette to Dieppe.  He started with 14 players and the association is still growing.  1993, Shediac/Cap Pele and Memramcook ringette associations started.  Cocagne and Bouctouche followed suit in 1994 and 1995 respectively.  These two associations combined in 1999 to what is now known as the    Kent- Sud Ringette Association.  Rogersville joined in 1996 and UNB in 1998.  The infant of the ringette associations is Moncton who joined RNB in 2001.

Ringette is alive and growing.  We have seen the number of players starting at 80 in Newcastle in 1974 to 1200 plus participants provincially participating in both the house league and competitive divisions around the province.  The province hosted two National championships, one organized by the Fredericton Youth Ringette Association 1989 and the other in the South East Region, (hosted by Kent –Sud, Memramcook, Dieppe, Riverview, and Shediac Cap Pele).  As well, New Brunswick hosts the Atlantic Ringette Championships every third year.

There are well over 900 players, 205 coaches, managers and 80 plus officials around the province.