Overview of Ringette

History

The Sport of Ringette was developed in 1963 in North Bay, Ontario, by the late Mr. Sam Jacks. Originally designed to be a unique winter team sport for girls and an alternative to hockey, Ringette has evolved into a fast paced, exciting sport that combines the speed of hockey with the strategy of basketball. The first game played in Espanola, Ontario, was nothing like the sport of today.

Sam Jacks

Ringette was invented by Sam Jacks in 1963. As Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of North Bay, Sam saw the need for a winter sport for females. Working on this premise and utilizing existing recreational facilities, Sam presented the idea of Ringette to the Northern Ontario Directors of Municipal Recreation Association in 1963

Red McCarthy

At the request of the Northern Ontario Directors of Municipal Recreation, Red was the first to take the rules of Ringette from paper to the ice. Refining some of the basic concepts, Red organized the first Ringette game ever in Espanola in 1963-64.

For more information you can visit the Ringette Canada History Page or the Wikipedia Article on Ringette