Activities for Kids: Ringette
/At the twenty-week ultrasound for our second child, it was revealed we were having another girl. I was crushed; there would be no little boy for us. In an effort to cheer me up, my husband would drop little gems on why two girls are awesome. We wouldn’t need to buy new clothes. They can share a room. No hockey.
I know, you’re thinking, girls can play hockey. Of course, they can, but how often do you ask parents of little girls if they play hockey? Never. See, no pressure. My life with princesses would involve the pleasantly warm and conveniently scheduled activities of ballet and gymnastics, with the occasional art workshop. And then I became a ringette mom…
If like me, the idea of early morning hockey practices exhausts you but you still would like your child to enjoy many of hockey’s benefits – skating prowess and teamwork – then perhaps you might be a ringette mom (or dad) too!
As we’re centrally located, I signed my five-year old, Mikaela, up for the
City of Ottawa Ringette Association’s Bunnies Program
which operates October to March on Sundays from 5-6 pm at the Brewer Arena. On the first night, I watched anxiously from the stands. There was much falling, and eventually she was placed in a small group of girls who I affectionately referred to as the remedial skating class. As she came off the ice that night, I braced myself for a disappointed little girl. Instead, she proudly announced she was the best at getting up off the ice! Within a few weeks, she “graduated” to join the rest of the girls and she’s delighted in her newfound skating ability; she repeatedly asks when the Canal will be open so we can go skating together.
If you might be interested in signing your child up for ringette, I encourage you to contact the appropriate association in your area. Early registration often takes place in the spring with the final registrations being accepted in August / September:
• Nepean Ringette Association Bunnies Program runs Friday from 6-7 pm at the Bell Arena. Although ringette is often considered a girl sport, it is normal to see boys in the bunnies program and Nepean has several boys this year.
• Gloucester-Cumberland Ringette Bunnies Program runs Saturdays 9-10 am at the Blackburn Arena (Junior Bunnies) or Sundays 4-5 pm at the Ray Friel Arena (Senior Bunnies).
• West Ottawa Ringette Association Bunnies Program runs Saturdays at 8 am (Junior Bunnies) or 9 am (Senior Bunnies).
• Metcalfe & District Ringette Association Bunnies Program runs Saturdays from 4:30-5:30 pm at the Osgoode Arena.
• Les Moustiques de Ringette Gatineau jouent les samedis à 9h.
Kari is the mom of two girls, a 5 year old and a 1 year old. She can be found frequenting free activities throughout the city in hopes it’ll tire them out enough to sleep through the night.
