The Gryphons ringette club team took silver at the 2012 University Challenge Cup in January

Ringette has humble beginnings in the university athletics world. Fifteen years ago, the sport was nonexistent until the late 1990s when teams began springing up in Manitoba at post secondary institutions like the University of Winnipeg, the University of Manitoba and St. Boniface College. Since then, the sport has spread throughout schools in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec, with the Canadian University and College Ringette Association now sporting over two dozen teams, both competitive and recreational in nature. Many of these teams come together at the annual University Challenge Cup that takes place over winter break every year.

Established in 2007-2008, the University of Guelph ringette club has been an annual participant at the University Challenge Cup, taking home a gold medal in their first visit to the tournament to go along with bronze in 2011 and silver at this year’s event which took place in London, Ont. between Dec. 29 and Jan. 1. The team finished the tournament with an overall record of five wins, two losses, and one tie, losing to McMaster in the Tier 2 final by a score of 5-4.

However, despite the club’s success at the University Challenge Cup, there is still room for more growth of the sport in Guelph and schools across Canada according to club president Leisha Klinger.

“We’re always looking for more funding, and it’d be great to get varsity status, but I don‘t know if that’s too near in the future,” she said, adding that, “That’s probably the main goal to get to, and just to continually get more recognition for the team and what we do and all of the tournaments we attend.”

Outside of the University Challenge Cup, the University of Guelph ringette club also offers a recreational setting for newcomers to experience and learn the sport, offering ice time twice a week on Mondays from 11 to 11:50 p.m and Wednesdays from 7 to 8 a.m.

“We have one team here at the university and they are the competitive team, and then we also have club ice time that anyone who plays ringette can come out to,” said Klinger. “On our club ice times once a week, we usually get 20 people out, but on good nights we can get up to about 30.”

In this environment that those new to ringette can get some on-ice experience and learn from those who have some expertise, and continue to grow the sport for the future. Klinger also added that anyone interested in getting involved with the ringette club can send inquiries to the club email at ringette@uoguelph.ca, and club information can be found on the Gryphons website, www.gryphons.ca.

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