The following Summary of the Answers to the Athlete’s Survey does not reflect the opinions of the Ontario Ringette Association nor the Board of Directors of the ORA, nor any of the Volunteers who act on behalf of the athletes, in whole or in part.

Answers from the Athletes regarding the ORA website:

2. What do you use the ORA website for?

   Results of tournaments, contests; Updates to events like Provincials, AAA updates, following team results and team stats. Look to see if there is anything interesting, promotional items, anything new, research information, Eagle Lake application.

3. What would encourage you to look on the ORA website at least once a week?

   If there were more contests; if there was a AAA section; a more interactive features; was able to follow team results; pictures of teams; if there was more to look at; if there was free stuff; articles; prizes, if it was more organized; if my team was on it; if it had all the tryout information for all the teams on it; if it had e mail notice of updates’ more Ringette news; love the new design; what about a chat room; if it had stats on teams other than A and AA teams; if there was a place to be able to ask questions to accomplished players; tips for Ringette players; or if it had a player bio area.

4. What do you use most web sites for?

   For updates; schedules, pictures, team information, results; registration, game scores.

5. What other Ringette websites do you look for?

   Ringette Canada; other Provinces Ringette pages; CORL; Western, National Ringette League; Ringette Retreat, The Ringette Store; playringette.ca; eteamz.com/mra; CRC.

 

Answers from the Athletes regarding Promotion of the Sport of Ringette:

2. How do you promote Ringette?

   Wear team colours and team clothing; run tournaments; association hosts Provincials and Regionals, talk about it at school, to friends; newspaper articles, newspaper sport section report on games; develop web pages, Float in parades; Free fist year for Bunnies; Bring a friend night; skills competition or games with local celebrities, have fundraising events - raffles, chocolate bars, bingos, spaghetti dinners, and car wash.

3. How should we promote Ringette better?

   Have reward for recruiting new players; showcase tournaments in local papers; have Ringette teams at school, more newspaper coverage, more specials and games on TV; contact schools and universities; rent billboards, commercials on radio/ TV, advertise; bring a friend day; more information in newspapers; signage in arenas; tournament fun days; skills competition during tournaments - AAA skills competition; flyers to schools routinely; car washes on busy street areas; school Ringette teams; have Ringette as part of phys ed program at grade school and high school again; play a demo game during a well attended hockey game - like a Junior hockey game; free passes for under 13 at CRC’s and Provincials by wearing team shirt; summer Ringette leagues - need to have a place listing these leagues and clinics and camps; make Ontario promo video and show to schools, speak at schools; play Ringette against high profile hockey teams or high profile celebrities.

4. What can the Athletes do to Promote Ringette?</;i>

   Tell others; wear team clothing during non sporting events; get people to come to games; fight to put Ringette in the Olympics; talk to little kids to get interested; have school Ringette teams; emphasis the team aspect of Ringette; emphasis the speed of the game whenever talking about the sport.

5. Have you seen Ringette on TV; when and which game was being played?

   2002 World Finals, CRC’s on Rogers, London ORA Provincials, 2004 Provincials, 1998 Nationals, Canada Winter Games; hard to see Ringette if you don’t get cable.

 

Answers from the Athletes to the Questions Regarding Rules:

2. What Rules would you like to see changed?

   AAA should be in Open too; louder horn for shot clock; use shot clock more regularly’ allow more body contact; make sure shot clock operators know what they are doing; first penalty should be defensive; add another year to Junior; rules are called too strict; don’t call high sticking so strictly; allow more co-ed; let the athletes be more aggressive; 5 second warning for shot clock; less annoying buzzer for shot clock; the shot clock has stopped better teams from just skating around with the ring; don’t like the shot clock since it makes it harder to set up plays; use shot clock all the time and not just in tournaments; use shot clock for all levels and all ages; have the shot clock with times adjusted for ages such as 35 secs for bunnies and minor novices; referees are too picky about the crease; referees don’t call the crease the same way; have referees make interference just loss of possession; remove extended zone- all five in; have 5 count for bunny goalies after the they pick up the ring; have shot clock built into the arenas, have kicking or fighting to be an automatic suspension.

3. How to improve the game?

   Have more people come out; have less penalties; let us play more, there are too many stoppages in play; have more teams; all leagues should have more age divisions; allow more aggressive play; have longer periods; have 3 periods; need referees to be better at their jobs, they need to referee with more consistency between games; have the game become more international; have fair tryouts for teams; have fair tryouts for AAA teams, have more promotional materials; need more promotion; have lower costs - AAA has gotten to be too expensive; the short handed part of the game needs to be more exciting, like short handed in both ends; have beginner levels for older ages for new people to learn; don’t let boys play past bunnies; let boys play all levels so more will accept our game; decrease goalies crease size for B and C games and increase the size for A and AA play; ban the trapper- unfair to teams whose goalie don’t use them and slows down the game for the goalies who do use them; have higher profile with more publicity; have more sponsorship.

 

Answers from the Athletes to Questions regarding the National Ringette League ( NRL):

2. What do you think about a Ringette league that is developing across Canada?

   Great idea; will cause more exposure for Ringette; will provide some TV opportunities; will provide more opportunities for Open players; good for the sport; good way to keep in shape; good chance to travel; would be fast and awesome to play; will keep the girls playing longer; could work for Belle too; great for small towns to get more competition but will need lots of organizing; and funding concerns - how will you make this accessible for all.

3. -What would encourage you to go watch NRL Games?

   That it is a fast game; big events; free entry so can bring friends; if they played close by; if we knew where and when games were; the high level of play; watching plays; learn from them; have a home team; have someone available to give pointers; and encouragement to tryout and make teams; if the games were advertised; if our whole team was organized to go; have local talent on teams; free food and prized; if knew someone playing; chance to meet the players; if local team had a chance of winning; if local team was doing well; just to have these pros - high level athletes would be cool; if the league was on TV; involve the local Ringette players on the team for the evening during half time or for a skills event; have the games in places where they don’t have that level of play right now.

4. Would you try out for a NRL when you get to be in the Open Level?

   Of course; love the sport; would be a huge accomplishment; because I love Ringette; I have the potential; would need to be very dedicated; would be better competition; good way to continue to play’ love to play at the highest level possible; would depend on time commitment and money; might be too expensive; would be hard to make any of the teams; being a new league would mean a lot of pressure.

Answers from the Athletes to the Question what Ringette Camps or Clinic have you attended?

Eagle lake, Ringette Retreat, local association camp, Goalie clinic, Power Skating clinics, shooting clinics, Conditioning camps, dry land training, skills development, clinics with Team Canada players.

 

Other Comments from the Athletes:

• Adult Provincials are right before university exams - this makes it hard to get full team out.
• There should be more opportunities to work with other players such as Team Canada players or the National Ringette League players.
• Should be more opportunities for competitive athletes.
• Need more funding at the local level for camps and power skating.
• Need more camps for B and C level players.
• Need more camps run by National players and coaches.
• Encourage Ringette players to wear long pants and not hockey pants.