The Players
A team at regular strength plays with a centre, two forwards
(wingers), two defenders and a goaltender.
Teams can change players on the ice during a stoppage in play, or
they can change “on the fly”. If changing on the fly, no more than
the regulation number of players can get involved in the play, or a
penalty is assessed for too many players on the ice.
At the Novice house league level, a 3 minute buzzer is used to
regulate line changes.
Starting Play
A ringette game is typically organized in two halfs of fifteen to
twenty minutes duration (depending on the level of play).
To start play, the referee places the ring on the ice in the visiting
team’s half of the centre free pass circle. There are no
“offsides” in ringette, so players can line up anywhere on the ice
surface. The referee blows the whistle, and the player in the free pass
circle has five seconds to pass the ring into play. The referee counts
the five seconds and signals each passing second by extending her arm.
No player is allowed in the free pass circle except the player making
the pass. The pass must go beyond the free pass circle, and the passer
cannot receive her own pass.
If play is stopped, the referee will award the ring to one team or
the other, depending on the reason for the stoppage in play. Unless a
team is awarded the ring in its defensive end, the team puts the ring
back into play with a free pass from the free pass circle nearest to
where the stoppage in play was caused.
At rep level competitions for Tween and older players, a 30 second
shot clock is being introduced. The clock starts when a team gains
possession. If they have not taken a shot on net within 30 seconds, a
horn sounds, and the ring is awarded to the other team.
The Goalie Ring
No player from either team, except the goaltender, is allowed to
enter the goalie’s crease, or to play a ring that lies in the crease.
If any part of the ring is touching the crease line, the ring is
considered to be in the crease.
If a ring enters the crease, the referee will start a five second
count, extending her arm to signal each second. The goalie must put the
ring back into play within 5 seconds. Failure to do so will result in a
whistle, and a free pass for the offensive side, from one of the free
pass circles near the goalie.
The goalie can throw or pass the ring to a teammate, but she cannot
throw or pass the ring to herself, and she cannot throw the ring past
her own blue line. The speed with which the ring is returned to play can
create some dynamic transitions from defense to offense.
A goalie cannot draw or carry the ring into her crease from outside
the crease. The goalie is allowed to play a ring outside her crease
using the blade of her stick (she cannot turn the stick over and stab
the ring as if she had a ringette stick).
If the referee stops play and awards the ring to the team in its
defensive zone, instead of a free pass, the referee will award the ring
to the goaltender. The referee signals this by raising both arms over
her head. When the goalie has the ring in hand, the referee sounds the
whistle and begins the five second count. Since there are no offsides,
there is no need to wait for all the players to line up before play can
be resumed. Restarting play on a goalie ring is quick, much like a
“throw-in” in soccer or basketball, but even faster because it must
be done in 5 seconds.
If a team pulls its goalie for an extra skater, one of those skaters
can enter the goal crease and play as if she is a goalie. But she must
follow all the rules that a goalie would follow with respect to a goalie
ring.
The Blue Lines
A player skating with a ring cannot carry the ring over a blue line
– the ring must be passed across the line to another player. The ring
carrier’s feet can cross the blue line, as long as the ring does not
cross the blue line.
A pass cannot cross two blue lines. The referee will call the play,
and return the ring to the zone where the pass originated.
The Free Play Line and the Free Play Zone
The area from the free play line to the end boards at each end of the
rink is called the Free Play Zone. When teams are at full strength, only
three skaters from either team are allowed into the free play zone.
There is no restriction on which three players can enter the zone, only
on the number of players that are in the zone at once.
There is no restriction on carrying or passing the ring over the free
play line. Players can exchange the ring as they enter or leave the free
play zone, provided no more than three skaters from the same team are in
the zone at the same time.
If a team has two or more players in the penalty box, then that team
is only allowed two players in the free play zone when the ring is in
their end. The third skater must remain outside the zone.
If a team pulls its goalie for an extra skater, it can put the extra
skater in the zone.
Second Possession
Most stoppages in play are for obvious reasons. If a player crosses
the blue line, if a goalie is slow to put the ring in play, or if a team
is caught with too many players in the zone, it is clear that possession
passes to the other team.
Sometimes, play is called because the ring has been “frozen”
along the boards, or several players have all got their sticks in the
ring, and the ring is not advancing. In this case, the ring is awarded
on the basis of “second possession”.
If a player has sole possession of the ring, then control of the ring
is hers to lose. If she allows another player to also get possession (to
also get her stick in the ring) so that the first player no longer
exclusively controls the ring, then the first player is deemed to have
lost possession. If play is stopped because the ring is not advancing,
the team whose player gained second possession will be awarded the ring.
The Fastest Game on Ice
Ringette features fast transitions and rapid-fire passing. The
requirement to pass over the blue line and the limitations of the free
play line make passing an essential part of the game. No offsides means
the ring can be quickly advanced down the ice. The free pass and the
goalie ring allow play to be quickly resumed, much like a free kick in
soccer.
The rules of ringette introduce challenges to the game, such as the
need for good passing skills, and good conditioning, since the pace is
fast.
If your player is new to the game, talk these rules over to reinforce
for her the instruction she gets from coaches and referees on the ice.
The basic rules are quick to learn, and when players and parents all
know the rules, the game is more fun for everyone.
Last updated: August 23, 2007
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