Thanks from the Halifax Hurricanes Ringette Association President
April 1, 2024
Hello Hurricanes membership,
It’s hard to believe that after a busy few weeks of Provincial tournament play and a FUN jamboree, the 2023-24 Central Region Ringette League regular season is officially complete!
With many teams in the midst of organizing year-end gatherings, we wish to extend our gratitude to you all in recognition of a job well done.
First, we want to congratulate all of our Hurricanes teams (players, coaches, managers) at all age divisions for representing our association so well at Ringette Nova Scotia provincials. Through highs and lows you exemplified team spirit, skill, dedication and a true love of the game. We hope you all came away proud of your accomplishments, big and small.
Reflecting back on the season, there are so many participants, volunteers, and supporters within our association and beyond who made every game, every practice, every fundraiser, and every home and away tournament possible.
To our athletes: Thank you for committing yourselves to growth this season. Whether honing your on-ice skills, supporting your teammates, or bringing positivity and energy to the change room, your efforts are appreciated and celebrated!
To our coaches: Thank you for not only teaching our players the skills required to compete in recreational and competitive ringette divisions, but for fostering a love of sport, demonstrating leadership, creating inclusive environments, encouraging creativity, and for seeing the potential in all of our players regardless of their individual levels of experience.
To our team managers: Thank you for keeping our teams in order, whether managing game sheets, coordinating hotel bookings, planning team fundraisers, scheduling team-building activities, ensuring we have enough minor officials to host home games, and anything (and everything!) in between. The manager role is not an easy one, so we commend you for rising to the occasion in support of our teams.
To our supporters at home: Whether a parent, guardian, sibling, grandparent, aunt/uncle or family friend, your enduring commitment to supporting our athletes both at the rink and behind-the-scenes was commendable this season.
To the on-ice officials: Talk about a tough job. Thank you for guiding our players on the ice and for educating them on the rules of ringette; without you, our season wouldn’t be possible.
To the businesses and individuals who have sponsored our teams: It was humbling to see so many sponsor bars on our team jerseys this year and to witness many other successful fundraising events planned by our teams. Whether through a business or individual donation, thank you for supporting our teams!
To arena staff across the Halifax region and beyond: Whether zamboni drivers, building managers, cleaners, front desk staff, scheduling coordinators, or other administrators, thank you for enabling our players to show up and do what they love.
To our 2023-24 Halifax Hurricanes Ringette Association Executive: Many of you likely know at least one of these shining stars who ensure the association runs smoothly behind-the-scenes. These are the folks who coordinate registration packages, organize development opportunities, keep our finances in order, ensure we have enough ice time for games and practices, identify coaches for each age division, coordinate our annual Gary Field Memorial Ringette Tournament, and so much more. You can find a full list of executive members here. Please keep an eye out for correspondence in the coming months regarding vacant positions, as we’re always looking for volunteers to support association business!
To our fellow Central Region Ringette League associations and the interprovincial teams from New Brunswick and PEI against whom we compete each year: Thank you for being both fierce and kind competitors, for inspiring us to grow, and for making our teams feel welcome wherever they go.
To the Central Region Ringette League: Thank you for ensuring the smooth operation of regular league play and for always reminding us of the importance of Respect in Sport/True Sport principles.
To Ringette Nova Scotia: Thank you for your commitment to developing our players at higher levels, for your work to expand ringette to new communities across Nova Scotia, for providing additional enrichment opportunities to our players, and for always celebrating and sharing news from our association!
The regular season may be over, but there’s lots more to look forward to this spring! Take a look below at some of the programs, events and activities taking place soon.
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Spring Power Skating for U10/U12: May 23 - June 20
HHRA is offering spring power skating sessions with on-ice coach John MacWilliams. Open to all HHRA players who played U10 and U12 during the 2023/24 season (birth years 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015), these five (5) sessions will help you master your skating techniques while adding power and strength. These combined U10/U12 sessions are limited to only 20 skaters, so sign-up today!
Location: HRM 4-Pad
Time: 6:15PM
Dates: May 23, May 30, June 6, June 13, June 20
Cost: $125 per skater
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Ringette Nova Scotia Spring Intro 2 Ringette Programs: May, June and July 2024
Registration is now open for Ringette Nova Scotia’s Spring Intro 2 Ringette Programs in April, May and June! Intro 2 Ringette is a safe, fun, 4-week program designed to introduce children 4-12 years old to the sport of Ringette. Each Intro 2 Ringette session is 50 minutes in length and is led by certified instructors who are trained to break down and teach skills to brand new players in a low instructor-to-participant ratio. Not only is your child going to learn how to skate and play Ringette, but they will also be introduced to a world that:
- builds confidence
- supports creativity
- creates friendships that last a lifetime
Click this link for more information and to register: https://www.ringette.ns.ca/content/intro-2-ringette
Don’t delay - registration is limited!
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2024 Ringette Nova Scotia High School Ringette Showdown: May 3-5, 2024
If you are in Grade 9 - 12 at a High School, please sign up at your school to play in the High School Showdown.
If you are in Grade 9 at a Middle School, please register for the Middle School Ringette Showdown (see details below).
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2024 Ringette Nova Scotia Middle School Ringette Showdown: May 10-12, 2024
The 3rd Annual Middle School Ringette Showdown registration is open! Sign up today: rb.gy/4no7m3
When & Where? May 10-12 at HRM 4-Pad & RBC
What? Registration fee is $95, payable by e-transfer to execdirector@ringette.ns.ca. Please note your child’s name, school and grade in the message section of the etransfer. The deadline to register is Monday, April 8th
Who? Registration is open to all! Ringette Nova Scotia (RNS) welcomes and encourages participation from all students who are able to skate and who have the requisite protective gear. RNS will help source ringette cages and sticks for anyone who wishes to play but who does not have those particular items. Please contact Stacey at execdirector@ringette.ns.ca for more information or to request assistance.
Organizers will accept registrations from the following participants this year:
- students in a middle school (between grades 6/7 to grades 8/9);
- students in grade 6 at an elementary school; and
- NEW this Year: students in grade 5 at an elementary school.
The intention with the addition of Grade 5 students is to offer a Grade 5/6 (equivalent to U12) division. However, this depends entirely on registration numbers, and the Tournament Committee reserves the right to reconsider this decision.
*The Middle School Tournament is hosted by Ringette NS and is not a school-sanctioned sporting event within the mandate of School Sport NS. Accordingly, RNS asks that you do not contact your school administration regarding the use of school jerseys or with any other requests. However, school jerseys will be acceptable team wear during the tournament if use thereof is offered by a particular school.
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2024 Canadian Ringette Championships
The 2024 Canadian Ringette Championships will take place from April 7-13 in Dieppe, New Brunswick, and a number of current or past Hurricanes are competing with Team Nova Scotia U16, Team Nova Scotia U19 and the Atlantic Attack! Cheer them on from afar by checking out the free stream on Ringette Canada's YouTube channel! For more information on the 2024 Canadian Ringette Championships, visit https://www.crc-ccr.ca/.
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2024 Eastern Canadian Ringette Championships
The 2024 Eastern Canadian Ringette Championships will take place from April 11-14 on Prince Edward Island and a number of our Hurricanes are representing Nova Scotia! For more information on the 2024 Eastern Canadian Ringette Championships, visit https://www.ecrcs.ca.
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Nova Surge Ringette
A large number of our U10/U12 Hurricanes players and coaches from the 2023/24 season are now involved with Nova Surge Ringette, a private spring ringette organization focused on developing young ringette athletes to work as a team and compete in interprovincial tournaments. This team is not affiliated with the Halifax Hurricanes, but we encourage you to follow along their journey on Facebook this spring to see what some of our regular season athletes and coaches are up to!
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Please keep an eye on your email, our website, and our Facebook page this spring/summer for more association information.
Thank you, once again, for your support this season.
Jared Doucette
President, HHRA
