Hockey stealing girls from ringette

Money, glory lure skaters to game with curved blade

It could be the possibility of getting a university scholarship or the chance for international recognition.

Maybe it’s the opportunity for more physical contact or taking on a different challenge.

Or it could just be that there is no other choice.

Whatever the reason, more and more female ringette players are trading in their straight sticks for ones with a curved blade.

Once-popular among girls in the ’70s, ringette, which uses a ring instead of a puck, has been losing its appeal as more and more young women opt to play hockey.

And it’s only a matter of time before the sport becomes obsolete, says a former ringette coach.

“Within five years, ringette will go by the wayside,” says Johann Ferwerda, coach of the Miles Macdonell Buckeyes girls hockey team.

There is no high school ringette league in Manitoba, which is why Johann’s daughter, Colleen Ferwerda, joined the Buckeyes after playing ringette for eight years.

“I miss it because I got really good at it,” says Colleen, 16.

“I’m very sad for the way it’s gone for ringette. I gave my blood, life and soul for 10 years to ringette,” says Johann, who started coaching hockey when his girls grew up so he could spend more time with them.

He and a few other hockey coaches say the U.S. has played a role in ringette’s declining popularity.

Girls have more opportunities for post-secondary scholarships in the U.S. if they play hockey, says Jerry Akerstream, coach of the girls high school hockey team at River East Collegiate.

“A lot of scouts from the U.S. come up here to watch the girls play,” he said, adding that one girl he coached was offered 22 scholarships before choosing the University of Rhode Island.

“The U.S., they have the money, the university scholarships. So that dream that you might get your university paid for could become true,” Johann says.

Barry Schreyer, who co-coaches the Kodiaks with Akerstream, says that when women’s hockey became an Olympic sport, ringette’s popularity immediately declined.

“Ringette never took off in the U.S. or Russia,” says Johann. “Because the U.S. and Russia never embraced it, it never became an Olympic sport,” he said.

Not only do female hockey players have more opportunity to advance in the sport, they can shoot for a spot on Team Canada.

“A lot of people are saying, ‘Oh my goodness, women can play hockey now,’”Akerstream says