Celebrating 60 Years of Ringette 

Three Generation Ringette Families

First up: the Warner/Coyes family. All 3 generations played ringette in their lives and this sport continues to bring the family together. Ringette has taken them across the world to Finland, as well as across the country to Montreal. Currently Sandi watches the girls play in the stands, Nicole plays in Open B and coaches with Bowview Calgary, Alex and Ashlee play together at St. Mary’s University in Halifax and Alisha plays for Bowview Calgary U19A and junior coaches for Bowview (regular season and spring/summer), as well as with the developing Foothills Division.

Warner/Coyes Family, we appreciate your commitment and passion towards the sport of ringette. It is families like yours that develops this sport throughout the years, on and off the ice!

Nicole: “I love ringette, as it is a predominantly female sport that empowers their athletes to work together as a team to accomplish a common goal. This sport encourages female involvement at all levels: as players, referees and coaches. In all aspects of the sport, even just as a mom watching the games in the stands, there is a level of respect for the sport and overall team dynamic that you don’t see in other sports. The season we play together we are all a family, and often these relationships expand and develop over the years. From childhood, as well as adulthood, some of my best friends are from ringette, as we have a common bond from the sport and maintain it throughout the years.”

Next up: the Laerz family. All 3 generations played ringette in their lives, as well as trained to be referees and coaches as well. There isn’t one thing about ringette that the Laerz family didn’t become involved in.

Thank you for your continued development of the sport! Currently Erik is retired as a referee, but continues to mentor referees, as well as Brie and Tona in their coaching careers. Brie coaches her daughter on the ice and also mentors her niece on the bench as a junior coach. Tona is actively involved in the ringette community, contributing so much of her time to the sport with her knowledge by evaluating, holding coaching clinics and mentoring other players and referees.

Laerz Family, we appreciate your commitment and passion towards the sport of ringette. It is families like yours that develops this sport throughout the years, on and off the ice!

Tona: “Through coaching the sport over the years, the philosophy of ringette is clear; athletes need to belong to perform. Once we understand the make-up of the female brain and facilitate our coaching style towards this, the athletes thrive. Ringette coaches are integral in the success of the game on-ice, by coaching with this philosophy in mind. The concept of a team – between the players, referees and parents – is integral to the ringette culture.”

Brie: “Ringette creates a strong community within the sport. It just brings good people together. Last year, when I was battling cancer, my team was amazing. They brought my family meals, cookies and other prizes when I was homebound after surgery. This meant the world to me, and they really supported me and my daughter. Although I was healing, and probably should have been in bed, my love for ringette drove me to support my team from the bench until I could get back on the ice.”

Well said, Brie and Tona, the community of ringette truly is a family!

Next up: the Morris/Nelson family. All 3 generations played ringette in their lives, continue to referee (and mentor other referees), as well as contributes to the development of the Foothills Ringette Association.

Thank you for your commitment to the sport of ringette!

Mike retired from officiating last year, but is still providing feedback to the officials today. Jaimie’s mom played ringette until Jaimie’s schedule got too busy, now she loves to cheer on her daughter and granddaughter from the stands. Jaimie continues to officiate in all high levels of the sport, from the World Clubs in Finland in 2011, to the Canada Winter Games in PEI in 2023. Jaimie was also pivotal in the creation of the Foothills Ringette Association in 2015. Although she had to step down as President of the Association this year, she is still actively involved in coaching and officiating with the Association.

Morris/Nelson Family, we appreciate your commitment and passion towards the sport of ringette. It is families like yours that develops this sport throughout the years, on and off the ice!

Jaimie: “Ringette is just one big family. I cannot emphasize enough how much I feel this about ringette. The feeling in the rink when you walk in, as well as the fans watching the game. It is just a positive, great atmosphere that is unique to this sport.” “As well, I have to say that the night before the Esso Golden Ring is like the night before Christmas morning for me. I love this weekend so much and look forward to it every year.”

Well said, Jaimie, the first day of EGRT feels like Christmas morning for us too

Next up: the McNeil family. All 3 generations were involved in ringette, continue to play, coach and referee. Thank you for your commitment to the sport of ringette! Deb was actively involved in her daughter’s ringette teams from 1996-2010, but now is a proud grandparent cheering on her daughter and granddaughters from the stands. Bob coached his girls for years, but is now an avid fan and minor official.

All three McNeil girls had extensive ringette careers, playing for AA, the Calgary RATH and Dino’s throughout the years, as well as at Worlds for Team USA. Sandy is currently coaching and plays in Open B. Robyn is coaching and playing in Open B (versus her sister!) and Katie is coaching and playing in Open A.

McNeil Family, we appreciate your commitment and passion towards the sport of ringette. It is families like yours that develops this sport throughout the years, on and off the ice!

Sandy: “Most of my closest friends are from ringette. I co-coach my daughter Skyler with my best friend from my ringette days. It’s a full circle moment for me and quite special, that our daughters could play together and we could coach them.”

Robyn: “Growing up playing, we stay tight with those players we played with throughout the years. Now that we have kids the same age, and we see them at the arena with their kids playing, it is like no time has passed and we have that common connection. Ringette is a community that lasts forever.”

Katie: “I grew up in the rinks and ringette is a special family. I was the baby in the stands while my sister’s played, that everyone knew. I would always see my sister’s friends in the rink when I was little. As I grew up, I started to play against them….they saw me as a goalie and I wasn’t the little McNeil sister anymore!”

Well said, McNeil girls!