Ringette Canada

Ringette Canada’s Commitment to Safe Sport

Ringette Canada places the highest priority on a safe and fun environment for all its participants and we recognize responsibility to protect the health, safety, and physical and mental well-being of every individual that is involved in the ringette community.

Ringette Canada takes situations involving misconduct or maltreatment very seriously. For this reason, Ringette Canada is committed to enacting and enforcing strong, clear, and effective policies and processes for preventing and addressing all forms of misconduct or maltreatment.

Ringette Canada’s policies are intended to promote a Safe Sport environment in a manner that allows for consistent, immediate, appropriate, and meaningful action should any issues arise. They are also intended to prevent issues from arising in the first place by communicating expected standards of behaviour in advance.

Prevention

Screening – an important part of keeping all participants safe while participating in ringette activities. Read more about Ringette Canada’s screening policy here

Concussion Protocol – Ringette Canada in collaboration with Parachute Canada (a nationally recognized safety organization), developed the Ringette Concussion Protocol to help guide the management of individuals who may have a suspected concussion while participating in the sport Ringette.

It is important that our coaches and sport leaders understand the signs and symptoms of concussions that may have occurred within and beyond the boundaries of the arena. The Ringette Concussion Education Sheet is an excellent overview and must be reviewed by all activity leaders and coaches at the beginning of each season.

Safe Sport Training – Ringette Canada has partnered with Respect Group and Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) to bring our members the very best in Safe Sport training to ensure a healthy, safe and respectful environment for all of our participants.

All Ringette Canada athletes, coaches, activity leaders, directors, staff, national event volunteers, officials and national committee members are expected to complete one of the two course options below.

The Respect in Sport Activity Leader / Coach Program educates leaders, coaches, officials and participants (aged 14 years and up) to recognize, understand and respond to issues of bullying, abuse , harassment and discrimination. NCCP Coaches can have the course completion recorded on their Locker transcript through a simple opt-in process at the beginning of the training. Access this training here.

The Coaching Association of Canada’s (CAC) Safe Sport Training was developed to help anyone involved in sport — whether you have direct contact with athletes or work in the background — to promote physical, psychological, and social health, in line with the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport. Access this training here.

Ringette Canada Policy Suite

To ensure policies remain current and are aligned with the Universal Code of Conduct for Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS), Ringette Canada, in partnership with Sport Law and Strategy Group (SLSG) conducted an independent policy review resulting in the adoption of an updated suite of Safe Sport policies.

Ringette Canada is committed to reviewing and revising these policies as often as necessary in order to ensure members can participate in a sporting environment that is free from abuse, harassment, or discrimination.

Concussions

What is a Concussion?

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury caused by a blow to the head or by a jolt to the body that jars your head. It affects your ability to think and remember things.

Because concussions are a common type of injury in sport, it’s important to be aware of the symptoms and treatment.

Concussion Symptoms

Physical

Headache
Dizziness
Nausea or vomiting
Blurred vision
Sensitivity to light or sound
Ringing in the ears
Balance issues
Low energy

Mental

Not thinking clearly
Slow response
Mental fog
Difficulty concentrating
Memory problems

Emotional

Easily upset
Sadness
Anxiety
Emotional ups and downs

What to do if you Suspect a Concussion?

Athletes should not return to play or any other physical activity if they suspect a concussion.

If you think that you or your child may have a concussion, see a doctor immediately.

Seek emergency care if the following symptoms are present:

Neck pain or tenderness
Double vision
Weakness in arms or legs
Severe headache
Seizure or convulsion
Loss of consciousness
Repeated vomiting
Slurred speech
Prolonged ringing in the ears
Unusual behaviour
Nose bleeds
Confusion (difficulty recognizing people or places)

Concussion Prevention

There are steps you can take to minimize the possibility of a concussion.

Wear protective equipment that fits properly and is well-maintained.
Follow the rules of the game and practice good sportsmanship.
Exercise regularly so that your entire body is strong and agile.
Increase awareness by sharing concussion information with other athletes.

Concussion Resources

For athletes

Concussion Management Guidelines

Canadian Guideline on Concussion in Sport

For coaches

Making Head Way Concussion eLearning Series

Concussion Preseason Education Sheet

For parents

Concussion Preseason Education Sheet

Parent and Player Concussion Information Form

Trans-Inclusion Policy and Resources

Creating an Inclusive Environment for All

At Ringette Canada we strive to provide a community where transgender members feel welcome and valued.

This page offers resources and practical tools to help support transgender inclusion in ringette. It also expands upon updates to our Transgender Inclusion Policy.

New concepts and practices require time, patience and an open mind. We will continue to update this hub with additional resources as they become available.

Ringette Canada Tools and Resources

Transgender Inclusion Policy

Equal Opportunity Guidelines

Guidance on Collection and Use of Gender Data

Change Room Guidelines and Implementation Guide

Trans Inclusion Policy FAQ

Gender Diversity in Ringette Webinar Recording

Gender Diversity in Ringette Webinar Slides

External Resources

TransFocus Consulting – Transgender Inclusion in the Workplace

TransFocus Consulting – Pronouns in the Workplace

Canadian Women & Sport – Leading the Way: 2SLGBTQI Inclusion in Sport