Excellence

• An independent panel appointed by Ringette Alberta will review all components of the intake process which include…

• Application and Questionnaire
  • Age-appropriate questions designed to encourage the athlete to reflect on and why they believe this program is a good fit for them. 
  • An insufficient attempt at completing the questionnaire may disqualify the athlete from further steps in the intake process

• Fitness Assessment (click for details)
  • 20M Shuttle Run
  • Plank
  • Standing Long Jump
  • 20m Sprint with 10m Split Time
  • 5-10-5
  • Push Ups
  • Sit Ups
  • Triple Jump

• On ice Assessment
  • Goaltenders:
    • Distribution – 20 rings, 4 targets
    • Rebound control – 10 shots
    • Iron Cross
    • Shuffle
    • Sprint
    • Breakaway

• Non-Goaltenders will complete the standard Universal Athlete Assessment
  • • Forward speed test with ring pickup
    • Forward speed test (no ring)
    • Backward speed test (no ring)
    • Agility weave with ring
    • Stop & start side to side
    • Butterfly agility skate

• Compete Assessment 
  • Game-like, controlled drills

 We are committed to finding the most qualified and experienced evaluators available to us.  

As many as are deemed ready

• Deliberate and active inclusion of goaltenders in regular training sessions rather than afterthoughts in drill design
• Dedicated on ice and off ice goaltender training

Qualifications:

• Competition Introduction (CI) Trained with a commitment to completing the Competition Introduction Evaluation during the season.
• Have a minimum of 2 years coaching experience in ringette.
• Member in good standing with their local ringette association and Ringette Alberta
• Agreed to and continue to adhere to the Coach Code of Conduct throughout their time in the program
• Coach a Classic Team with your Local Association during the season or meet other approved coach related volunteer requirements determined by your Local Association.

The application will include:

1. Application and Questionnaire designed to have the coach reflect on and share their strengths, weaknesses, what they hope to get out of this program, and what they bring to the program.
2. References 
3. Criminal records check (verified through the reference check process)

If the number of applications exceeds the number of team staff positions the program is able to offer while still running a beneficial program for our accepted coaches, applicants may be asked to participate in an interview with a selection panel.

One of the principles of this program is to support meaningful competition which means creating homogeneous groups.  So, tiering may occur but we won’t know exactly what this looks like until after the athlete intake process is complete and we assess the relative performance of the athletes in the program. 

Coaches will fill two primary roles while in this program. 

1. They will be student coaches.
2. They will assist the leadership team with the delivery of the program in the camp settings and, under the guidance of the leadership team, function as team coaches when teams are formed later in the season. 

Camps

• Preparation
• Attend virtual sessions with the program leaders to go over the objectives for the camp, athlete progressions, role of coaches, etc.
• Delivery
• In earlier camps, coaches will take a secondary role to the leadership team and support drill execution
• In later camps, coaches will take on the primary role of camp delivery under the guidance of the program leadership team. 
• Post Camp
• There will a debrief after each camp

Between Camps

• Coaches will participate in virtual sessions with program leaders in a community of coaches environment where coaches can ask questions and get answers that help them support their Classic Ringette teams and add to their coaching repertoire which will help them if they wish to coach in the full time Pursuit of Excellence environment in the future.

Team Formation and Preparation

• Under the guidance of the leadership team, teams are formed and coaches are supported in the preparation of their teams for end of season qualifications and competition.

The draft schedule of activities will be built to avoid the traditional times local associations host touraments that include U14 teams.

Proactively, Ringette Alberta will work with the Chinook and Black Gold Leagues and local ringette associations to minimize conflicts between this program and the U14 Classic program.

The goal is to respect the Classic program schedule while allowing those enrolled in this program to take part in all scheduled activities. The overall volume of activity within the U14 Classic programs will not change and U14 players in the Classic program will not get “less” provided there is cooperation on the part of the leagues and local associations.

The schedule for Intro to POE team preparation activities that takes place the end of the season will be determined prior to any U14 Classic teams and their schedules being established. This schedule will be built once Ringette Alberta knows how many athletes in each region are accepted into the Introduction to Pursuit of Excellence Program. 

Recommendation #46 from the Ringette Canada Competition Review and Restructuring Report means there should be no U14AA “programs” whatsoever,  we are trying to create a way to maintain some elements of a program and not eliminate this opportunity entirely.

Additionally, making this a full time program would have damaging inpact on local association Classic programs.

We’re trying to find a balance.

There has been an immeasurable amount of related research that was used to develop the Canadian Sport for Life Long Term Development Framework.  That Framework is the basis for ringette’s long term athlete development framework which underpins this program.

Additionally, two different qualitative research studies were conducted to hear from the athletes; one in Alberta (2018) and one nationally (2021). The outcome from those studies supports the decision to implement this program (and others).

No. 

AA will be a tier within the Introduction to Pursuit of Excellence Program, however, it will look different than what people are used to.

This program will be run out of appropriate geographically-based hubs (with supporting satellite programming) based in the community, with the full involvement of community coaches.

Not every association that is a Member of Ringette Alberta will operate a Pursuit of Excellence Program.

Throughout the program, there will be constant monitoring of the relative performance of the athletes and they will be grouped accordingly so every athlete is challenged. Of course this isn’t a exact science so adjustments will be ongoing through the program.

Teams will be formed in the second half of the annual cycle.  For team formation, we’ll first determine if there is a sufficient spread of relative performance to require tiering.  If that is the case, which we assume it will be, once tiered, teams within a tier will be balanced for close competition.

It is possiible numbers may not reflect the perfect distribution of goaltenders to skaters. A solution will be determined once we know how many athletes are enrolled. We can’t provide a more definitive answer now. 

No. AA teams will be created within this program.

The simple answer is associations described below create more balanced A teams: 

• Bow View +1
• South Calgary +1
• Northwest +1
• Associations in Zone 2 work together +1
• Associatons in Cenral Alberta work together +1
• Edmonton +1
• St. Albert +1
• Sherwood Park +1
• Spruce Grove +1

We expect to see a moderate increase at A and a slight increase at B.  

There is a possibility of a few more A teams in 2022-23 than 2021-22

Ultimately, Ringette Canada will formalize the standards for all programs across Canada and it will determine the monitoring process.  For now, Ringette Alberta is operating this program and is ensuring quality standards are met. 

We can’t provide an exact ratio at this time until we see how many athletes and coaches are enrolled in the program however, be asured, there will be an appropriate ratio.

This question appears to be coming from some who observed the “experience camp” that was run in Calgary.  Due to COVID infections and close contacts, the athlete to coach ratio was significantly affected.  There were fewer coaches available forcing larger athlete groups to be formed. 

Parents / guardians will be required to meet the volunteer commitments that are normally expected within their home association.

The Introduction to Pursuit of Excellence is operated in a camp setting to make it easier for athletes outside the Edmonton / Calgary areas to participate. Because the bulk of the athletes in Alberta live in the two major urban centres in the province, the camps will be held in or near these areas. Later in the season, there will be some region-based team preparation. 

Once we determine how many athletes and coaches from outside the two major urban centres are participating in the program, we will work with them to implement solutions to make the program as accessible as possible.

That is ultimately up the the Western Canadian Ringette Championship Governing Committee, which includes all four western provinces. 

Our hope is that, as other provinces roll out their programs, modifications to WCRC will be made at the same time. 

For U14, we will evaluate and make appropriate adjustments.  

If it is listed below, it is included in the costs.  If it isn’t listed, it is not included.  The exact cost will be determined based on the costs of things like ice at the time the program is launched.

Athlete Program

Assessment

• • fitness assessment
  • skating assessment
  • compete drills assessment
    

$65 Estimate

Program 

• • High quality, progressive instruction lead by some of the best ringette coaches in Canada
  • *36 ice sessions (goaltenders 40).  Ice slots will vary between 60 and 75 minutes. 
  • *12 off ice sessions ranging from 60-90 minutes per session
  • Stage-appropriate fitness program
  • 5 additional ice sessions for team preparation once teams are formed

*may vary slightly based on facility access

$975 Estimate

Coach Program $0

Ringette Alberta will facilitate a fundraising opportunity to cover costs that aren’t included.

All athletes and coaches will receive a standard kit containing Pursuit of Excellence branded apparel.

Ringette Alberta will provide athletes jerseys for games and pinnies for practice. Guidelines on what is appropriate apparel for off ice activities will be provided.

To control costs and keep the program financially accessible to most, no additional apparel will be avaiable for purchase.

 The U16 and U19 (and hopefully U21) programs are full time

• Athletes will participate full time in this program.
• Teams will be formed much earlier in the program (compared to Intro to POE)
• All athletes will earn admittance according to a provincial standard and process
• All coaches will earn admittance according to a provincial standard and process
• Eventually, all programs will be required to meet program standards established by Ringette Canada

Ringette Alberta also wants to alleviate the concerns that current AA team operators may have about their future.  There are a lot of good things happening across the province. Ringette Alberta respects the work you have put in, the time and commitment of your coaches and the successes you have had.  Our intent is to preserve this and work with the stakeholders in the community to build on this.  The essence of these AA operations will continue; they’ll just look a little different.  

• For fitness, the assessments will be completed at fitness testing locations in many areas of the province therefore travel will be minimal. 
• For the on ice assessment, there will be north and south locations. Travel to once of these locations is required.  
• Four times per calendar year, participants will travel to camp locations.  Locations are very likely to be in the Edmonton / Calgary corridor and are a factor of facility access.
• Later in the season, there will be team preparation on a regional basis, i.e., noth and south, so travel to those locations will be required.
• Towards the end of the season, teams from this program will participate in a qualification process to determine which teams advance to the Western Canadian Ringette Championship. This is no different than the travel that is required for provincials today. Travel for these qualification games is required.
• Qualified Alberta teams will travel to the Western Canadian Ringette Championship.

Ringette Alberta supports every individual’s right to choose the sport program that meets their needs.

The following is provided so individuals have all crucial information, as it relates to access to Ringette Alberta and Ringette Canada programs and services in the future, when they are making their decision.

Individuals / teams who are not registered with Ringette Alberta are not eligible to…

• use Ringette Canada certified officials
• compete against teams registered with Ringette Alberta
• participate in Ringette Alberta sanctioned exhibition games
• participate in Ringette Alberta sanctioned league play
• participate in Ringette Alberta sanctioned tournaments
• participate in Ringette Alberta playdowns or provincial championships
• participate in Ringette Alberta Challenge
• participate in Ringette Alberta Cup
• participate in the Alberta Winter Games
• participate in the Canada Winter Games
• participate in the Western Canadian Ringette Championship
• participate in the Canadian Ringette Championship
• participate in any tournament sanctioned by another Member of Ringette Canada
• participate in any Ringette Canada athlete development program
• participate in any Ringette Canada high performance program or team
• access Ringette Alberta or Ringette Canada scholarship programs
• receive liability and accident benefits through Ringette Canada’s insurance program