SPORT PROMOTION
 Create an alumni program
 Keep alumni engaged in the sport
- use alumni as resources
 Look for corporate sponsorship
- target female brands, Subway and other healthy food
options
 Have a person at the provincial level or internship for
university student that is specifically focussed on media
relations
- Get Ringette on tv! (TSN, local networks, stream on you tube
could be an option as well)
- You tube clips about Ringette featured on ORA site and local
Ringette association sites
- Clips of Ringette players playing, interviews, and off-ice activities
combined for promotion at local association events/Bingo events/Mall
events
SPORT PROMOTION (cont’d)
 Look at getting Ringette back into our high schools
- make this an easier process for insurance purposes
- make University Ringette Varsity
 Utilize Come Try Ringette/Bring a Friend
 Advertise more to local schools; demo Ringette at schools
and talk to teachers about incorporating into gym program
 Expansion of existing programs into areas where no
Ringette currently is being played
-Focus on bunnies
-Discount/ free registration for first year players
-Learn to skate programs
 Older players mentor younger players and get them more
involved
SPORT PROMOTION (Cont’d)
 Look at how we can make the sport cheaper for all
 Ensure your association has a display case and that it is up
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to date with Ringette information and achievements
Showcase Timbits Ringette – contact them about
advertising Ringette program not just hockey and soccer
More Social Media presence
OWG 55+ games for adult Ringette players
More parent engagements and information available at
Learn to Skate/CTR Events
Alayne Martell - can we use her as a resource?
Ringette Day in Ontario
SPORT GROWTH
 Target moms bringing kids back into Ringette
 Connect with Ringette Canada about how we can raise awareness
of our sport
 Revamp the ORA Website
- make it searchable
 Retention of players
 Poll kids leaving the sport - Why are they leaving? Age of the
kids leaving? What is missing from their experience in rink?
-Suggestion: Poll kids at end of season and get them before
they leave, see what they like and dislike about the season
 Expansion into new centers
- could a college student help create this?
SPORT GROWTH (Cont’d)
 Trillium Grant options for funding to support growth –
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new format, research how to do it correctly
Jumpstart Promotion
GM Canada – new helmets for new participants; look
at assistance with Ringette cages as well
Get it into the school system
1st year player discounts
Showcase games (NRL, U19AA)
FAIR ICE POLICY
 Education- that everyone is aware that Ontario has a fair
ice policy in place and where to find it in the manual
– suggestion: to create a “For Coaches” section
 Enforcement and consistency so that all teams are
following it as per instructions
 Publish a list of the teams who have abused the policy
online
- suggestion to create a wall of glory instead to emphasize the
positive not negative
 Review each level and division and make sure it is logical
and practical
ENGAGING VOLUNTEERS
 Volunteer Appreciation and Recognition at association and provincial
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level
Clear Job descriptions outlining the tasks that each volunteer signing
up is responsible for
Get volunteers into it early
- target U9/U10 parents
- have executive meet these parents
- show interest and encourage them to get more involved for
the better of the sport
List of all important dates at the association and provincial level to
ensure easy management of timelines by associations and presidents
Shot Clock online training – this does exist!
Train Board Members (eg. The United Way)
Associations should be assisting with succession planning at the Board
Level
LONG-TERM PLANNING
 Advertise
 Redesign the website to promote the sport and make
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more user friendly
Planned and sustained promotion of events – not just
single occurrences
Cross promotion with other sports (lacrosse, soccer,
figure skating)
ORA promotional flyers/tools for the associations to
use
Increase visibility of the sport as a whole
LONG-TERM PLANNING (Cont’d)
 Consideration of the adult program
– would U24 be work better for the 19-24 year olds?
 Need for a special committee at the ORA board level to
build a comprehensive plan with a 3-5 yr commitment
to initiate, support and measure
- Develop strategic vision with input
- Each association has competing challenges:
-hockey
-new ethic communities that do not traditionally play
ice sports
- kids play multi-sports
- ice availability
LONG-TERM PLANNING (Cont’d)
 Challenge of always being in survival mode; hard to think
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beyond immediate needs
Investigate Corporate Sponsorship
Connect with Ringette Canada to support and have a clear focus
on recruitment and promotion nationwide
Run ORA as a business
Demystify LTAD/Sport Development
- Promotion
- Skill Development
 Expansion of provincial events? Yes or No
 Safety of the sport (officials, recruitment of players, coaches)
 Respect in Sport
- is this a program that Ontario Ringette should be a part of?
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
 What do we want Ringette in Ontario to look like in 5
years? 10 years?
 How can be best highlight and ‘sell’ the uniqueness of
our sport?
 How do we access more ice if we see the growth we
long for? Is it something our sport can handle?