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Page 14 â€" Waterloo Chronicle, Wednesday, Februa;y 19, 1975 cempoug.. s P 4 By Mary Johnston Most people associate skates, sticks and ice rinks with hockey, but for 200 Waterioo girls these words describe ringette, the fastâ€" est growing girls‘ winter sport in Canada. . Although _ ringette â€" has been played in Waterloo for only ~six years, it has developed into a successful and popular sport. From a first year enrolment of 45 players and four teams, the minor ringette proâ€" gram has expanded to 210 players and 15 teams in 1975. Tom Litwiller, Waterloo community â€" services proâ€" gram superyvisor, says ringâ€" ette has been successful because it‘s the first winâ€" ter team sport designed specifically for girls. In his opinion too much money was channelled to the development of boys‘ sports in the past at the expense of girls‘ programs. ‘""Girls‘ sports have alâ€" ways been cheated", he says. ‘"Ringette is a game that was long overdue, providing opportunities for _ sportsmanship, _ felâ€" lowship and competition for girls." Back in Good Shape... Fast Not a sign of that colliâ€" sion when our experts reâ€"condition your car. Fine work at moderâ€" ate prices. Laura â€" Simpson. _ preâ€" Ringette, fastest growing girls‘ winter sport NORTHDALE â€" AUTO BODY 430 ALBERT ST. PH. 884â€"0550 WATERLOO WATERLOO sQUARE MALL 579â€"3540 "‘Creators of Delicious Baked Foods" â€"=â€"â€" (»>SPECIALSG@ RYE BREAD... 2/89° ... CHERRY B NUT BUNS...6/69° Bakeries Ltd. Ask About Our Freezer "Bread Special" sident of Waterloo minor ringette, _ attributes _ the popularity of the game to the opportunity it proâ€" vides for girls to particiâ€" pate in a sport on ice at a minimal cost. ‘‘There aren‘t that many skating outlets for girls in Waterloo except for figure skating _ lessons, _ which many families have found too expensive." she says. Pointing out the economiâ€" cal side of ringette, she says it costs only $7 to outfit a girl for the game. This money goes to buy a helmet and mouth guard which are mandatory equipâ€" ment. Financially supported in part by Waterloo comâ€" munity services, ringette registration fees are $4 a year for one hour of ice time per week during a five month season. For this money the girls receive participation crests and attend a final banquet. Tournament fees, equipâ€" ment, costs and extras are paid with money raised by an annual skatethon. Ice time and registration costs are provided free by comâ€" munity services. With an enrolment inâ€" crease of 22 percent in 1974 and 30 per cent in 1973, the only possible handicap to the future growth of ringette in Waâ€" terloo is the availability of ice time, says Laurie Simpâ€" February 17 to 22 ‘‘We have been very forâ€" tunate that Waterloo cothâ€" munity services has come up with as much ice time for ringette as we needed in the past. Our continuous growth in _ membership hasn‘t affected us yet, but if our enrolment were to double next year, we would have _ problems _ getting enough ice time,"" she says. Invented in Ontario in 1965 as a game specifiâ€" cally designed for girls, ringette is similar to hockey in some ways but contains less violence and _body contact. It is played on a hockey rink with six playâ€" ers from each team, two forwards, one centre, two defencemen, and a goalie. Players use a â€" straight stick to carry and shoot a round rubber ring. According to the official rule book, no body contact is allowed and player safeâ€" ty sportsmanlike behaviour and teamwork are stressed. STANLEY PARK MALL 743â€"483 1 To ensure ice time for all 11 to 18 members of the team, coaches are required to play each player once during both twenty minute periods. Although teams play with a minimum of equipment borrowed from basketball and hockey, research proâ€" grams are underway to deâ€" velop special equipment for ringette. June Tiesson, president of Ontario Ringette, says professor Don Hayes of the University of Waterldo kinesiology department is conducting a survey to determine what kind of injuries occor in ringette and ways to avoid them. From this study he hopes to recommend designs for ringette protective equipâ€" ment. â€" Another development in the game has been the design of a special ringette skate by the Bauer Skaté company. Specially designed for girls, the skates feature narrow skate widths and safety tube blades. In an age when fewer and fewer people are willing to donate their _ time, Waterloo minor ringette has a dedicated, growing band ‘of volunteer helpers. Over 50 people are now inâ€" volved with ringette as convenors, coaches, manaâ€" gers and referees. While the organization is always looking for interestâ€" ed â€" volunteers to â€" help with minor ringette, they had no trouble finding enough coaches this year. *‘We had a waiting list of people who wanted to coach. Fortunately we have good parent interest in ringâ€" ette and growing specâ€" tator interest", says Laurie Simpson. Waterloo minor ringette is structured into three divisions: bellesâ€" 14,15 and 16 years, tweenâ€" 11,12 and 13 years, and petiteâ€" 10 years and under. At the present time there are 15 teams; three belles, seven tweens and five petite teams. The allâ€"star petite team recently travelled to a 30 team tournament in Winâ€" nipeg and won the trophy in their class. ‘‘Although some parents were not so sure about sending their young ones away to Winninpeg. the girls gained a great exâ€" perience. They â€" received excellent â€" treatment â€" and billeting"", _ says _ Laurie canada Tax senvices e Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 pm. 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Please drop into our office or call for an appointmentâ€"885â€"0960 Any Type of Income Tax Return Prepared Privately and Confidentially We‘ll save you every dollar we can. You need it We‘re not free...bnt you‘ll probably pay more elsewhere. MAIN FLOOR 279 WEBER ST. N (Between University and Columbia) Waterloo, Ontario Simpson. Even â€" though _ ringette emphasizes sportsmanship and teamwork more than competition, â€" she thinks tournaments are a very important part of the proâ€" gram, because they teach the players how to act .in competitive situations. She says the girls like atâ€" tending tournaments and are always asking when they ~â€"can play an actual game instead of practice sessions. Waterloo minor ringette hosted its first tournament last weekend in conjuncâ€" tion with Canadian Ringâ€" ette Week, Feb. 8 to Feb. 16. Nine represenâ€" tative petite teams from Hamilton, Toronto, Ajax, Kitchener, Waterloo, Camâ€" bridge and Woolwich townâ€" ship participated in the event. The purpose of Canadian Ringette Week was to make people aware of ringette as a sport and its tremenâ€" dous growth in the past few years. Although ringâ€" ette has been in exisâ€" Goalie Kim Ward, left, and captain Shannon Simpson accept the trophy from Waterloo Mayor Herb Epp after the Waterloo Ringette Petite A team won its division during the first tournament held in Waterloo on Sunday. Waterâ€" loo defeated Cambridge 11â€"6 as 150 girls on nine teams competed in the tourney. tence for only ten years, 30,000 people are playing it in Canada now and officials estimate that 100,000 girls will be playing the game by 1976. tence for only ten years, early this year and future 30,000 people are playing it plans for a national rinâ€" in Canada now and officials gette governing body in the estimate that 100,000 girls works, we will certainly will be playing the game be hearing more about by 1976. ringette in the future. It With the declaration of could be the â€" greatest ringette as a Canadian sport to come out of Canâ€" national sport slaied for ada since hockey. The chapter‘s main conâ€" cern this year. _ and the OHF‘s as well, is prevenâ€" tive _ cardiology _ through improved education incluâ€" ding the use of films, pamâ€" phlets, posters and other material. * The North Waterloo Chapâ€" ter of the Ontario Heart Foundation has set its tarâ€" get at $85,000 during the 1975 campaign for funds. From 1955 to 1974 the Canadian Heart Foundation supported fellowships and grantsâ€" â€" inâ€" â€"aid to the amount of more than $35 million. In Ontario alone the OHF supplied $2 million in funds for research. The â€" Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo Hospital has plans to open Don‘t Miss Out . . . Waterioo numbers 884 and 885 can have GENERAL ANSWERING SERVICE MILEAGE FREE NO RESERVE YOUR LINE GENERAL HAS THE TO WATERLOO Call ‘General‘ Today 744â€"4155 MILEAGE CHARGE GENERAL HAS THE ANSWER . . . The Editor a â€" cardiac â€" rehabilitation centre to help educate paâ€" tients, their families and friends. Having just read in this week‘s Chronicle (Feb. 12 issue) that Mr. Don Mcâ€" Curdy is leaving your paper. I would like to thank Mr. McCurdy, on behalf of St. Louis Catholic Women‘s League, for his coâ€"operation in printing our council‘s news during his term as editor, and to wish him fuâ€" ture success. For more information persons may call the chapâ€" ter at 578â€"9175 or write to P. 0. Box 118}. Kitchener. Ont.., N2G 4G1. Letter â€" _ Get All The Facts About Â¥ «»lans Vrsit Our Information Booth WATERLOO SQUARE MALL | Fri. Feb. 21, Sat. Feb.22 METROPOLITAN LIFE > Sincerely Mrs. Margaret Pallot Publicity Chairman St. Louis CWL & etirement & egistered @ avings