Beginning in the 2025-2026 season, Ringette PEI will undergo changes at the U14 High Performance level. There will be one set of try outs for two (2) balanced U14 Wave Teams. These two (2) teams will continue to represent PEI at the Eastern Canadian Championships and other tournaments during the 2025/2026 season.
Ringette PEI remains committed to the long term development of our athletes. The success of the High-Performance programs depends on the strength of our grassroots initiatives. At this time, no changes will be made to the High-Performance Programs at the U16 and U19 levels.
The Long Term Athlete Development guideline is one in which coaches follow to help understand the level in which their athletes are at in regards to mental, physical, social and technical skills development. All athletes will develop quicker or slower at different age groups and recognizing these boundaries is important.
Ringette PEI has taken the pledge alongside all other governing body provincial associations in regards to the “Guiding Principles for Competition” https://ltrd.ringette.ca/athlete/guiding-principles-competition/). Nobody is disadvantaged by playing at a “lower” level.
Ringette Canada’s Competition Review was an extensive process which took place over approximately two years, provided multiple opportunities for stakeholder input, and ensured broader system alignment while the Long-Term Athlete Development Essentials and Ringette Canada High Performance Plan were developed.
A recommendation made for the train to train group in regards to meaningful competition:
“In the FUNdamentals, Learn-to-Train, Train-to-Train and Active for Life stages of development, Provincial and Local Associations should favour the creation of balanced teams over elite teams, and promote maximum opportunities for participation, while maintaining an environment which allows for meaningful competition.”
Competition Review
https://ltrd.ringette.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Competition-Review-and-Restructuring-Report.pdf (pages 10 through 13)
Train to Train - (Pages 27-30)
https://sportforlife.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Long-Term-Development-in-Sport-and-Physical-Activity-3.0.pdf
Long Term Athlete Development - INFORMATION FOR PARENTS
https://sportforlife.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/CAC-LTAD-for-Parents.pdf
This change aligns RPEI with Ringette Canada’s model for this age group. The intention is to build on RPEI’s strong representation at ECRCs by promoting a greater sense of teamwork and collaboration. U14 is a key stage for skill development - including social and emotional growth - and this structure will provide more athletes the chance to compete at a high level while keeping teams strong at the local level.
We encourage all members to embrace this change and help cultivate an environment where every athlete can aspire to wear the Team PEI jersey with pride. We are looking forward to exciting matchups and memorable games during 2025-2026 ringette season!
Each year NB, NS, PEI, Ontario and Quebec will compete in a year end major tournament to cap off the end of their high performance season. This tournament is called the Eastern Canadian Ringette Championships. PEI sends two teams to the U14 division, one team to the U16 Division and one team to the U19 division. The only two teams that do not attend the ECRCs are the U16 and U19 WAVE teams as they compete at the Canadian Ringette Championships (Nationals) and are considered AA teams.
The U14 EDGE and WAVE teams attend the ECRCs and are expected to compete at the same level as equals. PEI has historically structured the U14 High Performance program to send a double AA (WAVE) and one A team (EDGE) to compete at the same division.
The High Performance Program is governed by RPEI and is a program solely managed and run by Ringette PEI. RPEI selects the coaches, supports the coaches and teams with jerseys and are meant to represent PEI as travel teams in other provinces and in tournaments across Canada. The HP Program is NOT an association driven program and does not affect house leagues in each association. Players from all over PEI have the privilege to try out when RPEI puts a call out for tryouts each season. Should a player be selected by the approved coaches RPEI has put in place through the tryout process they will then be considered a high-performance athlete falling under the RPEI umbrella who represents PEI on and off the ice as young ambassadors to the sport.
When the U14 EDGE team enters tournaments, notably the PierreFonds tournament in Quebec in which all HP teams on PEI attend, we have to enter in the AA division and not the A division due to the participation required to enter the Easterns. Although some still consider the EDGE team to be an A level team and by the selection process and structure alone dictates this, the EDGE team is required to compete at the AA level.
Under Ringette Canada’s Train to Train (early stage 12y-13yr old) Long Term Athlete Development guide it suggests that tiering is introduced at this level. As players aged 12 to 13 are introduced to the next level of competition which is the next level up from club/house league teams - tiering as it is displayed currently dictates an AA and A structure which has been recommended by Ringette Canada to remove at this level. Tiering is more structured when you get into the U16 and U19 divisions where you are playing against equal strength teams from other provinces at the Easterns and the AA teams heading to the Nationals. U16A and U19A EDGE teams play the the ECRCs and the U16AA and U19AA teams compete at the Nationals.
The Long Term Athlete Development guideline is one in which coaches follow to help understand the level in which their athletes are at in regards to mental, physical, social and technical skills development. All athletes will develop quicker or slower at different age groups and recognizing these boundaries is important.
Ringette PEI has taken the pledge alongside all other governing body provincial associations in regards to the “Guiding Principles for Competition” (https://ltrd.ringette.ca/athlete/guiding-principles-competition/). Nobody is disadvantaged by playing at a “lower” level.
Train to Train (Early Ages 12-13) - (Pages 27-30) https://sportforlife.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Long-Term-Development-in-Sport-and-Physical-Activity-3.0.pdf
Long Term Athlete Development -INFORMATION FOR PARENTS https://sportforlife.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/CAC-LTAD-for-Parents.pdf
It is very common to learn from your peers. We see this in early childhood development and all throughout athlete competition. Players will learn from one another on the ice during games. This promotes faster development for those who are average in comparison to those who are excelling for their age. Oftentimes, players will mimic or will get peer coaching on the ice before whistles as they strategize and become leaders. This is not easily done by coaches who are on the bench where on-ice leaders take on this critical role on each shift and each line. This creates leadership opportunities for players to foster development and create team bonds with those players who are catching up with their development path. When there are less experienced players on the ice it creates a slower paced development pathway for players who could benefit from above average players. This is absolutely crucial at the U14 level as players entering into the U14 division for the first year from U12 will have no experience at the Provincial style of game play.
https://truesportpur.ca/aboutus
True Sport is an approach to values-based sport that creates the right conditions for ALL individuals to experience good sport, to value it, commit to it, nurture it, and stay connected to it all their lives.
When all those involved in sport prioritize the welfare, safety, and rights of participants, and recognize and report acts of maltreatment, they create, foster, and preserve sport environments that ensure positive, healthy, and fulfilling sport experiences.
Having games where you are unfairly matched against your opponent creates an unrealistic interpretation of what competition is. When competition is meaningful, there is a greater sense of achievement and accomplishment among players. Team success should not be driven by the wins a team has or medals they win. Meaningful competition provides experiences that support learning for competitors. It supports a “we can get better” attitude that encourages athletes to improve during and after the event.
MEANINGFUL COMPETITION:
Ringette Canada Competition Review (pages 10 through 13 “Meaningful Competition”)
There is an argument that both sides can have in regards to how elite players develop. One side will say that they need to always play with like-skilled players in order to achieve the next level. While this can be true, it is also believed that players playing in that scenario are not pushed as hard or challenged as their peers are excelling where they would not have to in each play.
Consider the scenario that teams were balanced fairly, even the best player in the division would need to work hard to win every game, therefore creating a greater challenge for that player. They would face other strong players on opposing teams and work harder to get results for their team.
Members of the Competition Review Working Group and staff from Provincial Associations consistently identified an overemphasis being placed on competition in the Learn-to-Train and Train-to-Train stages of development. This overemphasis has led to the creation of select teams and has harmed long-term athlete development. Some instances of this overemphasis on competition were also reported during the FUNdamentals stage of development. The proposed separation of contexts aims to at least partially address these issues by formally delaying the start of competitive ringette and providing a clearer pathway for athlete development.
For a more comprehensive review of this please refer to the Ringette Canada Competition Review (Page 18-19)
Apart from the development aspect of the Train to Train early stage group for girls aged 12 to 13, the change in balanced teams offers other valuable opportunities that did not exist in prior years such as:
It is extremely important to ensure that sport remains fun, meaningful, competitive and engaging for our young athletes and it is our job as parents to instill these values. Every athlete will develop at their own pace and with a greater emphasis on fun through meaningful competition will set up our players for greater success as they enter the train-to-compete learning-to-win stages of the long term athlete development guideline.
Please take the time to watch this video “ The Cost of Winning”
“Sport is any athletic game played in a competitive environment that both parties are passionate and excited to be involved in. Unfortunately, right now, the expected outcome is a win and a loss and that’s how success is viewed.” - Chris Snyder, Director of Coaching Development, United States Olympic Committee