There are many questions from teams, coaches, and safety officers about the Return to Ringette guidelines. Thank you all for your patience — we are all new to these requirements and we are trying our best to understand and implement them as they evolve.
Please frequently check the Ringette Alberta Return to Ringette webpage and the Ringette Calgary “Covid” tab for the latest info.
Here are some of the common questions — we will continue to add to this list as we go!
JAN 29 ? Ringette Calgary responded to the provincial government’s announcement regarding “Step 1” restriction changes and declared there will be no further scheduled league games for the Chinook League (U12-U19AA), and the Ringette Calgary Children’s League (AS-U10) this season (as per the RAB Memo posted below on Season End Scenario). See the Ringette Calgary website for their update posted on Jan 29: https://ringettecalgary.ca/temporary-shutdown/
What will the season look like this year?
When will league games begin?
Jan 29, 2021: No further league games will be scheduled this season https://ringettecalgary.ca/temporary-shutdown/
How do we know what teams / how many teams are in our mini-league cohort each Session?
Once Ringette Calgary posts the game schedules on their website for each Session, you should be able to quickly identify the other teams in your mini-league cohort for that Session. (ie. Is your SC team scheduled to play against two other teams during that Session? Then you are in a 3-team cohort. Such as SC1, BV1 and NW1.) See this Cohort Memo from Ringette Calgary for more info on mini-league cohorts.
Do we have any referees in our mini-league cohort this Session?
Ringette Calgary will notify teams directly if any referees are available to be assigned to your cohort that Session.
Some teams will need to use a trained “Coach Official”. Coaches who are unqualified to officiate are NOT permitted to act as an official on the ice or from the bench. Please see the Officiating Memo from Ringette Calgary for more info. (Note that Ringette Calgary has different policy for Exhibition Games than what is mentioned in this RAB memo. See the “exhibition game” FAQ below.)
What are the rules for minor officials at games?
See the Minor Officials memo from Ringette Alberta on their Return to Ringette page and the League Update memo on the Ringette Calgary “Covid” website for further clarification.
Why are there no game scores or standings posted?
Due to the shortage of officials this year, many mini-league cohorts in every age group do not have any officials. No officials means that those cohorts can only have scrimmages and no scoresheets are used. Game scores simply don’t exist for many teams. Therefore game scores and standings will not be posted for anyone. See the Ringette Calgary Oct 15 Memo on “Scrimmages and Standings” for more info.
Can we organize an exhibition game on our own?
NO! All exhibition games MUST be scheduled through the Leagues — contact your Ringette Calgary division coordinator with questions. See the ‘Event Sanctioning’ document and other items below:
Members that organize unsanctioned Ringette activities are subject to serious consequences. Not only are unsanctioned events not covered by insurance, the participants may be required to take a 14 day break or could even be suspended for the season. See the Ringette Alberta Return to Ringette webpage for more info. Also see this news memo from Ringette Canada: https://www.ringette.ca/serious-consequences-for-unsanctioned-ringette-activities/
Who is considered part of our team cohort?
Only players and APPROVED coaches are participants in your team cohort. Parents, team managers, Non-Cohort Coaches, off-ice officials, etc are NOT part of the team cohort and should remain distanced. DO NOT LET ANYONE ON THE ICE OR THE BENCH IF THEY ARE NOT APPROVED TO BE ON YOUR TEAM STAFF! The team staff listed on your TeamView in SportzSoft are the only APPROVED team staff. (See the “Roster / Team Staff” section of this page for more info)
Does our team cohort have to continue to wear masks or remain physically distant?
**See page 4 of the Oct 29 updated version of the Ringette Alberta Supplement to National Direction (version 2.0 Oct 29, 2020) for a chart on masks and distancing.
Everyone must wear masks as per local bylaws and facility protocols when not on the ice (ie. dressing rooms, around the arena, team events, etc.) Physical distancing is also required where possible when not on the ice.
Coaches must wear masks in all areas of every facility including dressing rooms, players benches, penalty boxes, and all other public spaces, regardless of facility protocol or municipal bylaw. Masks are not required when coaches are skating with exertion during drills. See this Oct 23 Memo from Ringette Calgary for more info on coaches and masks.
If an individual is not in the cohort (ie. Non-Cohort Team Staff), they must remain physically distanced and must wear a mask at all times.
A reminder that managers/parents/siblings are NOT part of the team cohort and must adhere to AHS / RAB / facility safety protocols at all team events.
Now that we have our team, are we in a cohort with our sister teams in the same division?
NO, not necessarily. Do not assume that your sister teams will be in the 50 person mini-league cohort with you. Once Ringette Calgary sets the mini-league schedule for each Session, then each team will become part of a mini-league cohort with a max of 50 people. See the Ringette Calgary website for details on the Session start dates and the required isolation periods for each age group.
How do we run a shared ice practice with teams that are not in our cohort?
Ringette Alberta has provided a detailed document on how to share ice with a non-cohort team. Buffer zones at mid-ice are mandatory. https://ringettealberta.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Sharing-ice-with-different-cohort.pdf
What team building activities are allowed as a team cohort?
See the Event Sanctioning memo from Ringette Alberta for guidance on ringette-related activities such as dryland, team building and other activities. Team sleepovers are NOT permitted.
Can parents come in the dressing room to help young players get dressed? Can a male coach help players get dressed in the dressing rooms?
NO. Parents are not part of the cohort. They are not allowed in the dressing rooms at any age group due to facility restrictions and as per the RAB Return to Ringette guidelines. Many facilities allow parents to be in the other areas of the building, such as the hallways or common areas, to help your child get on the ice safely (while adhering to masks and distancing rules) and then exit or follow the specific spectator protocols accordingly.
Male coaches are not allowed in the female player dressing rooms (and similarly female coaches are not allowed in the male player dressing rooms) until players are dressed and ready.
Players should just get used to coming dressed to the rink and getting parents to tie skates in the common areas permitted by the specific facility. All participants should leave the facility as soon as possible after the ice time rather than getting fully changed.
Can our team have an on-ice helper to assist?
NO. The traditional role of “on-ice helper” (someone who helps at a few occasional practices) is not permitted for ANY age group this season.
“Non-Cohort Team Staff” (someone who regularly helps at practice while maintaining distance) are NOT permitted for AS-U12 age groups. This is because it is not possible for on-ice team staff to remain physically distant from these young players.
Non-Cohort Team Staff / Coaches (or NCCs) are permitted in U14-U19 age groups, however all NCCs must be approved by SCRA and registered by us with RAB before joining any team activity. (Please note that while “On-Ice Helper” is not permitted this season, we will use that designation in our SportzSoft system to indicate a Non-Cohort Coach on your team staff. The team staff listed on your TeamView in SportzSoft are the only APPROVED team staff.)
See the “Non-Cohort Team Staff” document from RAB for more info on the role. https://ringettealberta.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Non-Cohort-Team-Staff.pdf
Can our team add another assistant coach to our team cohort?
Team staff and cohort sizes are strictly controlled to ensure we do not exceed the 50 person max mini-league cohort restriction. Depending on the number of participants on your team (ie. players and cohort coaches) there may be the possibility of adding 1-2 more cohort coaches within the cohort size restrictions and isolation periods. DO NOT LET ANYONE ON THE ICE OR THE BENCH WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL! The team staff listed on your TeamView in SportzSoft are the only APPROVED team staff. Contact VP Development to request approval BEFORE adding any AC or NCC on the ice or the bench!
? “SCRA Consequences & Disciplinary Action” Memo (emailed to all SCRA members Oct 21)
? See this memo from Ringette Calgary for more info on cohort coaches - Cohort Memo
Can I be a coach for two ringette teams?
Oct 26 - New measures announced by Alberta government for the Calgary zone; individuals are asked to limit to no more than 3 cohorts (1 household, 1 school, 1 sport cohort.)
Coaches/Officials/Players can participate in two ringette cohorts in specific situations, which may help ensure enough coaches to support your team. Individuals must disclose to RAB with this form of their involvement in two ringette cohorts and any other sport cohorts — more info at: Outside Sport Cohort Declaration
What if we don’t have enough cohort coaches on the bench for a game?
As per RAB’s coaching requirements webpage: “If a team only has 2 coaches and ends up in a position where they may not have a coach who is able to attend, or they only have one and would like two, the only option available is to borrow a coach from another team in their cohort. Example: a cohort has 3 teams, Blue, Red, Green. There’s a game: Blue vs. Green, but Green doesn’t have coaches. They would try to borrow a coach or two from Red who isn’t playing. Or if Blue has 3 coaches, borrow one of them.” (See info in the Safety Officer section below on tracking attendance/health checks for “cross-affiliated” coaches)
Why doesn’t our team have a FT goalie on our roster this year?
Many teams in every association and in every age group do not have FT goalies this season. It is not ideal. Cohort size restrictions mean all associations have more teams this season and there simply are not enough FT goalies to support them all. Also, goalies who typically play two sports must choose only one this year, which further reduces the available FT goalies. We encourage teams to continue to reach out into your own networks to help recruit more FT goalies that are available to register for the season.
Where possible, we have tried to identify any PT goalies on your team. Please encourage the PT goalies and as many other interested players on your team as possible to fill in as goalie for your team and to use this as a development season to encourage more goalies. Goalie shortages, especially at the older age groups, are a direct result of not encouraging our younger players to try the position.
Can we use affiliates on our team for absent skaters or goalies?
Affiliation like in previous years is not possible this season. Skaters and goalies will only be able to “cross-affiliate” from teams in your mini-league cohort. (See info in Safety Officer section below for tracking attendance/health check for cross-affiliating players.)
We all must understand that this season is not like other seasons. We will have competitive games, however this season is an opportunity to focus on development. All teams in a cohort - no matter what association they are with - must work together to provide affiliate skaters and goalies where needed.
Goalies in particular will very likely have the opportunity to cross-affiliate to play games and attend practices to support other teams in your cohort. We encourage you to consider these opportunities if possible for your family’s schedule or comfort level. The additional game experience is a great development opportunity, and it is an incredible chance to be an ambassador for our association.
What is the role of our Team Safety Officer?
The Team Safety Officer supports your team to adhere to the safety protocols and monitor the health checks, attendance tracking and other mandatory requirements. (ie. ensure all players/coaches have completed the RSVP and health check in the app BEFORE they can participate, remove any participant from the app who RSVP’d but is not in attendance, ensure all players/coaches/parents adhere to bylaws and facility protocols, keep extra paper copies of waivers/health check forms on hand, etc.) This document provides further info on the team safety officer role. The “Managers” page on our website also has more info.
For questions or support, please contact our SCRA Safety Officers:
AS-U12: Madhu Hayer - mbhayer@shaw.ca
U14-U19: Leanne Park - ringyycsouth@gmail.com
Do we have to use the RAMP Team App? Who do we contact if it isn’t working?
YES. All teams in Alberta must use the RAMP Team App this season for the attendance tracking and health check features. This is mandated by Ringette Alberta and is explained in their Return to Ringette document on their website. Team Safety Officers should contact the SCRA Safety Officers for help getting their team set up with the app.
The RAMP Team App is NOT linked to our SportzSoft scheduling system. Your team safety officer or manager (or whoever you have assigned as the RAMP Team App admin for your team) must input the team events into the app.
We have heard of some teams that are choosing to also use SportzSoft’s attendance feature or TeamSnap for team attendance planning. Just be aware of the duplication of work for your managers because the RAMP Team App is mandatory. SCRA does not cover the cost for TeamSnap.
If the RAMP Team App isn’t working properly for you, please contact “RAMP Support” for assistance. Be sure to continue to use pen & paper forms for attendance tracking and health checks as a backup / supplement to the RAMP Team App while you are having issues.
How do we track attendance and health checks for a skater, goalie or coach from another team in our cohort who is cross-affiliating to our team for a game?
DO NOT add them to your team roster in the RAMP Team App. As per advice we received from RAB, they should use the appropriate paper RAB attestation form for the health check requirement, and then add the individual in the “Availability Notes” field in the RAMP Team app for that event to record their attendance.
Does the Team Safety Officer need to also track parent attendance since they aren’t part of the cohort?
We recommend that the Team Safety Officers keep a list of any parents who attended/spectated a practice, game or other team event. This is not a RAB requirement, but some facilities that allow spectators in the building may require teams to keep note of your spectators for their own contact tracking purposes. It is a good habit to note a list of the parent attendees for every event — or ask parents to enter their name in the “Spectators” field of the event in the RAMP Team App — and to be familiar with all the individual facility’s protocols: https://ringettecalgary.ca/covid/facility-protocols/
What happens if a player or participant feels ill while at Ringette? Or has symptoms and is unsure if they should attend a team activity?
NEW Oct 29 ? See page 11 of the Oct 29 updated version of the Ringette Alberta Supplement to National Direction (version 2.0 Oct 29, 2020) for a flowchart on symptoms, testing, etc.
NEW Oct 29 ? COVID-19 ALBERTA HEALTH DAILY CHECKLIST (FOR CHILDREN UNDER 18)
Our SCRA Safety Officers have also prepared a couple handy info sheets:
As always, teams should have an Emergency Action Plan: https://coach.ca/nccp-emergency-action-plan
What if there is a positive case of COVID-19 on your team?
**See page 11 of the Oct 29 updated version of the Ringette Alberta Supplement to National Direction (version 2.0 Oct 29, 2020) for a flowchart on symptoms, testing, etc.
All Albertans are legally required to isolate if you have symptoms, have tested positive, etc as per the AB Government info (https://www.alberta.ca/isolation.aspx).
A participant is under no obligation to inform sport organizations or anyone else of a positive COVID-19 test. See this RAB flowchart on who to notify if you test positive for COVID-19.
If a participant tests positive for COVID-19 and they choose to inform their team or SCRA of their diagnosis, the process as per the flowchart will be followed for any required contact tracing or game rescheduling. Any communication to impacted participants or general communication to members must not disclose any personal information.
If SCRA is contacted by AHS with a contact tracing request, we will contact the relevant Team Safety Officers to immediately provide the required info for all coaches/players who were in attendance during the dates in question. Instructions have been sent to all Team Safety Officers on what the action plan is for these situations. (ie. Attendance Tracking Form or SportzSoft Roster with anyone who was NOT in attendance at that event crossed off)
Please also refer to Ringette Canada’s document: Reporting a Positive Case of COVID-19
What should the Team Safety Officer do if someone isn’t adhering to the rules?
All team players, coaches and parents must be aware of the consequences of not adhering to the safety protocols. Team Safety Officers should ensure your team is aware and adhering to the rules. Please reach out to our SCRA Safety Officers if you need support to help inform a non-compliant team member.
Failure to follow facility protocols can result in SCRA losing our ice contract with that facility, and may even result in SCRA being suspended entirely from Ringette Alberta. Please be aware of the facility protocols and follow them out of consideration of the entire SCRA membership: https://ringettecalgary.ca/covid/facility-protocols/
Failure to not adhere to the attendance tracking, health checks or cohort restrictions have some serious consequences for players and teams — including a mandatory 14 day suspension for the individual, the entire team or even the entire cohort of teams. There is also risk of full suspension for the season after several incidents, or fines from AHS. Please be aware of the consequences as outlined by these resources:
? Ringette Alberta: https://ringettealberta.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Consequences-and-Safety-Measures.pdf
? “SCRA Consequences & Disciplinary Action” Memo (emailed to all SCRA members Oct 21)
? See this memo from Ringette Calgary for more info on cohort coaches - Cohort Memo
Members that organize unsanctioned Ringette activities are also subject to serious consequences. Not only are unsanctioned events not covered by insurance, the participants may be required to take a 14 day break or could even be suspended for the season. See the Ringette Alberta Return to Ringette webpage for more info. Also see this news memo from Ringette Canada: https://www.ringette.ca/serious-consequences-for-unsanctioned-ringette-activities/