Burlington Blast host Finland's Blue Ring Rockets on Family Day

Ringette action was fast and furious at the Appleby Ice Centre on Family Day, as the Burlington Blast U16AA team played an exhibition game against the Blue Ring Rockets of Finland. 

But while the hosts won the Feb. 20 match handily, the event was more about celebrating the sport which, while not unique to Canada and Finland, is one at which both countries excel.

The exchange is part of an established tradition, noted Blast head coach Brett Richardson, with the Finns coming to Canada every couple of years for a week during the winter and the Canadians heading over to Finland in the summer.

“There is a history of games going back and forth,” said Richardson. “My older daughter played an exhibition game in 2019, and then it was on hold in 2020, 2021 and 2022.”

In total, about 40 people travel as part of the Finnish delegation, including 15 or 16 players and their parents and guardians. They arrived in Canada last Thursday and played an exhibition game in Kitchener and participated in the Paris Ringette Tournament on the weekend  before heading to Burlington. When they’re not on the ice, the Finns are taking in some area attractions, including Niagara Falls and a Maple Leafs game in Buffalo. They leave for home on Thursday (Feb. 23).

Richardson said the European team is very patriotic. “When they come over, they request we play the national anthems before the games; they were all waving their Finnish flags in the stands and on the bench.

“The kids do a cultural gift exchange both ways and there were on-ice team photos,” he added.

Burlington Blast offers ringette for kids ages 4 to 18, with about 150 registered for programs this year, and also has an “open” division for adult players. While developed as a sport for girls who historically weren't allowed to play hockey, some boys do sign up, said Richardson, and it is open to all genders.

Richardson has two daughters who play ringette, one on the U19 team and one on the U16AA team. He said the attraction of the sport, which was developed in North Bay in 1963, is its speed.

“It’s advertised as the fastest game on ice,” he said. “There’s a number of rules that are different than hockey, so it’s very very fast and entails a lot of passing. It requires a lot of teamwork to play.”

Richardson is looking forward to the U16AA team’s next challenge: the provincial championships, which will be held in Kitchener in early March.

“We’re one of the favourites, but that doesn’t mean we’ll win,” he said.  “If we win, then we represent team Ontario in the national championships in Regina in April.

“A Burlington team has never advanced to nationals. We have won some provincial awards, but never qualified for nationals; it’s very exciting.”