‘It’s a good game for girls’: Fredericton family has four generations of ringette players

The sport of ringette is celebrating 50 years since the first league began in Fredericton.

Louise Wilkins says when she started playing ringette, team sports for women were “unusual.”

She was a member of Fredericton’s first women’s ringette league 50 years ago, which led to four generations of ringette players in her family – her daughter, granddaughter and great-granddaughters.

CTV News Atlantic caught up with Wilkins while she watched her great-granddaughters on the ice at the Ed Benoit Early Bird Ringette Tournament at the Grant-Harvey Centre.

The tournament has 93 teams visiting from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Ontario. It’s the city’s largest annual winter sporting event with an economic impact of $850,000.

Clearly, the sport caught on in the city.

“It’s a good game for girls to get out and team sports are so good, especially,” Wilkins said. “And when we started, team sports for girls were unusual. To see it now develop… They make lots of friendships and it’s really good for their development.”

Ringette New Brunswick was officially formed in 1981.

Wilkins says the game has gotten much faster over the years, and some of the rules have changed – but passing the ring remains an important skill.

She played for 15 years. Now her daughter, Stacey Scott, coaches the team her great-granddaughters play for.

“It is great just to see them all come through and play the game and enjoy the game. That’s the biggest thing to get them out and get them doing something they’re really enjoying,” she said.

The tournament ends Sunday.

Earlier this year, it was announced Dieppe would host the 2027 IRF World Ringette Championships, which will be the first time the event is held on Canada’s East Coast.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.