AA Riot Program FAQs

What is the Spruce Grove Riot AA program?

Spruce Grove Ringette Association (SGRA) has developed a AA Ringette program to give athletes from Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, and surrounding areas, an opportunity to develop and play Ringette at the highest level possible.

The primary objectives of the AA program are to build strong, confident athletes who share a passion for Ringette, are committed to hard work, while setting and achieving personal and team goals. Through discipline, dedication, and a passion for excellence, the program strives to prepare athletes to compete at the highest levels in the sport of Ringette across Canada.  

Why should my child consider trying out for AA ringette?

Each athlete, and family, chooses to play a sport for a wide range of reasons. The following are a few reasons that you and your athlete should consider while determining if the AA level is the right fit.  Your child will have the opportunity to:

• Play amongst like-minded athletes looking to participate at the highest level available for their age group.
• Teams at the AA level should have an expectation of time and commitment above other levels in the following areas:
  • Additional ice time to work on individual and team skills and tactics.
  • Additional Power Skating lead by qualified instructors
  • Individual skill development sessions focusing on shooting/passing/stick handling/goaltender development.
  • Off ice training by qualified instructors: mental health, mobility, agility, stability, and strength, etc.
• Nutritional education provided by professionals tailored to the athlete’s needs.
• Have the challenge, and experience, of playing against other top ringette athletes in Alberta and Canada.
• Receive experienced coaching and instruction.
• To learn valuable, transferable life skills, such as responsibility, dependability, and time management

Are the Spruce Grove Riot AA competitive teams?  

Yes, the Spruce Grove Riot AA program is designed around providing athletes the tools to compete at the highest levels in Alberta and the nation. Riot teams are very competitive in the AA division of the Black Gold league. With several teams winning their respective league Championships over the year.

Riot teams medal in many of the tournaments they compete in, including AA the Provincial Championships. Recently, a U14AA Riot team won Gold at the Western Canadian Ringette Championships (WVRC)!

Is there special Riot AA team gear required?  

Yes, to ensure that athletes represent the Riot AA consistently at tournaments and in the community, athletes are required to purchase and maintain a base kit of Riot branded gear and clothing. This includes team hoodies, dryland gear, equipment bag, and a backpack.

Players also wear custom Riot AA jerseys with name bars, standard SGRA ringette pants, and black helmets for all games.  

Additional teamwear may be decided on by individual teams, in conjunction with the coaches and team staff.

Are the Riot teams involved in the community?  

Yes, the Riot AA program is focused on producing not only strong competitive athletes, but also strong community members. Riot teams strive to be leaders in giving back to the community, whether it be involved in Food Bank drives and challenges, volunteering for Kinette Christmas Hampers, visiting seniors centers, or being on ice supporting SGRA wonderful Ringette for All program.

What is the typical AA Season Timeline?

Last week of August - AA Tryouts begin, following Ringette Alberta processes

September to mid-March - Teams formed and activities include team practices, events, league and exhibition games, and various tournaments

Early to Mid-March - AA Provincial Championships

Late March - Western Canadian Ringette Championships (WCRC)

Late March to early April - Canadian Ringette Championships (CRC)

What is the time commitment?

Like the financial commitment, the time commitment can vary from team to team and between age levels.  A good guideline is as follows:

• 2-3 on-ice practices per week (1-3 provided by SGRA depending on time of year, the other will be sourced by team) of 60 to 75 minutes (may vary at different times of the season);
• one dryland session per week of 60 to 75 minutes;
• approximately 20 to 25 league and exhibition games;
• 15-20 games through participation in tournaments, up to the tournament maximums outlined in SGRA’s tournament policies (by age division).
• 5-10 games if team is successful in Provincials and Western Finals
• Coaches are required to follow Ringette Canada’s Long Term Athletic Development (LTAD) principles with respect to practice and playing time.

What is the financial commitment?

Each SGRA player pays an SGRA registration fee set out in the registration information. These fees pay for regular ice, membership fees, referees, insurance, etc.

An additional financial commitment for AA will vary amongst the AA teams and age level. There are some basic costs such as additional practice ice, regular dryland training and mandatory team apparel (e.g. Riot game jerseys with name bars (which players keep), practice jerseys, hoodies, dryland gear, equipment bag, backpack, team jacket, black helmet). 

Other costs will be coach and team decisions, decided at the beginning of each season. Variables that affect cost include:

• Number of tournaments, both home and away, that a team decides to participate in (including any post-provincial play). Teams previously participated in tournaments such as:
  • U14: Combined 5 Alberta based and out of province tournaments plus the possibility of Provincial Championship and Western Canadian Championship
  • U16: Combined 5 Alberta based and out of province tournaments plus the possibility of Provincial Championship and Canadian Ringette Championship (CRC)
  • U19: Combined 5 or 6 Alberta based and out of province tournaments plus the possibility of Provincial Championship and Canadian Ringette Championship (CRC)
• additional training added to their own program (goalie instruction, power skating,3^rd party skill development, instructor led fitness);
• additional team bonding functions or additional team apparel.
• Additional costs may apply for expected non-parent coaches (e.g., apparel, travel, and accommodations).

In addition to the SGRA registration fees, the estimated team “seed money” for the season will be:

• U14AA - Estimated $2,000 per athlete (in 2-3 installments). If the team qualifies for Western Canadian Ringette Championships (WCRC), there will be additional costs, depending on location of event.
• U16AA - Estimated $2,500 per athlete (in 2-3 installments).  If the team qualifies for Canadian Ringette Championships (CRC), there will be additional costs, depending on location of event.
• U19AA - Estimated $3,000 per athlete (in 2-3 installments).  If the team qualifies for Canadian Ringette Championships (CRC), there will be additional costs, depending on location of event.

These costs are typically significantly reduced through team fundraising and sponsorship, and we encourage all parents to be a part of this.

Can a player try out for a position or are they all evaluated as one group and then assigned positions when they are placed on a team?

A player can put their position preference on the registration form (and is encouraged to). Coaches have the discretion to have a player tryout at a different position than indicated. In the end, the coaches will have the final say in which position they feel the player would be best suited.

Does SGRA allow players to try out who do not reside within the boundaries (import Players)?

Yes, SGRA allows import players. This is done to balance the development of SGRA athletes and creating viable teams with the ability to compete with other AA programs across the province. SGRA also recognizes not all associations have a AA program, so it provides an opportunity for those players to play at a AA level.

SGRA will follow the import guidelines set out in the Evaluation Guide and as set out by Ringette Alberta.

All import players interested in trying out with a Spruce Grove Riot AA team need to first be registered with their home association prior to evaluations. This is to ensure there is proper insurance coverage for applicable athletes. 

Then the player would register through SGRA for the AA tryout package and pay the tryout fee accordingly. This must be completed prior to the cut off for AA tryout registration posted on SGRA webpage. 

If a player is selected by a SGRA team, a formal request of release from the respective home association must be made as required by Ringette Alberta.

Please contact the applicable Division Director or Director of Player Development & Assessment for more details.

Who do I contact for more information about AA ringette?

For more information, please contact the SGRA AA Program Coordinator aacoordinator@sprucegroveringette.com 

As well, please reference the appropriate division page on the SGRA website for more information.