A/AA Tryouts

Team Formation/Tryout Update & Process Information

Team Allocation

For the 2026-27 Season, Ringette Ontario has allocated the Cambridge Ringette Association (CRA) with a Female-only U16A team (with conditions). Among other details, the conditions include meeting all Ringette Ontario requirements to form a competitive and viable team, selecting a qualified coach, and all policy requirements around communications, scheduling, and meeting timelines. These conditions and additional information are included in the new Ringette Ontario Team Formation Policy and associated timelines outlined in the last section of this announcement below.

The CRA was not awarded other A or AA teams. Nearby associations are hosting 14A (Elora Fergus/Guelph, Paris, and Waterloo/Kitchener) and 19A teams (Burlington, Guelph, Paris, and Waterloo/Kitchener); please go to their websites to find out their tryout information.  The full 2026-27 Ringette Ontario A/AA team allocation list  can be found here.

Important Reminders: 

• Athletes wanting to tryout for A/AA teams will not be allowed to participate in any tryout session without having submitted Ringette Ontario's online intent form in March. If your player did not fill out this form for whatever reason, please contact the respective association's tryout coordinator/lead  as soon as possible and they will communicate with Ringette Ontario. Ringette Ontario will process late intents on a case-by-case basis.  
• Underage athletes in any age group are allowed to attend any tryout sessions, however the hosting association cannot offer an underage player a roster position on the team without prior approval from Ringette Ontario. Ringette Ontario will be approving under age players on a Case-by-case basis, usually only for reasons such as Team Viability.

Cambridge Ringette Association U16A Tryouts

Tryouts are a stressful time of year, and we ask that everyone be positive and supportive during this process. Coordinators, Coaches, evaluators, players, parents are all put under a lot of stress.   It is not easy for evaluators to pick 12 to 16 players over 4 tryout sessions. It is also not easy for players and families to go through these evaluations for up to three different teams in the space of two weeks. So please be respectful and kind when communicating in person or electronically. 

Tryout Roles and Officials

Tryout Coordinator 

Primarily Andrew Levely and other volunteers and committee members. Now or during the process, if you have any questions, please contact the Tryout Coordinator at tryoutcoordinator@cambridgeringette.ca.

Head Coach, Assistant Coach, Other Bench Staff 

A head coach has not been selected yet. CRA has formed a coach selection committee made up of board members, non-conflicting parents, and other external Ringette community members. We have also temporarily re-opened our coaching application form, due to the later team allocation decision. If anyone is interested in any of the bench positions for the U16A team (Head Coach, Assistant Coach, Trainer), please fill out the coach application form.  The Coach Selection committee has already started reviewing multiple applications and will be holding interviews in the coming days and weeks. A recommendation will be made to the board and we hope to announce a head coach either before or early during the tryouts.

Athlete Evaluation Committee and Evaluators

An evaluation committee will be formed including qualified evaluators, who will be on site at each tryout session evaluating players. It is not appropriate for parents or players to make contact or discuss anything will members of the evaluation committee or evaluators during the tryout sessions, or at any time to discuss their players ranking or performance. Any requests for feedback need to go to the tryout coordinator after the tryouts.  

RAMP Registration Instructions

CRA U16A Tryout Registration is now open on RAMP. 

Important Considerations:

• If a player did not play Ringette this last season in Ontario (ie other sport or other province)  and would not be in this past season's RAMP registration list, please email the tryout coordinator to work with Ringette Ontario to ensure registration in RAMP can occur and the player is covered with insurance.
• Players who have not registered and paid for the appropriate package(s) in RAMP will NOT be permitted to step on the ice.

Tryout Pricing & Payment

• Payment is due at the time of registration 
• $50 Flat fee for Skater Pass 
• $0 for Goalie Pass (goalies must still register)
• Payment by credit card now available !
• Payment by e-transfer (send e-transfers to treasurer@cambridgeringette.ca , password: Turbos)
• No refunds will be issued but purchase insurance can be added within RAMP

16A Tryout Dates

Process 

• Commitment letters will be provided to parents/players at the first tryout session. These will be required to be reviewed and signed by the end of the second tryout session. Samples can be found in the team formation policy and guidebook outlined below. 
• Tryout sessions will be facilitated by 1-2 on ice coaches/assistants
• The first two tryout sessions are open to all registered attendees, the final two sessions are by invite only, which may be comprised of an intersquad scrimmage and/or exhibition game.
• Players are required to be on-ice for all tryout sessions, but at least 1 to be considered for a roster spot. In case of illness, injury or certified absence, send an email to the tryout coordinator, copying president@cambridgeringette.ca, as early as possible prior to the tryout for the player to be eligible to be considered for a roster spot
• Roster Spot Offers and non-offer letters will be communicated by email from the Tryout Coordinator or the Head Coach at any point after your player's second tryout.
  • Roster Spot Offer letters may be conditional if from an association other than their home/current.
  • Roster Spot Offer letters cannot be sent to underage players until approval from Ringette Ontario is received.
  • Athletes will have 48 hrs to accept or decline a roster spot offer (or conditional offer) and must do so in writing.
  • For any roster spot offers a player receives from outside their home/current association, the home association has the right of first refusal and if they do not offer the player a roster spot, the current association has the next right of refusal. 
  • If a player does not receive a Roster-Spot offer from their home or current association for whatever reason (the home/current is not hosting a team at that level or the player receives a roster spot non-offer letter prior, they can then accept an offer from another association.
  • By accepting a conditional offer, the player is committing to accepting a roster spot on the team if their home and/or current club(s) do not offer them a roster spot (ie. have sent an roster spot non-offer letter)
• A player does not need a release from their home and/or association to try out for any team, but an Athlete Release Form must be completed for any player accepting a roster spot outside of their home home/current association.
• No home/current CRA player will be released outside the association for a team CRA offers, unless that player has also attended CRA tryouts. 
• After the roster is declared, the Head Coach will send a communication regarding the upcoming season's goals and expectations from players and families

Team Formation Policy Changes and Updated Timelines

As previously posted, for the next season, Ringette Ontario has launched the new Team Formation policy for U14 to U19 age groups (all levels AA to C).  Some key changes and highlights to the team formation policy include:  

• The removal of the "Closest-Association Matrix" that governed player’s options for accepted roster offers outside of their home clubs (The home club first right of refusal remains)
• Limit to a maximum number of teams a player can try out for AA (2) and A (3). 
• Shortened try out timeline windows to 2 weeks.
• Underage players no longer permitted to play up an age except for team viability and upon prior approval from Ringette Ontario
• Minimum program standards applicable to both AA and A level teams (e.g. minimum number of weekly on-ice and off-ice training sessions)

If you would like more details, Ringette Ontario has the Policy, FAQ document and Guidebook available in the Team Formation section of their Operating Resources section of their website found here. 

The Team formation timeline has progressed, but as a reminder here is it for the 2026-27 Season:

• February 23 - Player Intent to Tryout Form Opens
• March 16 - Player Intent to Tryout Form Closes
• March 23 - Willing to Host Forms Due from clubs
• April 7 - Deadline for ‘AA’ and ‘A’ Teams to be Allocated to Clubs by Ringette Ontario
• April 13 - Tryout Schedules Due from Clubs
• April 24-May 8 - AA Tryout Window
• May 11 - ‘AA’ Rosters Due
• May 15-May 29 - ‘A’ Tryout Window
• June 1 - ‘A’ Rosters Due
• September 1 - ‘B’/’C’ Sort-Outs Begin