– Article provided by Canadian Ringette Championships Media Relations Director Barb MacDonald
The 2026 Canadian Ringette Championships are set to return to Ottawa as the country’s top U16, U19 and National Ringette League teams descend on the Bell Sensplex, Tony Graham Recreation Complex and Nepean Sportsplex from March 29 to April 4.
It is the second consecutive year Ottawa will host the CRCs, following a 2025 edition that was recently chosen as the Canadian Event of the Year by Sport Tourism Canada (among events with a budget under $1 million).
The Championships brought more than 1,200 athletes, coaches and officials to the capital as more than 10,000 spectators watched a game, and the event was recognized for its celebration of athletic excellence, leadership, community collaboration and cultural recognition.
In receiving the STC PRESTIGE Award, organizing committee co-chair Phyllis Bergmans highlighted that volunteers were at the heart of what made the event so special.
On top of the lifelong memories the event provided for players and participants, the 2025 Championships also delivered a solid dose of inspiration for the next generation watching – none more than the nearly 50 young ringette players who enjoyed a very special experience as part of the Ambassador Program.
At the 2026 Canadian Ringette Championships, another group of young players will have a similar experience – being assigned to a team and following them through all of the activities that surround a national championships.
The Ambassadors Program gives the young athletes an unprecedented opportunity to be embedded with a competitive team, experience the game up close and personal, become part of their rituals, and see first-hand the rigours and joys of high-level sport.
Avery Mulligan was assigned to the Calgary Riot U16AA, who went on to win the gold medal in their division. From the very first meeting, the Riot players welcomed Avery with open arms. She joined them in the locker room, on the ice for warmups, and even went on stage for their championship recognition at the closing ceremony.
Along the way, she saw new drills, learned new skills and soaked up the team’s high-performance atmosphere. What Avery found especially “cool” was getting to chat with the older players—and being able to ask for tips. She even joined in their pre-game hacky sack warmups to get the muscles all loosened up ready to play.
The coaches made sure she was included, not just as a spectator, but as a true member of the team. And as a special welcome, the Riot gifted Avery a team swag bag and a jersey, which quickly became cherished reminders of her ambassador experience that she continues to treasure long after the championships ended.
As an Elgin Street Public School student, Avery had to miss a few days of school for the tournament, but neither she nor mom Rebecca regretted a single moment.
“We never could have imagined the sense of joy that we would get out of it,” Rebecca said later, reflecting on the week. And Rebecca saw the commitment and involvement of families, which she says helped her to mentally prepare to go from being the parent of a C athlete to an A team athlete as Avery, who is a goalie, moved into U12A competition.
Norah Evans is in her fifth year of playing ringette, this year with U12A Riley. She was assigned as an ambassador to the U16 PEI Wave. She too received a gift bag from the team which included a team jersey, and some very special PEI treats from Cows Creamery.
She really appreciated how the team included her in things – and truly “made me feel like I was a part of the team.”
They even picked her up from her school, Viscount Alexander, to make sure she could be part of their practices. She had a chance to chat with the coach, and get tips to improve her game, whether playing centre or defence.
Her advice for anyone chosen to be an Ambassador for the 2026 Canadian Ringette Championships is to be ready to have fun and to fully be a part of the team and the event. It completely exceeded Norah’s expectations, and she has stayed in touch with the team, even seeing them this winter at a tournament and again on a trip to PEI.
For her parents, Chris Evans and Clara Winer, it became a family affair, as they all took in as many games and activities as they could.
“It was a very heartening experience as a parent to see what she experienced with the team,” said Dad Chris, whose family helped out with errands and trips to Value Village to find items the team needed.
Avery and Norah are excited for the next group of Ambassadors to have the same once-in-a-lifetime week and send their best wishes for an incredible experience. For them, the Ambassadors Program opened up a world of friendship, inspiration and possibilities, as young players and their families experienced all that ringette has to offer. The lessons learned about teamwork, spirit, and community, will shape their ringette journey for years to come.
Everyone involved appreciated that the Ringette community is one, big extended family, or as Norah summarizes: “Ringette is THE BEST SPORT.”
For more information on the 2026 Canadian Ringette Championships, visit CRC-CCR.ca.