The Ottawa Sport Council is pleased to introduce our latest Community Sport Heroes – the volunteers, officials and leaders behind the recent Canadian Ringette Championships!
The highly successful 2026 event was hosted in Ottawa from March 29 to April 4 at the Bell Sensplex, Tony Graham Recreation Complex and Nepean Sportsplex.
There was exceptional competition on the ice – including a triumph for a hometown team – but just as remarkable was the cohesive, supportive spirit that permeated throughout the tournament.
It took hundreds of volunteers to bring the event to life – including rink coordinators, ticket and 50/50 sellers, team greeters, door monitors, volunteer table helpers, timekeepers, scorekeepers, announcers, penalty box attendants – plus 50 on-ice officials, 200 coaches and the lead organizing committee.
One-thousand athletes competed across the tournament’s U16, U19 and National Ringette League divisions, while an estimated 10,000 spectators took in games.
Just weeks before the 2026 edition, the Ottawa 2025 Championships were chosen as the Canadian Event of the Year by Sport Tourism Canada (among events with a budget under $1 million), renowned for their celebration of athletic excellence, leadership, community collaboration and cultural recognition.
“The success of our event was because of the hundreds of volunteers that we had,” co-chair Phyllis Bergmans underlined in her remarks upon receiving the STC PRESTIGE Award. “This award shows our volunteers that they’ve been recognized for their hard work, their loyalty, and their support of the best Canadian sporting event.”
Many lifelong devotees to the sport bolstered the Championships. Colleen Hagan is among them. The head coach of the Gatineau Fusion and a past Gloucester Devils NRL player has been a part of many nationals, but she said they remain very special each time.
“It’s so exciting. I don’t know, there’s just always such great energy,” Hagan told the Ottawa Sports Pages. “The players, the coaches, we work our tails off, but it’s not just us, it’s everybody – the management staff, the officials, the volunteers, and the rest of Canada – we all put a lot of work in through the year, and this is the culminating moment.”
Part of the coaching staff for the Eastern Ontario U19 teams were Dave Mainwood (who was recognized earlier as an OSC Community Sport Hero before he entered his 49th season behind the bench), and Céline Leduc – the architect of the storybook finish to Ottawa’s two-year run as nationals host.
Last season, Leduc’s new EO Force team lost every game of their first tournament, but they became the hardest-working group she’s ever coached over 40 seasons.
“What they experienced last year, I think it just has shown them what determination and perseverance can do for you,” Leduc indicated.
The Force wound up making it at the way to the U19 gold medal game, and then Olivia Binder produced a magical moment that will go down as one of the greatest goals in Canadian ringette history with her highlight-reel championship-winning goal in overtime.
“When we scored the final goal, we were all in shock,” Leduc recounted. “It was an experience like no other.”
There were many lifetime memories crafted outside of game action too. The Championships began with opening ceremonies and a skills competition, and “Fabulous Friday” events included a free Come Try Ringette opportunity, a Ringette For All Showcase, a Media/Celebrity Game and participants attending the Ottawa Charge Professional Women’s Hockey League game in the evening at the Canadian Tire Centre.
The Championships also delivered a solid dose of inspiration for the next generation, including young participants in Ringette Canada’s Ambassador Program.
Altogether, there were many different sources of motivation for people to give their time as volunteers at the event, Bergmans discovered.
“One of them told me they wanted to give back to the sport that shaped them into who they are today,” she shared. “And another person said that they volunteered so they could give an experience of a lifetime to these hundreds of strong elite female athletes who come from across Canada.
“And someone else told me, ‘I volunteer because I can, because so many other people who wish they could volunteer can’t.'”
Bergmans’ favourite reply came from the people who said they volunteered because she’d asked them to, and they couldn’t say no to her.
“I’d like to thank each and every one of our volunteers,” she highlighted. “You didn’t ask for this or expect this, but this award is your award.”