Medicine Hat Ringette to host largest provincial tourney, with four age divisions on display

By JAMES TUBB on March 12, 2025.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

Over 600 of Alberta’s top ringette talent will be showcasing the fastest ice on sport this weekend in Medicine Hat.

The Medicine Hat Ringette Association is hosting four divisions of provincials this weekend, with U14B, U16B, Open B and Open C division on display for the largest ringette provincial championship ever hosted in Alberta.

Loralee Eastland is a co-chair of the provincials committee and also the head coach of the U14 Mustangs who will compete in the three-day tournament that gets underway Friday.

She’s excited to see the 36 out of town teams and over 600 athletes join the four Medicine Hat teams for the weekend that kicks off with play Friday. Beyond the action at the rink, the Ringette Associations is hosting a western themed banquet for the U14 and U16 age groups that is expected to have over 700 attendees on the opening night, featuring dance competitions and a special guest speaker.

“It’ll be the first time that anyone’s ever held a banquet this large in Alberta too,” Eastland said. “When you’re doing provincials in your bigger centres, they don’t have the space or the financial means to put on a banquet like we are.

“Although we’re down here in the corner (of Alberta), because we do have really great facilities we can host this many people, we can get the ice time and we can offer things like the banquet in a smaller centre so you’re not spending so much time driving all over the place. Everyone is proud that they chose us for this and it’s a double bonus that this was the year that we are introducing ourselves as the Medicine Hat Mustangs too.”

Games will be played at the Kinplex, Hockey Hounds arena and Big Marble Go Centre with each team getting three round robin games on Friday and Saturday before playoffs begin Saturday afternoon. The weekend wraps up with gold medal games on Sunday.

Eastland says her U14 Mustangs have battled with injuries and illness with just a 12-skater roster, building off a slow start to earn their spot in provincials.

“We’re supposed to be here and I expect us to do really well,” Eastland said.

The U14 Mustangs play Friday morning at 7 a.m. at the Kinplex against the Lethbridge Rattlers before facing the Calgary Northwest Thrashers at 1:45 p.m. at the Hockey Hounds arena. They finish the round robin Saturday at 7:15 a.m. against SPK-1 Royals at the Kinplex. U14 Mustang Breanna Lanuk says he’s looking forward to playing in front of the home crowd.

“It will be great to meet and play against other athletes in our division from our province whom we don’t get to play against much,” The second-year U14 Mustang said in a release. “Ringette is about the competition on ice and meeting new friends off ice. Medicine Hat puts on a great event and I am looking forward to seeing provincials come together.”

The U16 Mustangs play Friday morning at 11 a.m. against the SPK-1 Shock at the Hockey Hounds arena. They also face the Calgary Northwest Shock at 5 p.m. at the same rink before finishing the round robin Saturday against Calgary South Curse at 8:30 a.m. at Big Marble.

Leighton Wright, a second-year centre with the U16 Mustangs, has played in provincial championships before, including the Alberta Winter Games. She’s looking forward to the bonding experience with her team.

“This year will be my third chance at provincials and in previous years we have reached success, however I am so excited to give it a go with my team this season,” Wright said in a release. . “We have all learned so much together and putting it to use will be the cherry on top. Every year I’ve been to provincials has not only been great competition but the bonding time is beyond compare. My teammates and I are so excited and proud that Medicine Hat is hosting such a memorable weekend for so many players and coaches.”

Medicine Hat’s Open B Smash play Friday at 6:30 p.m. against CORA Absolut at the Kinplex before facing the NAW RQB Twisters at 11:15 a.m. Saturday at the Hockey Hounds. They finish their round robin against the NAW Thunder in Irvine.

Medicine Hat’s Open C Force face CORA Legacy Friday at 6:45 p.m. at Big Marble. They also face NAW Brewskis on Saturday at 12:45 p.m. at the Kinplex before taking on LED Jaguars at 6:30 p.m. at the Kinplex.

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