Jim Benning Ringette Tournament celebrates 35th year in Regina

Ringette teams from across western Canada gathered in Regina over the weekend for the 35th annual Jim Benning Invitational.

The ringette community in Regina is one which has steadily been growing over the years, according to organizers.

"It's always fun to get the medal day, but even the round robin getting fresh competition from out of province is always exciting, since I think it's been growing for the last 35 years ... It is fantastic," said Darin Degenstien, director of marketing for the Regina Ringette Association.

"So, I mean we're hit[ting] record numbers for Ringette Regina … for the last couple of seasons."

The University of Regina has added a ringette team to their organization within recent years.

It’s a decision that proved to be a wise one after they took home gold in the Tier 2 division during their inaugural season.

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This particular tournament is one of three hosted by Regina Ringette. The next one being the Queen City Classic in February.

According to Degenstien, events like the invitational provide a unique opportunity for athletes to show off the strong ringette talent in the Queen City.

"I think it's probably pretty excit[ing] to be here," he explained.

"It's fantastic tournament ... the teams that are in it are excited because we get to play teams from outside of Regina area."

With 2025 marking 35 years of the Jim Benning Invitational, organizers expect the tradition to carry on for many more years to come.

"I would love to have them come back again and, of course, those who don't necessarily come out with a medal," Degenstien said.

"Hope they had a great time, those do come out with a medal, that competition and earning that feeling. It's always great to come out with a medal."

Degenstien continued by sharing that Regina Ringette is always seeking recruits at any skill level.

"There's no better way to learn how to skate than ringette," he added. "It's going to have the most agile skaters. So much fun ... [its a] fantastic female dominated sport."

Anyone who is interested can find more information on the Regina Ringette Association’s website.