It’s fast, and features plenty of open-ice skating, along with a game plan achieved through teamwork – a great spectator sport.

And – other than this past weekend – it’s lacking here in the South Okanagan.

The BC Ringette Association hosted a tournament Saturday and Sunday, with games played at the Oliver Arena and at Sun Bowl Arena in Osoyoos.

Neither venue normally hosts ringette games.

Neither community normally hosts ringette families.

“I think we had about 70 rooms in a couple of the hotels. We enjoy the area and line up donations and baskets to further promote businesses,” said Jenni Duff, tournament organizer, alluding to the economic benefit this tournament brings. “We think it is a big draw here, and a great sport. It would be nice if it started to grow here.”

A this point, any attempts to start a local association have not developed into reality. But the association continues to bring the sport to the South Okanagan.

“Every summer there’s a ringette summer camp here, and we’ve been coming down for about 10 or 15 years. We’ve always loved it and had a great time,” added Duff, whose daughter has been playing ringette for about six years. “A couple of years ago a lady decided she would put on a little tournament down here. We really enjoyed the facility, and it’s an intimate kind of place. This year I took it over.”

Five teams took part the first year of the tournament, and seven teams took part last year.

The 2016 event grew to 13 teams – travelling from the Lower Mainland, and throughout the Okanagan – and forced organizers to add the Oliver Arena to the venue list.

“We love the sport. It’s not just hockey for girls,” continued Duff, who would be called away to prepare her Kelowna team for its next game. “It’s a different sport. It’s a unique sport. It’s a great team sport.”

Taking into account 10 to 15 players on every team, plus coaches, parents and friends, local businesses receive a huge early-fall boost – from hotels, to restaurants, to attractions, to wineries.

There are currently ringette associations in the Shuswap, Kelowna, West Kelowna, and Kamloops, which has just started up.

“There is a summer camp here if somebody showed interest. In Kelowna and West Kelowna we have free Come and Try Ringette events where you can come onto the ice for a couple of hours and try it out,” summarized Duff. “We’re big advocates of the sport. We’d love to see it grow. It would be great if someone wanted to get it started here.”

For more information, check out: www.kelownaringette.com, or www.ringettebc.ca.

-Dale Cory