RINGETTE CANADA ANNOUNCES NEW INDUCTEE INTO HALL OF FAME

Ottawa, ON–Ringette Canada is pleased to announce that Barb Bautista has been inducted into the Ringette Canada Hall of Fame in the ‘Coach’ Category.

“We are delighted to welcome Barb to the Ringette Canada Hall of Fame,” said Debbie Frail, President of Ringette Canada. “Her impact on the sport of ringette is far-reaching both at home and abroad, and this induction is incredibly deserved.”

The Ringette Canada Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding contributions to the development of the sport of ringette and the outstanding achievements of ringette athletes, coaches, officials and administrators across Canada.

Barb Bautista fell in love with the sport of ringette at age 10 and never looked back. She competed at many levels of the game, eventually retiring from playing with four stints as a National Team player. 

Bautista began her coaching career along the way, wanting to give back to the sport and to help find a way to give developing athletes the same opportunities she had benefited from. She has coached all levels of ringette, from grassroots programs and summer camps, to high-performance programs at the Canada Winter Games, National Ringette League, and Senior National Team. Bautista specializes in technical development and program structure.

Barb Bautista has a passion for the sport of ringette that is second to none.  As the Senior National Team Coach for the 2016, 2017, and 2019 cycles, Barb has not only challenged herself, but also her coaching staff and all those that she works with to better the resources and programs available for athlete and program development. She has been a key contributor to the implantation of these initiatives.  Barb’s knowledge of and passion for ringette is evident in all that she does and the athletes she coaches and coaches she mentors are consistently positively impacted by her.  Over the last three seasons Barb has coached 17 athletes who have returned to the Senior National Team under her leadership.   In the final game at the 2019 World Ringette Championships many commented they had just watched ‘the best game of ringette they had ever witnessed’; athlete and program development has been a commitment that is only just beginning to pay off.

“[Barb] has the experience of a player, the knowledge of a coach, and the true heart of a champion. You combine all of the above attributes and her forward-thinking approach and she has helped transform high-performance and the athletes in our sport. One of the most remarkable aspects of Barb’s career in ringette is her unwavering commitment to mentorship and fostering the growth of our sport and the people it involves. She has always been willing to unselfishly share her knowledge and go above and beyond to support and guide aspiring players and coaches.” -Dailyn Bell

Please join us in celebrating and welcoming into the Ringette Hall of Fame, Barb Bautista.

About Ringette Canada

Ringette Canada is the national body that oversees ringette in Canada. Ringette is a Canadian sport that was invented in 1963 in North Bay, Ontario by Sam Jacks. There are currently over 30,000 players on nearly 2,000 teams across Canada, with over 1,500 officials and nearly 8000 coaches. Internationally, it is played in more than half a dozen countries worldwide. Ringette has been designated a Heritage Sport by Sport Canada and as part of the Sport for Life movement, ringette is well advanced at adapting Sport Canada’s Long Term Athlete Development model. Learn more at www.ringette.ca.