Local ringette players are also being affected by the delay in ice going in at the Claude Parish Memorial Arena.
“Our players are travelling to Burns Lake once a week to practice. This places a great burden on parents and players,” an email from the Houston Ringette Association indicated last week.
Although the District is making the bare arena floor available to groups at no charge, players are limited as to what they can do on the concrete surface so instead are going through dryland training at another location.
The delay in ice going in until early December also affects the ability of players aiming at tryouts for Zone teams being formed for the BC Winter Games and Western Ringette Championships.
“The delay in ice is placing our players at a disadvantage entering the tryouts because they have not had the opportunity to get on the ice and practice. As well, many other ringette associations are on the ice at the start of September so the delay puts all of our players at a disadvantage when we go to tournaments,” the ringette association email stated.
The assocation has teams in the ages 4 to 18 competition categories and older players often compete in the Okangan, the Lower Mainland and at provincial championships.
On average, there are 50 ringette players in Houston and area.