From the moment she stepped on the ice at age four, Karen (Duguay) Bunting was determined to achieve great things in ringette.
Four years later, she was competing for the local provincial team, travelling to tournaments throughout Ontario, eventually developing to compete both nationally and internationally on the largest ringette stages.
Widely known for her strong skating abilities, Bunting used to frustrate opponents as a strong defender with a never-give-up attitude. She was always the go-to defender when protecting the leads late in the final period.
Highlights from her distinguished career include competing at two World Club Championships, being a member of Team Canada at the World Ringette Championships in 1998 and 2000, competing in 15 Canadian Ringette Championships between 1991 and 2015, and competing in the 1991 Canada Winter Games.
Beginning in the 2008-09 season, Bunting played for the Richmond Hill Lightning in the National Ringette League, which is made up of 13 teams from all across Canada. As a defender, she amassed 207 points in only 166 games during her six seasons in the league. She now plays on the Richmond Hill open AA ringette team.
Owing her love of ringette to her two older sisters who played down the street from their childhood home, Bunting now coaches her twin daughters in Barrie where they competed in the U12 Provincial Petite program in the 19-20 season.
The U12 Provincial Petite program is the introduction to competitive ringette where players compete against teams from all over the province.
Bunting's older sister, Tina, is still heavily involved with the local Greater Sudbury Ringette scene, as well. Tina is currently serving as vice-president of the Sudbury Ringette Association and was head coach of the local U12 Provincial Petite Program for the 19-20 season.
Since ringette’s invention by Sam Jacks, in North Bay, in the early '60s, Ringette has exploded into an international phenomenon. The fastest game on ice has had thousands upon thousands of players, the majority female, who compete around the world. The Sudbury Ringette Association is the world’s oldest organized ringette association.
The Sudbury Ringette Association proudly congratulates one of their own, Karen Bunting on her introduction to the Ringette Canada Hall of Fame!
