OUR HISTORY

Founded in 1956 by Foster B. “Pete” Davis Jr. (Brown ’39, Captain if the Brown hockey team) and several of his friends as “the Bantams” we were formally incorporated on March 1, 1960 as Bantam Hockey, Inc. by Foster B. Davis, Jr., Dr. William Fischer, Jr., Richard M. Field, James E. Hollis and Edmund F. Armstrong.  The team first practiced at the Rhode Island Auditorium, but moved to the outdoor Iceland Rink in front of Seekonk Speedway the following season.  Practices were held 5-6 PM on Wednesdays and 8-9 AM on Saturdays with the season running from Thanksgiving to the end of February.

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Today, Bantams are the 14 and under age group in youth hockey, but in Rhode Island in the 1950’s the “Bantams” team name was meant to represent a small Rhode Island Red Hen, symbol of our popular and successful American Hockey League professional team, the Rhode Island Reds.

Founder Pete Davis was instrumental in Brown’s purchase of the Dexter-Aldrich fields, now home of Brown’s athletics complex.  He then persuaded George V. Meehan to contribute the bulk of the funds needed to build Meehan Auditorium, which opened in 1961, and has been our home rink ever since.

On September 19, 1979 the organization’s name was changed to Brown Youth Hockey Association, Inc., but has also been referred to as the “Brown Cubs”.  By 2010, the House League consisted of five teams with thirteen players each and an Instructional program with up to 50 children developing skills in preparation for house league. 

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In March of 2019, the week after our 2019-20 championship game, Brown University cancelled all remaining ice sessions due to COVID-19 and remain closed to ice rentals until Fall 2022.  In January 2023, Brown Youth Hockey began the rebuilding process by holding an Instructional program.