Originating in 1964, the Rome Youth Hockey Association (RYHA) has provided thousands of local athletes the opportunity to play ice hockey in the Rome, NY, area. Many players have excelled at Division I, II, and III college programs, with some advancing to the professional ranks. The Rome Grizzlies' programs include the Initiation Program (IP), Mini-Mites, Mites, Squirts, Pee-Wees, Bantams, Midgets, and Women. The Rome Grizzlies skate out of the John F. Kennedy Civic Arena and are a member of USA Hockey and the New York State Amateur Hockey Association (NYSAHA), competing in the highly competitive Tier II Central Section of the NYSAHA.