Our iconic warning flag logo on our black sweaters is not simply the product of our relationship with the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, it’s a symbol of our responsibility to lead the way in bringing hockey into our world-famous youth sports culture here in North Carolina, and to proudly represent our home state wherever we compete.
In May of 1987, Raleigh Youth Hockey Association (RYHA) was founded to serve this purpose by offering both recreational and competitive youth hockey programming. Over time, the youth hockey population grew large enough to support house programs through the local rinks, and the quality of the talent level shifted RYHA towards competitive travel programming.
In February of 2007, RYHA formed a partnership with Canes Youth & Amateur Hockey (CYAH), a division of the Carolina Hurricanes focused on developing and promoting youth hockey in the Carolinas. With this partnership came the birth of the Carolina Junior Hurricanes as all RYHA teams competed under the name, logo and uniforms of the defending Stanley Cup champions.
As the youth hockey landscape in the area continued to evolve, the Carolina Eagles - a competitive youth hockey association affiliated with the East Coast Eagles juniors program - also emerged as one of the most successful travel programs in the Southeast.
The Eagles and Junior Canes developed a notable rivalry on the ice with teams consistently going head-to-head for league, state and regional championships, but a like-minded emphasis on player development and a shared commitment to always do what’s best for the game, and best for the kids, led to discussions about collaboration in the place of competition.
In January of 2019, RYHA and the Carolina Eagles announced intentions to merge in order to pool the area’s best staff, coaches and players under a single, collaborative membership-elected leadership team to form the present-day Carolina Junior Hurricanes Hockey Association.
With the foundation set and the growth put in motion, the Junior Canes now enter the next wave of transformation to lead a North Carolina youth hockey population with big dreams, tremendous talent, unlimited potential, and an appetite for hard work and commitment.
We brought youth hockey to North Carolina. Now we’re bringing North Carolina hockey to America.
Take warning.
