Youth hockey in Lenawee County was virtually non-existent prior to the development of Arrington Ice Arena on the campus of Adrian College in 2007. Before this wonderful facility arriving, most youth hockey players traveled out of the area to Jackson, Chelsea, or Sylvania in order to find teams and available ice.
The immediate on-ice success of the Adrian College Men's Varsity NCAA D-III team started to gather the interest of the local youth sports participants. Players from those teams regularly made school visits and participated in many floor hockey or after-school programs that resonated with children eager to learn more about the sport.
AYHA's teams are referred to as "Jr. Bulldogs" in tribute to the terrific partnership the College and its Athletic Department has had with the local youth organization. AYHA's first full year of operation came during the 2010-11 season with a total of 45 participants. The organization experienced incredible growth starting in 2013 to include over 160 participants from Adrian College's Learn-to-Play Hockey program through the 16U level!
The program's Mite-E Exchange, created in December 2012, have annually drawn hundreds of youth hockey players and their families from all over southeast Michigan and northwest Ohio. In addition, AYHA has twice been recognized by USA Hockey for their "2-By-2 Challenge" relative to growth and retention efforts in youth hockey.
AYHA's efforts resulted in the Association's first-ever LCAHL Playoff Championship during the 2015-16 season when the 10U Squirts Black Jr. Bulldogs captured the Smythe Division title.
Four more LCAHL Playoff Championships have been collected, bringing to total six titles in four consecutive seasons for the Jr. Bulldogs! The 2018-19 season ended with three of the five AYHA sponsored teams winning their respective LCAHL Playoff Championships (10U, 12U Black, and 16U).
AYHA Trophy Case
2019-20
12U - LCAHL Playoff Semifinalists (Adams Division)
2018-19
16U - LCAHL Playoff Champions (Norris Division)
10U - LCAHL Regular Season Champions (Blue Jackets Division) / LCAHL Playoff Champions (Norris Division)
12U Black - LCAHL Regular Season Champions (Avalanche Division) / LCAHL Playoff Champions (Norris Division)
14U - LCAHL Regular Season Champions (Sharks Division)
2017-18
12U - LCAHL Playoff Champions (Norris Division)
14U - LCAHL Playoff Semifinalists (Adams Division)
16U - LCAHL Playoff Semifinalists (Adams Division)
2016-17
10U Gold - LCAHL Playoff Champions (Smythe Division)
12U - LCAHL Regular Season Champions (Green Division), LCAHL Finalists (Adams Division)
14U - LCAHL Finalists (Adams Division)
2015-16
10U Black - LCAHL Playoff Champions (Smythe Division)
12U - LCAHL Playoff Semifinalists (Patrick Division)
14U - LCAHL Playoff Finalists (Smythe Division)
2013-14
10U - LCAHL Finalists (Smythe Division)