Yokohama Grits
| Yokohama Grits | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Yokohama, Kanagawa |
| League | Asia League Ice Hockey |
| Founded | 2 May 2019[1] |
| Home arena | Kosé Shin-Yokohama Skate Center |
| Colours | Blue, black, white |
| Owner | Akihito Usui |
| Head coach | Yuji Iwamoto |
| Website | grits-sport |
The Yokohama Grits (Japanese: 横浜グリッツ, romanized: Yokohama gurittsu) are a professional ice hockey team based in Yokohama, Japan. They are a members of Asia League Ice Hockey and play their home games at the Kosé Shin-Yokohama Skate Center.
The team's mascot is a stylized beluga whale named Guluga (Japanese: グルーガ).[2] They also have a dedicated cheerleading squad named GRITS TOPAZ.[3]
History
[edit]The Yokohama Grits were founded on 2 May 2019 by Grits Sports Innovators Corporation, an organisation led by Akihito Usui.[4] The Grits are the first ice hockey team based in the Greater Tokyo Area since the Seibu Prince Rabbits folded in 2009.[1] On 2 June 2020 the team was announced as the eighth member of Asia League Ice Hockey,[5] with former NHL player Mike Kennedy serving as the head coach.[1] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia, the league cancelled its planned 2020–21 season, and a three-country Asia League tournament was scheduled instead.[6] In October of the same year, the Grits took part in the Asia League Japan Cup.[7]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 "「横浜GRITS」アジアリーグ加盟正式決定！横浜市初のプロアイスホッケーチーム誕生 東京圏12季ぶり" (in Japanese). Sports Nippon. 2 June 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ↑ "グルーガ GULUGA" (in Japanese). Yokohama Grits. 18 August 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
- ↑ "GRITS TOPAZ メンバー紹介" (in Japanese). Yokohama Grits. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
- ↑ "Yokohama gets gritty". IIHF. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ↑ "About nominating new teams". ALIH. 2 June 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ↑ "Announcement: 2020–2021 Season (UPDATED)". ALIH. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ↑ "Announcement: Pre-Season Matches". ALIH. 8 September 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
External links
[edit]- Yokohama Grits (in Japanese)
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