History of Brewster Ice Arena

The Brewster Ice Arena has been a fixture in New York Hockey for two decades, since the Santini family moved their craft from the New York Rangers' former practice facility at Long Beach Arena to Brewster, on the border of Westchester, Putnam, and Western Connecticut.

Decades of industry experience culminated in "The BIA's" first rink opening in December 1997, and since then the property has expanded sequentially: A second full size rink in December 1998, an upstairs studio rink in 2000, a Sports Bar and full-scale restaurant in 2002, a third floor fitness center in 2005, and in 2013 the Outdoor Rink, which operates seasonally from November through February, and has been affectionately dubbed 'the Pond.' The Arena's growth has correlated in more opportunities for their young players to successfully reach their hockey goals.

Since inception, the home team, Brewster Bulldogs, has been clad in black, red, and white. A mainstay of regional youth hockey, the organization entered the LIAHL in 2002 resulting in dozens of championship banners to their credit since then. The Bulldogs' keen focus on skill development and growing the sport brought two additional organizations to the BIA by 2002: The Lady Bulldogs came into existence to give girls the same opportunity to play full season travel hockey; since then, they have grown into one of the sports' most respected organizations, with players traveling great distances to be affiliated. The same year, the Westchester Express moved to Brewster and made it their permanent home, a beacon for Tier One hockey in the region. Recent Express coaches have included former NHL cup-winner and NY Ranger Alex Kovalev, showcasing the team's penchant for attracting talented young players and aiding in their optimal development. Between the three organizations, Brewster Ice Arena teams have won over twenty state championships, with five teams progressing as far as the National Quarterfinals. Double digit youth players have moved from the Brewster Ice Arena to the National Team Developmental Program in Ann Arbor; Many more have been able to transition to Junior hockey via the Brewster Bulldogs, currently in the EHL's Elite Division.

The Santini family has operated the Apple Core since 1970, and in 2012 moved their flagship Junior Franchise north from Long Beach to consolidate operations in Brewster. Playing in the EHL's Premier Division, the New York Apple Core bring in players from all over the world to play alongside the talent that has been developed organizationally from mites on up. The Apple Core locker room door is emblazoned with the words 'Great Champions have Graced this Locker Room' and they have: The Organization had promoted more than two hundred of their players into the Collegiate ranks before moving to Brewster; That number has swelled to over three hundred since. Nine players that have donned the Apple Core logo have gone on to wear an NHL sweater, reaching the upper echelon of the Sport. If you would like to learn more about Brewster Ice Arena, you can visit www.brewstericearena.com.