The birth of the Rogue Valley Royals can be traced back to Bobby and Ali Ruddle — two former hockey players who fell in love with the sport and with Southern Oregon. Returning to the region in 2015, they committed themselves to growing the local hockey community.

Bobby brought his experience as a Hockey Director, and Ali co-founded the Southern Oregon Women's Hockey Club. Together, they built the foundation for something bigger: a junior hockey team that would write a new chapter in Southern Oregon's hockey history. Their son Ripley — the team's smallest fan — symbolizes the family legacy at the heart of the Royals.