For 15-year-old Ari Lechmanski, hockey isn’t just a sport. it’s home.
The East End teen grew up surrounded by the game. Her dad played both roller and ice hockey, her siblings play and she plays as well - and proudly calls herself a “rink rat.”
When school pressures started to pile up, Ari found comfort and focus at the rink. That love for the game inspired her to create @duhh.hockey, a clothing and gear line for players and fans who live the sport as passionately as she does.
“I went through a really hard time at school like every teenager does,” Ari said. “The rink has always been my happy place.”
With help from a family friend in the hockey community, Ari started selling her products at roller tournaments, and her first event was a total sellout. Now, she’s setting up shop outside Peconic Ice Rinks in Calverton, where she recently had the chance to meet members of the New York Islanders, who even picked up a few DUHH Hockey hats for themselves.
“It was so cool,” she said. “Meeting the Islanders and giving them my hats felt amazing.”
For Ari, it’s just the beginning proof that passion, creativity and hard work can make any dream take flight.
You can find Ari’s latest drops and place orders through her Instagram page.
