As anyone who watches hockey knows, the sport is equal parts finesse and grit. Although goal scorers and playmakers garner most of the media attention, almost every team to ever win a Stanley Cup had a guy they could count on to provide an intimidation factor and protection for said team’s star players.

    Eric Politowski, a sports management major at California University of Pennsylvania, perfectly embodied both of these roles during his time as a collegiate inline hockey player. Politowski, set to walk in graduation this December, finished his college career last spring with 85 points (60 goals, 25 assists) in 46 games, and placed fifth on Cal U’s all-time scoring list. He also amassed a whopping 127 penalty minutes in those games.

      Unsurprisingly, Politowski’s penchant for being a physical power forward with a scoring touch  led him to make his first connection with an NHL player while interning as a writer for a hockey website, Faceoff Factor, after graduating from Baldwin high school. While writing an article for the website on up and coming players in the Pittsburgh Penguins minor league system, Politowski interviewed then promising Penguins forward prospect Eric Tangradi. After the interview, the two continued corresponding on Facebook. Over time, the two became friends, and Tangradi would invite Politiowski and his family to breakfast when they made trips to Scranton Pa., to watch the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins play. Politowski was also able to maintain a connection with John Gibson, (currently a goalie in the Anaheim Ducks system) a fellow Baldwin native who was considered the top American goaltending prospect in all of hockey after turning pro. Little did he know how valuable these connections would become.

     After Politowski transferred to Cal from CCAC in 2012, he, his younger brother Joe, and a few friends who also attended the university would get together and play pickup hockey games. One day, they began to question why their hockey shirts weren’t made to their liking. “We just sat around and asked why it was so hard to find hockey shirts that were comfortable and made from high quality material,” Politowski said. “It was at that moment we decided to take the initiative and try to build our own brand.”

     According to Politowski, it was at this time, with a little help from his savings account, that Barn Hockey was born.                   

At first, Politowski’s company was completely grassroots. “Our startup costs came from money I had saved from when I detailed cars and valeted on the weekend, and we started by having friends wear Barn Hockey shirts, almost like we were in the Fantasy Factory,” Politowski said. “However, through previous connections and social media, things took off.” Before long, Tangradi (now with the Grand Rapid Griffiths in the Detroit Red Wings organization) and Gibson were on board with Barn Hockey. Later, NHLers Morgan Riley (of the Toronto Maple Leafs) Bobby Farnham (of the New Jersey Devils), Dylan Olsen (of the Florida Panthers) and Matt Donovan (of the New York Islanders) also began wearing Barn Hockey apparel. Politowski’s apparel is also worn by numerous players in the AHL and CHL, along with players in the top junior leagues in Canada (the OHL, WHL, and QMJHL).

    According to Politowski, many of the players in these lower levels personify what he envisions Barn Hockey to be all about. “I consider Barn Hockey to represent the gritty part of the game of hockey, so its great to represent players who might not make it to the NHL without that certain element  of grit and toughness in their games.”

One such player, Patrick McGrath, a scrappy forward currently playing for the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, said Barn Hockey provides him with an experience he can’t find anywhere else. “Eric is a really hard worker, and he provides me with shirts and other apparel,” McGrath said. “It’s really awesome to have someone who represents your style.”

     As Barn Hockey and Politowski’s brand grew, family in Chicago recommended he branch out and follow another dream; becoming a boxing manager. Through a connection with his cousin, Politowski became involved with lightweight boxer Sharif Bogere. Bogere, a native of Uganda, said what drew him to Politowski was his ability to effectively use social media. “Eric is a social media genius,” Bogere said. “He helped me with my walkout shirt and other promo videos. He has a great mind for business and I’m proud to have him represent me.” Bogere is currently 27-1 and ranked the tenth best lightweight in October’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) rankings. Politowski recently started managing another boxer, Mike “Lethal” Lomax. Lomax, an amateur junior middleweight with a 32-0 record, echoed the sentiment everyone associated with Politowski feels; his managing skills can help advance their respective careers.

       “Let’s say this, I never had a manager before I met Eric,” he said. “I had only fought in back alleys and small country clubs. Right after signing with Eric, I fought in Toyota Park in Chicago in front of thousands of people, which was an amazing experience. With Eric’s help, I really expect my career to take off as early as this year.”