When Steve Koich wrapped up his Minor Professional Hockey career in 2012, he knew he wasn’t quite ready to hang up his skates full time. An avid hockey player growing up, and a club team member for Western Michigan University, Koich graduated from WMU with a Public Relations degree before landing jobs with the Chicago Tribune, Whirlpool Corporation, and the University of Notre Dame.
It was his lifelong love for hockey and his career experience in digital marketing that lead him to launch Men’s League Sweaters (MLS), an online business that designs and sells custom hockey jerseys for adult league teams to look and feel like pros. They make youth jerseys as well.
“There are no former hockey players — hockey will always be a part of me. I wanted to give back to the game and the culture that gave me so much,” Koich said. “The feeling of designing new uniforms is something so unique and fun. We figured out a way to bring that feeling to people in a new way.”
MLS was born in 2015. For the deep rooted hockey fan, the term “sweaters,” makes sense. Others may ask, why the name? “If you know, you know,” he said with a smile. It is a term dating back to when the game was played outside in thick, wool knit jerseys.
Koich operates the business from his St. Joseph home. In the first few years, Koich worked tirelessly to get the business running; building relationships with manufacturers, finding the perfect fit, launching the website, customizing designs, and managing customers. Koich called it a “side hustle,” and was working nights and weekends on the new business, learning as he went.
The hard work paid off. In 2018, he took the business full time and assembled a small team. The internet and social media has introduced MLS all across the United States and beyond; including countries such as New Zealand, Sweden, Scotland, and Australia. Koich credits his marketing experience for getting Men’s League Sweaters going, but the success of the business depends heavily on the quality of the product.
“The reason we’ve been able to grow is we make a good product that fits well, that looks good, that feels good to the touch. We can’t afford poor quality because we depend too much on referrals. That’s just the way hockey is. Even though it’s nationwide or international, it’s still a tight knit community.”
Koich credits his marketing experience for getting MLS going, but the success of the business depends heavily on the quality of the product. He believes in what MLS is creating.
As it turns out, so do others. The jerseys have caught the eyes of many current and former professional hockey players, as well as people and businesses outside of the hockey world; from tattoo shops to bachelor and bachelorette parties to military veterans. A Producer from the Netflix Original series, “The Ranch,” purchased customized jerseys for the entire cast and crew of the show. Koich says there’s a wide array of lifestyles and groups that purchase his sweaters. “It’s the variety of people that buy our jerseys, and the compelling stories behind what they do with them, that is really cool.”
Koich has recognized the growth of hockey locally, as well. He partnered with The Garden Ice Arena in Stevensville, supplying all of the jerseys for the adult leagues there. He adds, “One thing that we are super in support of, is how accessible hockey is becoming. And the St. Joe/Stevensville community is a great example of this. At The Garden, for example, they have great programs for adults who have never played before. There used to be all of these barriers to playing hockey, but today, you can show up, sign up, and start playing. Adult hockey used to be something you had to do from the time you were 6 years old. It’s a life-long game. You can start playing at any age.”
To find more on Men’s League Sweaters, you can visit their website: www.mensleaguesweaters.com.
