HUNTINGTON PARK — Above the grinding and hissing screen-printing machinery of the Hellstar clothing factory is a conference-space-like room.
Teddy bears the size of an actual bear cub stitched out of Hellstar-logoed fabric glance at a long table out of the corner of their eyes. On that table are two gold trophies, reminiscent of the NFL’s Lombardi Trophy.
One idea that produced five youth football teams was born in this room.
“There were a couple times when we were like, are we crazy for doing this? Because you don’t realize how much work it is to be responsible for a hundred kids,” Hellstar co-founder Sean “Seanie” Holland said.
Hellstar is an independent clothing brand based in Los Angeles that has rapidly become popular in the sports world, including the NFL. Former UCLA and current Cleveland Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson has worn the brand to games and Rams receiver Puka Nacua has been spotted wearing it at a press conference — just for two examples.
Hellstar Sports was announced in early January after a merger with a previously existing organization, Hitlist Sports, making it the first series of sports teams successfully launched by a fashion brand. There are five seven-on-seven football teams that range from 10 years old to high school juniors that compete on a national circuit.
Rooted in Burbank football
Players from around the country can be part of Hellstar Sports, but Holland, fellow co-owner Joseph “Juice” Pendleton and coach Raul Ochoa estimate about 80% of their players are from LA County.
They are all from the area — Burbank High School, specifically. Holland and Pendleton played for the Bulldogs as teenagers and Ochoa served as a team manager, since leukemia prevented him from playing.
“We were football fans almost before clothes,” Pendleton said.
Their interest in fashion led them to camp out on Fairfax Avenue to get the latest releases from streetwear brands like The Hundreds, Diamond Supply Co….
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