HELLA DUDES, WITH CHELENA GOLDMAN
Last winter, a local friend asked if I could do a version of our Too Many Men beanie for Sharks fans - "Hella Dudes." I thought it was hysterical and asked if she knew the origins, but she didn't. I told her I'd look into It, but if it belonged to someone else, I couldn't make it.
"HELLA" is a common word in the Bay Area and NorCal. Despite having only lived in SoCal for the past 20 years, I still am a big user of "HELLA," likely because my partner of 14 years lived in The Bay before living with me, and so it became an adoption, of sorts.
If you don't know the deep connection the word "DUDE" has with California, I don't know what to tell ya, and maybe this beanie isn't for you, although the spirit of HELLA DUDES can and does live beyond San Jose and California.
The thing is, phrases like that don't just "pop up"; someone creates them. I knew I had work to do, so I started with Twitter and good ol' Google searches. I came up with Chelena Goldman's name relatively easy, through old Twitter posts. I reached out to the organizations that were connected to "Hella Dudes" and Chelena, and they'd said they weren't in contact with her and didn't have a way to. I went back to the drawing board, disappointed to not find a contact, but also knowing who coined it, I couldn't use it without permission. The hunt continued.
Eventually, I found Chelena's social media, drafted DM's and even emails a few times and always sketched myself out and X'ed out of them. Who am I? Why would she want to work with some silly little hockey brand? What if she didn't even like hockey anymore or want to be associated with the sport? It was an idea I'd just have to let go.
But I couldn't. I kept thinking about Hella Dudes, and how funny it was, and how perfect it was for the VIBE going on in San Jose right now - deeply unserious, but somehow relevant and cultured still, with a deep love for the team from a fanbase with a deep love for the game.
I'm not sure what it was - maybe my 2nd trip to the Shark Tank for their home opener that reminded me how much I love that fanbase, that arena, and Sharkie! - but I opened an email one day, wrote out a quick message to Chelena, and hit send.
To my surprise, I got a really lovely response a short time later, and the collab was all but approved! I got to get on a quick phone call with Chelena, who, to my surprise, already knew about Double Hockey Stix (always shocking to me when prominent people in the industry know of it). One quick great conversation later, and the product was designed, scheduled, and the collab was live only a few short days later.
We're now 2 weeks into the collab and thankful to everyone who has purchased one so far! Need your own? Snag one here! 50% of profits goes directly to Chelena.
Since I had so much fun chatting with her, I thought it'd be nice to give the DHS community a chance to get to know Chelena, for anyone who's knew and missed her time in the Sharks/Hockey community like I unfortunately did. Read our interview below and don't forget to follow along with her journey!
Thanks for reading!
xxLacey
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Please tell us who Chelena Goldman is?
Fueled by sports talk and dark chocolate. Pro second-intermission sing-a-long. Anti “Sandstorm.” Virgo sun, Aries rising, Capricorn moon.
Who is Chelena Goldman the hockey fan - what is your hockey origin story?
I sadly checked my team fandom at the door when I started covering it back in 2012. Every game I watch now, I watch it in work mode. But I still love the game, regardless of who’s on the ice.
Did you always want to work in sports? What was that process like for you?
I knew I was going to be a writer in some capacity since I was eight or nine years old. The sports part didn’t come along until I was in college and had an internship at Fox Sports Net. I never looked back after that.
How did you move through a male-dominated industry? Was it hard? Did you want to quit? Any personal triumphs?
No bro could ever make me want to quit my job just because he has a Y chromosome. That would just be silly.
I’ve been fortunate enough to work alongside some great guys who have balanced out the riff raff. And to be honest, this line of work is rough on dudes, too.
I’m also a pretty tough cookie who isn’t opposed to verbally dropping the gloves. That definitely helps navigate a crazy industry.
What can people expect from your work? Do you have a signature style or anything that you feel makes you stand out?
I’ve written for a lot of companies and learned from each and every style guide in the game, which has helped me shape how I write now. I hope when fans read my articles they feel like I’m having a conversation with them — not talking at them.
What advice do you have for women or gender non-conforming folks who want to work in the industry?
Thankfully, I’ve found that there’s a community for just about everyone who works in sports. It’s cutthroat out here regardless of gender, but support and community are within reach.
What is your favorite memory from any of the jobs you've held in sports?
Covering 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs Round 1 Game 7, Sharks vs. Golden Knights.
It gives me anxiety to think about having to rewrite my entire game recap in four minutes, but the adrenaline rivaled covering Cup Final games in 2016.
Where can people find you (if you want to be found!)?
Type my name into the ol’ Google search bar and you can find me all sorts of places. Say hello sometime — I’ll more than likely answer!