Theres so much excitement surrounding womens sports lately, and one 9-year-old wants to add to that hype.Last year, Lucas, or Luke, Grahame dubbed himself "Rink Dude." WATCH: Family shares story behind Rink Dude brand and new ch aracter Rink Dudette Family uses love for hockey to encourage women in sports through Rink Dude brandI was at the rink one day, and my brothers were done with their game, and my mom said, 'You have to go to a long game.' And I said, I don't want to be a rink dude, Lucas remembered.I was, like, crying. I was mad, he added. Little did he know, this would be a defining moment that would help him use his love for hockey to give back to the community.Then we just said, 'Maybe we should make a brand that's called Rink Dude,'" he said. Lucas mother, Niki Grahame recalled the moment as well, saying, it really just started with my son calling himself, 'I'm just a rink dude.We turned that into a hockey lifestyle brand that helps other kids play hockey and just help grow the game, she said. Rink Dude aims to make hockey more accessible by raising funds to support costs like gear, travel fees, tournament costs and registration fees. 20% of the company's sales go toward funding for kids who otherwise would not be able to afford the sport.Since it started in November 2025, when Lucas was 8, Niki says Rink Dude has already raised over $15,000 in donations alone, and another $5,000 for an organization called Hockey Unlimited.We really believe that if a kid wants to play a sport, especially something as expensive as hockey, we should be able to create opportunities for kids that want to play, Niki said.And its a mission Niki says is personal for the family.Because of my husband's experience with not being able to afford hockey, and someone in the hockey community giving him gear so he can continue to play... his dreams might have not been able to be fulfilled if someone didn't help him, she said.We believe in growing the game for both boys and girls, she added.And to accomplish that mission, Rink Dude introduced a new character in January, "Rink Dudette."I knew boys don't just play hockey, said Lucas.That led him to find inspiration in his 11-year-old cousin, Violet, who also plays hockey.I said, 'Maybe we should make a Rink Dudette, he remembered.His cousin Violet Grahame, sitting next to him, shared her excitement as the muse for this new character. I was really excited because he's, like, helping grow it, but like, making sure that also not just boys, because it's also a girls sport, she said.Former NCAA Division I hockey player, Lauren Spino agrees.I think female sports in general, but specifically, hockey is in such a powerful time right now, there's more visibility, more opportunities, more belief and where females can go than ever, Spino said.Spinos experience extends far beyond playing on the ice herself as she now serves as the Director of the Arapahoe Lady Warriors and a development coach at Total Package Denver.When females see a future in their sport, they feel a belonging in it, she said. Denver7 asked Spino if she sees herself in the girls she now coaches.Definitely, 100%, she said emphatically.Being in their shoes at one point, I think it makes it a little easier to relate to them and help them feel confident and empowered, she said.And efforts like Rink Dudette help with that empowerment. It's such a smart idea and such an intentional meaning behind it, Spino said.So now, theres only one thing missing its time for the Professional Womens Hockey League (PWHL) to come to Denver.Denver. PWHL, 2027. Let's go, she said.But in the meantime, young girls like Violet will continue to share their love for the sport to inspire others, like her cousin Lucas.I feel excited and happy because I found a sport that I love to play and that I get to do it with an all-girls community, Violet said.Niki says they just hosted an event Friday night and they also have an amabassador program.             ...read more read less