About us

The Beginning

My name is Ryan Pettengill and I’m the founder of Beer League Warriors Apparel.  I’m a teacher, a scholar, and a dad.  I’m also passionate about fitness.  I was 13 years old when I found out what it meant to “max out” on the bench and, to this day, I still look forward to Monday morning – chest day!  But it’s not just numbers and figures for me. Some of my best ideas have come while I’m at the gym.  Sometimes I’ll look at the Lat Tower and think to myself, ‘that’s where I figured out how I was going to tie things together in Chapter 2.’  While working out always brings back happy memories, let’s be honest, it can be a real challenge to get to the gym. As my academic career began to progress, I took on more and more responsibility.  The 3 PM workout that I used to knock out like clockwork gave way to meetings, grading sessions, and deadlines.  My solution: the 5 AM workout.  But that presented another problem, and I don’t just mean waking up at 4:30.  I found it difficult, on many mornings, to find the motivation to get out the door.  I also found a slew of ways that I could talk myself out of going to the gym.  Part of the ‘suck’ was the lame, uncomfortable tops and baggy, floppy shorts that looked stupid back in the Bush administration – H.W., not W. – that I wore to workout on a daily basis.  Throwing on the same tired gear became part of the grind, and not in a good way. One day, while I was filling up my jug at the water fountain, I had a thought that it would be cool to put this inside joke on the back of a shirt.  The joke was this insane quote our coach used to use while we were running the “five-man shooter drill.”  Think Herb Brooks but with less eloquence and much more profanity!  I took the idea to my local screen-printing shop and a week later my idea became a reality.  It was only one shirt but every time I saw it folded in my drawer, I always looked forward to throwing it on and it made the process of getting out the door just a little bit easier.  And the notion of Beer League Warriors was born. 

The Concept

The idea behind BLW Apparel is to help inspire hard workers to get up and get after it with a little lift from humor.  At BLW, we want to help you get to that point in the morning where you strut across the parking lot drenched in the feeling of accomplishment.  High quality gear that uses a bit of humor to put a smile on your face in the wee hours of the morning is just the push hard workers need to get up, get going, and crush that workout.  I mean, is there a better feeling than jumping in the car knowing the workout has a nice, neat checkmark next to it?!  Wearing comfortable, well-fitting clothes ensures better performance and makes exercise more enjoyable. The reliability and efficiency of good gear reduce distractions and discomfort, allowing for a more focused and effective workout.  The humor angle, that’s the ringer.  Throw that smile on your face before you hit the gym.  You know how .they say laughter is the best medicine?  We want you to apply that concept to your daily grind.  A little chortle when you hit the door never hurt anyone.  If you know, you know!