Gembel said she had been thinking about starting a podcast for a while. After being sidelined from sports due to health issues, Gembel put her ideas into motion with all the spare time on her hands and created LUCK It with Lexi.

“I realized we have so many people in Alpena who work super hard but never get the recognition they deserve because we’re from such a small town,” she said. “So that kind of inspired me to showcase them.”

The name of the podcast, LUCK It with Lexi, is based on her family’s sports apparel company. The letters in LUCK stand for Laboring Under Complete Knowledge, which means that nothing is done by luck but by hard work.

Gembel has recorded 13 episodes so far, featuring mostly AHS graduates and current students who are accomplished, hard workers. The podcast largely focuses on Alpena natives who have excelled in sports, but Gembel has also showcased people like the 2024 Outstanding Citizen of the Year, Steve Jakubcin.

News Photo by Reagan Voetberg Lexi Gembel, a sophomore at Alpena High School, stands in the space where she films her podcast episodes.

Gembel said that there are a lot of people she would like to have on the podcast and plans to continue it after high school. She’s interested in sports management and said that the podcast will be helpful as she pursues that career.

Gembel said that the podcast has been pretty popular so far in the community.

“I have a lot of people supporting me, and they share, and so I’ve been getting a lot more views than when we started,” she said.

As she continues to bring on more guests, Gembel hopes to make the podcast a little more spontaneous. Currently, she writes out a list of questions that she asks guests for each episode.

“I want to be able to not have the script,” Gembel said.

News Photo by Reagan Voetberg Lexi Gembel explains the functions of the mixer, including adjusting the sound of microphones and headphones. The buttons to the right make different sound effects.

Finding the right equipment to get the podcast started was not too difficult, Gembel said. Her dad’s friend hosts a podcast and recommended some brands.

“We had a camera we wanted, and a mixer we wanted, so we haven’t really had to change anything,” she said.

Gembel has featured guests such as Emma Gentry, an Alpena graduate who went on to become a Division I hockey player and has played for Team USA Hockey.

She has also interviewed Reid Meinhardt, a world-ranked water skier and Alpena hockey standout.

In her first episode, Gembel interviewed her sister Lilly, who is an Alpena graduate, a singer, and a figure skater. Lilly went on to skate on the University of Michigan’s synchronized skating team and has sung the national anthem at various events in Alpena and at the University of Michigan.

Courtesy Photo Lexi Gembel interviews Reid Meinhardt.

Gembel’s most recent guest was Gavin Winterstein, MVP and standout leader of Alpena’s Varsity Hockey Team.

Gembel said that her dream guests would be Colston Loveland, a tight end on the University of Michigan football team, as well as JJ McCarthy, and NHL hockey players Jack, Quinn, and Luke Hughes.

When asked who her favorite person she’s interviewed so far is, she said Gentry and Meinhardt.

“She’s just really cool,” Gembel said about Gentry.

Meinhardt is a family friend, and Gembel has experienced his journey firsthand.

Courtesy Photo A picture of the studio set up to record an episode of LUCK It with Lexi.

“It’s a really cool story to see how hard he works,” Gembel said.

Gembel’s dad said that they’ve seen Meinhardt out water skiing in the snow before. Meinhardt is a junior national champion and has been water skiing since he was a young kid.

Gembel’s recording space is in the basement of her family’s house. She has two flat-screen TVs behind her to display the podcast’s logo as well as photos of her guests.

Listen to LUCK It with Lexi on YouTube at L.U.C.K. Unlimited Apparel, or listen on Spotify at LUCK It with Lexi. Watch clips on luckunlimitedapparel on Instagram.

Courtesy Photo Lexi Gembel poses for a photo with Emma Gentry.

Courtesy Photo A picture of the thumbnail for Lexi Gembel’s first episode with Lilly Gembel.