{"id":8326,"date":"2025-06-30T10:58:11","date_gmt":"2025-06-30T14:58:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.teamimpact.org\/?p=8326"},"modified":"2025-06-30T10:58:15","modified_gmt":"2025-06-30T14:58:15","slug":"friendship-series-elias-raghav-southwestern-soccer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.teamimpact.org\/about\/blog\/friendship-series-elias-raghav-southwestern-soccer\/","title":{"rendered":"Friendship Series: Elias &amp; Raghav, Southwestern Soccer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Elias joined the Southwestern University men\u2019s soccer team through Team IMPACT in January of 2024, he didn\u2019t just find a group of teammates\u2014he found a role model, a supporter, and a true friend in Raghav Sharma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Elias lives with Leukemia (B-ALL), and though his journey hasn\u2019t been easy, one thing that\u2019s made it brighter is the bond he\u2019s built with Raghav. From the very start, Raghav has shown up\u2014not just as a teammate, but as someone who listens, laughs, and lifts Elias up in every way possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"8335\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_0825-daniella-meyer.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;quality=89&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8335\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_0825-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_0825-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_0825-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_0825-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?resize=1536%2C2048&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_0825-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?w=1920&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_0825-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?w=1600&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"8334\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Elias8.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;quality=89&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8334\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Elias8-scaled.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Elias8-scaled.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Elias8-scaled.jpeg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Elias8-scaled.jpeg?resize=1536%2C2048&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Elias8-scaled.jpeg?w=1920&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Elias8-scaled.jpeg?w=1600&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"577\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"8333\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Elias7.jpeg?resize=577%2C1024&#038;quality=89&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Elias7.jpeg?resize=577%2C1024&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 577w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Elias7.jpeg?resize=169%2C300&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 169w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Elias7.jpeg?resize=768%2C1364&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Elias7.jpeg?resize=865%2C1536&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 865w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Elias7.jpeg?w=900&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 577px) 100vw, 577px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c<strong>Elias loves to spend time with Raghav because he is so cool,\u201d<\/strong> Elias\u2019 mom, Daniella, shared. \u201cHe plays with him, takes time to be with him and hear him, cheers him, and they both make each other laugh.\u201d Whether it\u2019s texts, funny videos, or hanging out at practices and games, Raghav makes sure Elias feels seen and valued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Raghav has gone above and beyond as a mentor, teammate, and friend; so when Team IMPACT began collecting nominations for Teammate of the Year, Elias and his family knew without hesitation that Raghav was the teammate they had in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"2025 Teammate of the Year: Elias &amp; Raghav, Southwestern Soccer\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uqmBQcMPeB4?list=PLp9kBZR8XRz04itoO8ME46OucLblbinSZ\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That kind of consistency and care has made a real impact. \u201cHe is so supportive, caring, funny, polite, and attentive with Elias,\u201d Daniella said. \u201cEvery single time we get to spend time with him is a special one, from practices to eating and watching other sports.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Daniella shared that every interaction with the team leaves Elias \u201cbeyond happy,\u201d and that the experience has been nothing short of wonderful. Over time, Elias has built a genuine sense of belonging and camaraderie with the team\u2014he truly feels like he is one of them. Recently, his family has seen him grow even more confident, especially during team hangouts where he takes initiative and lights up with joy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And it\u2019s not just Elias who\u2019s benefited. His siblings have become part of the Southwestern soccer family too, forming their own connections with the players. Together, Elias and his brothers have developed a deep love for soccer thanks to their time with the team\u2014watching, learning, and playing together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"8339\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_9291-daniella-meyer.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;quality=89&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8339\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_9291-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_9291-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_9291-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_9291-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?resize=1536%2C2048&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_9291-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?w=1920&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_9291-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?w=1600&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"8338\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_5107-daniella-meyer.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;quality=89&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8338\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_5107-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_5107-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_5107-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_5107-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?resize=1536%2C2048&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_5107-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?w=1920&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_5107-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?w=1600&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the most memorable moments came when Elias was able to help break down a team huddle, counting and speaking in English. These moments matter. With each interaction, Elias practices his English\u2014whether through videos or in-person conversations\u2014and the team is always there to support and encourage him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Raghav has made a lasting impression on Elias, this friendship has also brought so much joy to Elias&#8217; entire family. \u201c<strong>The whole team and coach have been super supportive and kind, but this guy has done so much for Elias and our family<\/strong>,\u201d Daniella shared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Through all the moments\u2014big and small\u2014what shines the most is the authenticity of their connection. Raghav doesn\u2019t just show up\u2014he <em>shows up with heart<\/em>. Whether Elias is having a tough day or full of energy, Raghav meets him with patience and kindness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" data-id=\"8337\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_0911-daniella-meyer.jpeg?resize=800%2C600&#038;quality=89&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8337\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_0911-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_0911-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_0911-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?resize=768%2C576&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_0911-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_0911-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_0911-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?w=1600&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG_0911-daniella-meyer-scaled.jpeg?w=2400&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 2400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Team IMPACT is built on connection, inclusion, and heart\u2014and the friendship between Elias and Raghav is proof of that. Thanks to Raghav Sharma and the Southwestern University men\u2019s soccer team, Elias doesn\u2019t just feel like a fan or a visitor\u2014he knows what it\u2019s like to be truly part of the team.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When Elias joined the Southwestern University men\u2019s soccer team through Team IMPACT in January of 2024, he didn\u2019t just find a group of teammates\u2014he found a role model, a supporter, and a true friend in Raghav Sharma.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":8327,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"mens-teams":[],"class_list":["post-8326","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-announcements"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Friendship Series: Elias &amp; 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