Some people view sports as a waste of time, a waste of time that doesn’t accomplish anything for society. But those in sports say they are truly more than a game. “I always played soccer as a kid, but I never really knew that it would become such a huge part of my life,” senior defender Karis Mele said. “It was all until I started playing at Drauden Point Middle School where I stopped just playing the game itself.” Mele’s middle school coach, Eric Kelly, has inspired her to view sports differently. “He’s shown me that playing a sport isn’t just about winning or beating a team, it’s about being a family,” Mele said. “I have created some of my strongest relationships because of him.” According to senior teammate, Ciara Coneset, Kelly’s influence on Mele always seems to be present on-and-off the field. “She’s always giving out positivity,” Coneset said. “She always has a smile on her face, and wants to make sure everyone else has one too.” Coneset speaks of how Mele has contributed verbally; however, Mele has given back to her community in a different type of way. “I participated in an event through soccer, working with Buddy’s Helpers (A nonprofit organization uniting high school student athletes), and raised money for children during the Christmas season,” Mele said. “The money allowed us to buy 10,428 toys, which were distributed to children throughout Illinois.” According to Mele, the best part of this PepsiCo Showdown project, were all the promising reactions. “Their smiles and laughter lit up the whole room,” Mele said. “It was such a great experience being able to help those who are less fortunate.” Mele’s actions were featured on Chicago’s NBC 5 News, but plenty of her community service work goes unrecognized. “I’ve participated in the ‘National Random Acts of Kindness Day’ on many occasions, going around handing out roses, placing motivational sayings on doors or mirrors, or buying the police stations donuts or pizza,” Mele said. “I’ve also participated in an event with my church group where we packed backpacks with everyday necessities and walked around downtown Chicago handing the bags out to the homeless during the winter season.” According to assistant coach Elise Bicek, Mele’s encouraging demeanor stands out significantly. “These community service projects show what kind of person Karis is: kind, caring, and willing to help others,” Bicek said.