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After their hard-earned National Championship season, energized by an outpouring of support, the ���ϲ����� men’s soccer team wanted to respond in gratitude back to the community.

After their hard-earned National Championship season, the ���ϲ����� men’s soccer team wanted to respond in gratitude back to the community and held a meet and greet with youngsters at the Boys & Girls Club.

Team members ’22 and ’24 started a program, Sincere Impact, to show their appreciation to the community. During their first event, in April, members of the team held a meet and greet with youngsters through the Boys & Girls Club and organized a clothing giveaway.

“As members of the men’s soccer team, Julius and I were overwhelmed by the support we received from the community during our National Championship season in 2022,” says Singelmann, who earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the and the and is pursuing a graduate degree in economics from the Maxwell School. “Witnessing the impact our success had on the City of ���ϲ����� was truly humbling and inspiring. We knew we wanted to give back, and that’s when we came up with the idea to start a clothing drive.”

The response from fellow student-athletes and other University members was overwhelming.

“We extend our gratitude to all our team members for their generous contributions of over 400 articles of clothing, which surpassed our expectations of making a significant impact,” says Rauch, a double major in entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises and finance in the . “In collaboration with the ���ϲ����� Athletic Department and our fellow student-athletes, we gathered more than 1,500 gently used pieces of clothing that met our donation standards.”

The Athletics equipment staff assisted in sorting and cleaning the donated items to ensure they were in top condition.

Members of the men’s soccer team enjoyed spending time at the Boys & Girls Club and interacting with the youngsters.

Members of the University’s , Kate Flannery, executive director of community engagement, and Cydney Johnson, vice president of community engagement and government relations, connected Singelmann and Rauch with the Boys & Girls Clubs of ���ϲ����� to set up an event.

“The student-athletes coming to the Boys & Girls Club on Shonnard Street provided a very positive and genuine experience for our neighbors on the near West Side,” says Johnson. “The club was thrilled to host the student-athletes and share a meal with them, along with activities and general fun time.”

The members of the soccer team enjoyed spending time at the club and interacting with the youngsters.

“It was truly heartwarming to witness the impact we were able to make on the kids from the Boys & Girls Club,” Singelmann says. “Our organization was founded with the goal of having a sincere and direct impact on the community by providing necessities while also fostering relationships with the youth.”

Rauch says the whole experience was impactful to him—to just hang out and play basketball, offer them a variety of gear and share some pizza and cookies together—and the best part was the chance to reinforce to the children how much they are valued and loved.

Members of the men’s soccer team organize clothing as part of a meet and greet and clothing giveaway at the Boys & Girls Club.

“In addition to the satisfaction of spending time with members of our community, we were overwhelmed by the gratitude we received and how fulfilling it was to see the children enjoy themselves,” Rauch says.

Singelmann also enjoyed spending time playing foosball, pool and basketball with the youngsters and building connections.

“I am excited about the potential to strengthen our partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of ���ϲ����� and have even more events like this in the future,” Singelmann says. “Our mission is to help create an environment in which the young people of ���ϲ����� can thrive and reach their full potential, and I am proud to be a part of that mission.”

Rauch agrees, noting they want to continue to build a strong relationship with the organization by partnering on future events.

“I would like to express my appreciation to the staff, children and families of the Boys & Girls Clubs of ���ϲ����� for welcoming us into their community,” Rauch says. “We intend to continue providing the children with support in any way possible. More importantly, we aspire to foster an unwavering sense of belonging and confidence in every one of them.”

Men’s soccer players Julius Rauch ’24 and Noah Singelmann ’22 organized a clothing giveaway for an event at the Boys & Girls Club.