K-State Trio Aims to Defend Their Intramural Title
- Bella Zarate
- Dec 11, 2025
- 3 min read
For three roommates at Kansas State, soccer isn’t just a game; it’s been the glue of their
friendship since attending the university. After three years of playing together in intramural
leagues and the Manhattan adult league, they’re getting ready for another shot at the co-ed intramural championship they won last season. Their connection is clear, forged through
countless practices, late-night kick-arounds, and now, that bond is driving their push to defend
the title.
For Chris Velez, last year’s championship run wasn’t just about talent; it was about trust. Being a
key member of the group, he mentions that their success is due to a unique chemistry that you
can’t just practice, it takes years of playing together to develop.
Reflecting on what set their team apart, Velex said, “I feel like we won because we were all
friends and we all knew what everybody’s job was on the field. We ran a formation where we knew where our best people were going to be. I feel like our chemistry was even better with this formation because we knew what everyone was going to be good at.”
That chemistry doesn’t happen by accident. The roommates commit to practicing two to three
times a week – sometimes at the rec center, other times on local fields. They focus on perfecting
their formation, honing their skills, and building the rhythm they say gives them an edge once
game time comes.
It’s during these practice sessions that their instincts become sharper, and few players feel that
connection more than Emi Gallo. After years of playing alongside Chris and Angel, Gallo says their understanding on the field has become second nature. “With Chris, I know that look, if he wants a long ball, he just gives me a little look. Angel, I know he plays defense so he’s not making the runs, but I know what he’s going to do. He’s just a little truck, so he’s going to run over people,
but yeah, I do know what they’re gonna do.”
For all three roommates, soccer has been a part of their lives for as long as they can remember.
Each of them started playing around four years old, and none of them have stepped away from
the game since. That lifelong foundation is a big reason their chemistry works – but it also shaped who they are as individual players.
For Angel Razo, the organizer of the team and the one who handles most of the planning, growing up meant earning every bit of skill he has now. Razo said his work ethic started early, long before intramurals or college leagues. “I used to live out in the country, so I would run almost every day. I didn’t have friends nearby, so I spent my time playing soccer – setting up cones, running dirt roads, always with a ball at my feet. I’d go to the high school, run stairs, sprints, then play more soccer. I even joined my cousin’s cross-country practices just to get faster.”
He added that playing above his age group forced him to push even harder. “I always played a
year or two older, so I had to work twice as hard to keep up. And with my family paying for
travel to big tournaments in places like Denver or Texas, I wanted to show them I was putting in
the work. I always worked my butt off to get better.”
Beyond the competition and the championships, the trio says intramurals offer something just as
valuable: balance. With packed schedules, classes, and jobs, soccer has become their outlet. A
place to reset and step away from the pressure of college life. For Chris, that break is essential.
“Intramural sports are competitive within a D1 school. I’m an architecture student, so I’m in the
studio all the time. When I have a break I go play soccer and it releases my stress and all these
problems that I have in my head, so it’s very good for also just campus life. I can only imagine
other majors, but I feel like that’s why it’s important to keep, or to have.”
As the spring semester approaches, the three roommates are already ready looking ahead to
another shot at the intramural title – they’re motivated to prove last year was no fluke. With
years of shared experience, weekly practices, and a bond built far beyond the field, they’re
confident they have what it takes to defend their championship. They’ll continue training and pushing each other until that first whistle blows, leaning on the strong bond that has taken them from their childhood games to college intramurals. For these players, winning another trophy isn’t just about the victory; it’s a significant moment in a story they’ve been building together their whole lives.
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