New Trier grad Dani Kaufman, a native of Wilmette, had seen the United States Women’s National Team play a handful of times, but all had been just friendlies against nations from across the world.

The third time though?

That was a game to remember.

Kaufman, along with her family, were in France for the Women’s World Cup and got to witness two games, including the U.S. National Team’s win over Sweden.

“I think honestly, when you’re younger, you kind of think about it and then you’re like, ‘Well, I’ve always wanted to go,’ especially when the last World Cup in 2015 was in Canada,” she said. “I was like, ‘Well, there goes my chance to go,’ just because obviously Canada’s a lot closer than France.”

That all changed, however, when Kaufman’s dad gave the Bucknell University rising senior a call during her fall semester and asked if she knew what her plans would be for the summer.

After telling her dad that they were most likely just going to be working out to prepare for her senior season as the Bison’s goalie and also working at her internship at Compass Realty, he told her she may want to let her boss know she would need some time off in June because she would be attending the World Cup.

“I get chocked up about it now because it has been a dream of mine to go see the games live,” she said. “It’s the World Cup, it only comes every four years, and it was just like a great moment. The way my dad delivered maybe had been a little forward, but it definitely got me tearing up a little bit.”

With that, the plans were officially set when Kaufman was on Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks and the family had their summer vacation in place.

They knew that wanted to see a U.S. group play game, as well as another game, so they planned the trip around those two things.

However, one thing they weren’t planning on was staying at the same hotel that the U.S. team was staying at in before the game against Sweden.

“Of course, my parents were like, ‘You got to go say hi, go ask for pictures,’” Kaufman said. “Me, the athlete, I’m thinking, ‘Okay, I’m getting ready for a World Cup game, do I want some 21-year-old coming up to me, like bugging me and asking me questions?’ In my head, I was like, no, I’m not going up and asking them anything. “

That, however, didn’t stop Kaufman.

She started a brief conversation with Adriana French, the team’s third-string goalie and thanked her for “holding it down for the goalkeeper union,” a bond shared between goalies.

French turned around and said “How’s your mom with the position?” to which she replied “You know, it’s not the most fun during games.”

That set off a brief conversation about French’s mom as well, but as Kaufman says: “I just thought that was a great little connection. She could not have been any nicer.”

The trip wasn’t all about the World Cup though. The family used it as a way to explore France together. With 2019 being the 75th anniversary of D-Day,  the Kaufmans were able to see Normandy, which was a special occasion for them because both of Kaufman’s grandpas had been in the military during World War II. One joined the Air Force and the other the Army. While neither was ever deployed, for Kaufman, she “felt very ingrained with our own American history as well as with my own grandpas’ histories.” 

Since the family came back June 26th, they were only able to see one knockout stage game, a round of 16 game between Sweden and Canada. That meant that they’d watch the run to the championship from the comfort of their own home.

Or in this case, the comfort of Lincoln Park with thousands of their new friends.

“It was a great atmosphere,” she said. “I was a little on the edge of my seat during the game but it was … I mean, US soccer put on a great event and they have a screen and they had … it felt like you were there without being there just because everyone was cheering, everyone was standing up, everyone was just happy to watch a soccer game. 

“And especially after they won, everyone stayed to watch the trophy ceremony. It was just a cool experience to get to see that.”

Kaufman has about a month before she heads back to Pennsylvania for what may be her last competitive season as a soccer player.

“I think it’s, like with anything, you kind of got to close the door to open up another one,” she said. “So I’m interested to see how it goes and what new experiences I get to have without soccer, and what experiences soccer has brought me in the past has been amazing.

“I think I’m just excited to have another season, and just the ability to go out there and play the sport is something that I will never take for granted considering I got about 20 games left, if that, in my career, competitively at least.”