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LAND O' LAKES, Fla. (FOX 13) - Danielle Fotopoulos is part of American history. She was a member of the 1999 U.S. Women's Soccer team that won the FIFA Women's World Cup.
The image of Brandi Chastain's game-winning penalty shootout kick - and the ensuing celebration - may come to mind first, but equally important in that win over China was the stop by U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry that kept the shootout tied at 4.
That save made Chastain's goal, and history, possible. And Danielle Fotopoulos ran to congratulate Scurry. She recognized the moment - in the moment.
Flash forward 20 years, Fotopoulos is now the head coach of the Eckerd College women's soccer team. And that moment has informed her coaching style.
"One of our goals at Eckerd next year," says Coach Fotopoulos. "Our number one goal, is hard work by defending first."
Danielle is the mother of four children, the wife of soccer coach George Fotopoulos, and yes, a gold medal-winning member of the 1999 U.S. Women's Soccer team that shook up the world.
"I still get chills," Danielle says.
As the 2019 U.S. team arrives in France for this year's Cup event, Danielle is seeing her first child graduate from high school. The next day is her 23rd wedding anniversary and she's reminded, these days, of that afternoon in Los Angeles 20 years ago when the reserve forward cheered her team into history.
"It did all happen in such a short time. And now it's all coming around again, 20 years later," she said.
You can watch the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup on FOX 13. The U.S. opening game is Tuesday at 3 p.m. against Thailand.