On June 7, Taylor Kornieck was driving when a text message, from a number she didn’t have saved to her phone, flashed on her car dashboard. It wasn’t a spam or phishing message, but one from someone she’s hoping to get to know well. “Hi Taylor, this is Vlatko,” it opened.
The Vlatko in question is, of course, Vlatko Andonovski, the coach of the United States women’s national team. And in his text, he asked the budding San Diego Wave FC star midfielder if she had a few minutes to chat.
“Literally my heart dropped,” says the 23-year-old Kornieck.