If you ask the average high school senior girl what she did over the weekend, maybe she'll tell you she hung out with friends, went to a movie or celebrated an aunt's birthday at grandma's house.
Not so for 18-year-old Kristal Tornero. She spent an early November weekend visiting Manchester, England to take in a match between Manchester United and Chelsea at Old Trafford. Tornero won the trip through the Sierra Mist Global Pass Sweepstakes.
It all started on MLSnet.com, Major League Soccer's official website. Tornero, who lives in the suburbs of Chicago, entered the sweepstakes and then got a call saying she had been randomly selected as one of three winners of a trip to the 2005 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game in Columbus, Ohio.
At the All-Star Game, she took part in a goal-scoring contest with New England Revolution forward Taylor Twellman. The point of the contest was to kick a ball through a hole in an inflatable goal. While Tornero was paired with Twellman, the other two entrants were matched with Revolution midfielder Clint Dempsey and D.C. United playmaker Christian Gomez. Thanks to the MLS Golden Boot winner, Tornero won the contest and got to choose her ultimate soccer fantasy: a trip to Manchester from Nov. 4-6.
"I had so much fun in Manchester, and the game was great," Tornero wrote in a journal she kept for the three days she was in England. "People say that dreams do not come true, but they do because mine did!"
For Tornero, the experience was a series of firsts. She had never been to Columbus, never been to Europe, never been outside the United States and never met an MLS player. Also, the flight to Manchester was only the second airplane ride she'd ever taken. While in Manchester, she got to see the city and meet the locals. She said the United fans were nice to her and talked to her at the game. Tornero admired the passion the fans showed.
"They won't sit down," Tornero said. "They couldn't believe that we came from the United States just to see a game."
She also got to meet United players Alan Smith and Quinton Fortune. Smith stopped by to take a picture and sign a magazine for her. As for the game itself, Darren Fletcher scored for United to hand Chelsea their first league defeat of the season.
"The game was great and the stadium was packed," Tornero wrote. "As soon as Manchester scored, the stadium went nuts."
The awe is audible in Tornero's voice as she describes the experience.
A lifelong soccer fan, Tornero grew up playing and she watches games whenever she can. She searches the sports section of the newspaper for broadcast information and trolls soccer websites. If she can't watch a game on TV, she goes to the computer and follows the action that way.
"I'm the only one in my family who likes soccer," she said. "Usually when I watch a soccer game, my parents have to pry me out of my room."
Tornero said her favorite part of the entire experience was meeting the MLS players she sees on TV every week. And her favorite team? The Revolution.
"Ever since Taylor won me the trip, I follow New England more than Chicago."
Jason Halpin is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
