Chandler Steele understands opportunities like this don't come around every day.

That's why Steele, a rising sophomore at Johnson High, jumped at the chance to represent the U.S. on the 15-and-under soccer team in the Gothia Cup in Sweden.

"I'm just really excited," said Steele before Wednesday's departure for the two-week showcase. "This is the kind of opportunity that most people don't get."

She was picked for the team through 365 Sports, a recruiting service, as one of the top prospects in the country in her age group, and she received notification that she made the team in January.

The Gothia Cup brings teams together players from 73 countries and games in a tournament-style format leading up to the finals on July 23 at the 43,000-seat Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The actual tournament begins on Monday after a couple days to get acclimated to teammates and the new surroundings.

Think of it as a World Cup for kids.

"We're hoping this is a great experience for her to play with her teammates and to receive some great coaching," said her father Jeff, who is the boys varsity basketball coach at Johnson. "Her goal is to eventually earn a scholarship to play in college."

Steele wasn't making her first trip to Europe alone. She was joined by her mother and grandmother, and she planned on taking in as much of Sweden as possible during sightseeing opportunities, as well as see where her family hails from in the same country.

"I'm looking forward to meeting a lot of new people," Steele added.

As a freshman, Steele played midfield and forward for the Knights. She also plays club soccer with the Lanier Sharks. Steele hopes this opportunity isn't just a springboard to a college scholarship, but also her ultimate dream down the road: a professional career in soccer.

Her first leg of the trip to Sweden was a flight Wednesday morning to Washington, D.C. to meet the rest of the team.

Then they all boarded the same plane for the approximately nine-hour flight to Sweden.