OTTAWA — Sunday mornings mean pancakes at Jeff Van Gundy’s house.
Jeff cuts fresh fruit, his wife Kim flips the pancakes, and Meghan Klingenberg fixes bacon.
Yes, the same Meghan Klingenberg who has played every minute on the United States national team’s back line this World Cup has “Pancake Sundays” with the Van Gundy family in Houston because she lives with them while playing for the Houston Dash in the National Women’s Soccer League.
When Van Gundy learned of the team’s host-family program last year, he jumped on the opportunity knowing little about soccer. The former NBA coach and current ESPN analyst didn’t realize his family received an “absolute blessing.”
Then this past spring, U.S. midfielder Morgan Brian moved in, too.
The most difficult diva of women’s soccer would be the easiest NBA player ever.
Jeff Van Gundy
“I can’t tell you how fortunate we are,” Van Gundy told For The Win. “You don’t know when you have people, but the example they set and also for me having been in the NBA for a long time, they just have a different perspective because they’ve never had it easy. And it’s interesting to watch them. They’re just really excited about the opportunities and how they go about it is impressive.
“The utter lack of sense of entitlement was actually startling for me. For professional athletes, I always think about it in these terms: the most difficult diva of women’s soccer would be the easiest NBA player ever.”
(USA TODAY Sports)
In April 2014, Van Gundy met Brian Ching, the managing director for the Houston Dash, at a fundraiser luncheon in town. During casual conversation, Ching mentioned the Dash has a host family program and Van Gundy was immediately interested. He opened his home before checking with his wife.
Klingenberg had been playing overseas in Sweden and wasn’t wrapping up her season until the end of May. When she arrived in Houston in June, she needed a place to live for the remaining two months of the NWSL schedule and rather than rent an apartment for a short period of time, the Dash set her up with the Van Gundys. Until she actually moved into their house, she didn’t believe it was the same famous NBA family.
“They were absolutely so inviting,” she said. “They made me feel like I was part of a family. Their house was my house. Anything I needed they were willing to help.
“I’m involved in all their family activities and invited to everything. I go to the little one’s cabarets and sit with the family, go out to dinner, sometimes I cook for them because they’re not super into cooking. It’s really a great family dynamic because it’s nice being able to come home from soccer and not having to talk about soccer, think about soccer, be around soccer anymore.”
it’s nice being able to come home from soccer and not having to talk about soccer
Meghan Klingenberg
Brian, who was drafted by the Dash in January, moved in before the 2015 season started in April. Both have quickly grown comfortable and been integrated into the family dynamic, playing in the pool with 11-year-old daughter Grayson and watching TV shows together in the living room like Game of Thrones and House of Cards.
“They’re more tech sound so they can actually get the Apple TV up on the screen, which I’ve never been able to accomplish,” Van Gundy said. “They’ll go up to their rooms some, but they’re pretty invested. They hang out.”
The girls also cook—sometimes just for themselves and also for the whole gang.
“They eat far too healthy for us,” Van Gundy said.
“They’re a tough family when it comes to cooking, I’m not gonna lie,” Klingenberg said, laughing. “They’re picky eaters.”
(USA TODAY Sports)
In the 77th minute of the USA’s second World Cup match against Sweden, Klingenberg had the play of the tournament when she made a leaping, game-saving header on the goal line. Sweden’s Caroline Seger had a perfect shot that was going straight for the upper right corner. Goalkeeper Hope Solo was on the left side, but Klingenberg was in position for the save.
“I thought we were going to lose our minds,” Van Gundy said. “But that was pure pride. We were so happy for her and proud of her.”
Usually when Van Gundy watches these World Cup matches, he gets an “empty pit” in his stomach. Yes, he’s nervous for the U.S. to win like every other fan, but he also knows what hoisting that trophy at the end means to Klingenberg and Brian. In the last year, he’s come to understand the disparity that exists in professional sports and that women’s soccer is vastly different than the NBA, for example.
I thought we were going to lose our minds
Jeff Van Gundy
Soccer is a new love for the Van Gundy family as their two daughters Mattie, 19, and Grayson, 11, don’t play. But they want to see it thrive in their city and across the country.
Houston has only had a professional women’s soccer team since 2014, one season after the NWSL’s inception. But this isn’t the first professional league. In 20 years, there have been four with the W-League, WUSA, WPS and NWSL. The first three all folded, however.
“Go to the games,” Van Gundy said. “I don’t know if there could be a better thing for trying to take your kids to something. It doesn’t matter if you have daughters or sons. You want to see great athletes competing, setting the right example. Going is the best thing anybody can do because they’ve gotta find a way to make (the league) stick and work this time.”
(USA TODAY Sports)
Before the U.S. played Nigeria in its final World Cup group game, Kim and Grayson Van Gundy got lost walking around Vancouver. As they wandered, Kim spotted a familiar face.
“Kristen? Is that you?” Kim said.
It was Kristen Klingenberg, Meghan’s mother, walking around with the rest of the defender’s family.
They were also lost.
The two families, who had met on a previous occasion, hung out the rest of the day and had dinner following the USA’s 1-0 win to clinch the Group of Death.
“I feel like my family has included them as much as they’ve included me,” Meghan Klingenberg said. “I know my parents are just so grateful that they were there and how wonderful they’ve been to me.”
The Van Gundys aren’t sure if they’ll attend any other World Cup games. They don’t want to jinx it by making travel plans. But they are looking forward to seeing if Brian will get more playing time in Friday’s quarterfinal against China now that Lauren Holiday is out with two yellow cards.
(AP)
“It’s a chance for her to step up and play well, and Meghan and the defense seem like they’ve played great,” Van Gundy says, the analyst coming out. “Again, I don’t know anything about soccer, but I love watching.”
Even if the Van Gundys don’t make anymore trips to Canada, their house will be ready for Klingenberg and Brian when they return to Houston. The players could have gotten their own apartments, but they’ve built such a strong relationship with the “VGs.”
“I feel like I have my own special little family down in Houston and that wasn’t something I was willing to give up,” Klingenberg said. “They were so welcoming, inviting me to stay next year and I didn’t even think about getting another apartment.”
Nor was she willing to give up “Pancake Sundays.”
(This article previously stated that the Houston Dash was an original NWSL team. FTW regrets the error.)
