Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

It’s every young sports fan’s dream to meet their favorite athlete. 

While many don’t have the opportunity to accomplish it, even fewer get to say they did so on a different continent. 

Seven-year-old Eva Perez Robbins is one who did. 

On a trip alongside her elder sister, twenty-seven-year-old Chloe Robbins Foust, Eva met Ilona Maher, an internationally recognized rugby union player, in Bristol, England. 

“Everything just kept falling into place…it was a really amazing experience,” she said. 

“We had a really lovely time over there.” 

Both girls became interested in rugby—a sport highly popular in European nations and gaining prominence worldwide—during the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

“We got up early, and we watched some of the rugby games, and we really enjoyed watching it,” said Robbins Foust. “From there, Ilona Maher went to do ‘Dancing with the Stars’…my little sister just became over-the-moon [fascinated] with her.” 

Maher, originally from Burlington, Vermont, was a multisport athlete growing up who – in addition to athletic accomplishments that include three National Intercollegiate Rugby Association Champion wins while competing at Quinnipiac University – has earned a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from DeVry University and advocated for promoting body positive and more. 

Success in multiple ways is what drew Eva to admiration for Maher. 

After gaining passports and flying out to watch a game, good fortune came their way. 

“We were emailed after I bought our regular seats that they also had…this Mascot Package that lets the kids meet all the players before the game and then walk them out on the field,” Robbins Foust added. “I was like, ‘Well, I’ve got to do that! It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” 

Making sure to compliment the entire rugby team as nice and pleasant, Robbins Foust added that meeting Maher was exceptional – especially for Eva. 

“[Maher] spent a good couple of minutes with Eva, and they had a really cute interaction,” she said. “Eva has these…little pink frames that Ilona also has…they just kind of looked like twins, and everyone really felt [glad] at that moment.” 

With Eva even bringing Maher chocolates, Maher returned the favor of kindness by signing a jersey for her. 

Following the experience, it appears as though Eva’s experience with the sport is still developing. 

“[She] has signed up for rugby…I’m hoping that she can see [that] women in sports…can do anything,” Robbins Foust added. “She does seem very excited to get into rugby and other sports.”