. . .And Beyond

Now that the Olympics have concluded, and the Olympic buzz is slowly starting to wear off - I am beginning to settle down in "normal" (whatever that is) life. I am currently back home in New Jersey, spending time with my family and friends. It is an interesting point in my life, as I sit in a crossroads holding the power to choose the direction of my life. In the past, my decisions have always been guided by my commitment to education - high school, college etc. Then, after I graduated from UNC in December, the opportunity to pursue the Olympics just seemed waiting for me. It was impeccable timing to say the least. Now I sit and wonder where the road should go next - do I pursue hockey further or do I embark upon a new path. But perhaps, the answer is pursue both - use the pursuit of hockey to lead me toward a new path. I state this with an edge of predictability, because I know where I am headed. I have decided to continue to play hockey for a club team in Holland. I...

Hi all. I wrote this poem on the morning of August 5, before the start of the Olympic Games. I was up entirely too early (still adjusting to the time difference), when I felt compelled from my sleeplessness to write a poem. I hope you enjoy. TRANQUILITY by Rachel Dawson A new day has dawned; The suns hazy glow has fell upon, the silken grass and lilly pads of China's new, rebuilt past. One Nation has opened itself unto the world; In this offer, the gleam of an ancient pearl, as we hope for the herald of peace, dreaming that what is west will merge with what is east. It is in the vision that through competition we will conquer the doomed beast of power, so that eventually, triumphant our world will sing, in the glory of unity at dawns tranquil hour.

Its 6:30 am here in Beijing and I am getting ready to depart the village for the final time. The completion of this tournament marks a great time to reflect on the progress and improvements of this group over the course of the Olympic Games as well as the journey we have taken over the past three years. We have come a long way, and while the 8th place finish is disappointing, we take from it a lesson about playing in big tournaments that could not be learned any other way. Sure we all wish that we could have medaled, but for the moment, we are exactly where we need to be. Nothing this group has ever accomplished has come easy - it is this resilience and persistence that will carry us forward over the next Olympic cycle. With the development of youth hockey in America as it is, the possibilities are limitless - we must only continue on the current course of USA Field Hockey, have belief in what we can accomplish, and the persistence to accomplish it. My final days at the Olympic Ga...

Sometimes you win; sometimes you lose; and three times we tied - and unfortunately, ties didn't give us the point total we needed to go through to the medal rounds. The tie to Great Britain left a bitter taste in my mouth - it was extremely disappointing not to get a result because we feel that we are fully competent of succeeding at this level. I believe we have proved that we can play with the best in the world - the next step is proving that we can beat the best (consistently). Tomorrow, we play Spain in the 7/8th classification match. This game will be a great opportunity to play a highly skilled and talented opponent; it is an opportunity to get a win against a quality side. And it will be our last opportunity to showcase USA Field Hockey in the 2008 Olympic Games. Go USA.

We had an extremely disappointing loss to the Germans today 4-2. In an incredibly even-matched game, Germany got the edge on us by executing their attack penalty corners. With the win, Germany keeps its strong hold atop our pool, while we remain with two points and have to await the outcome of tonight's matches to see where we sit. Although the defeat is difficult to swallow (I really despise losing), I am very proud of our team for putting forth what I consider to be our best all around game of the tournament. Our forwards and midfields were incredibly tenacious on the press and put the German backfield under considerable pressure. While our backfield and goal keeper maintained a solid defensive structure and minimized their chances. Unfortunately, we lost. But obviously, we cannot go back and rewrite the outcome of the game - from here we must move forward, taking with us the lessons of the first three matches. Our focus must switch to our next match, New Zealand. Our next t...

From our Village Getaway and Opening Ceremonies. . .

Good Morning!! I just pulled back my shade, and the sun is already shining here in Beijing - this is a much appreciated change from the rainy weather of the past couple of days. This evening, we take on Japan, a team who in the past couple years has become a friendly nemesis (if such a thing exists). Since I have joined the National Team in 2005, aside from Argentina, Japan is the team we have met most internationally. In the 2005 World Cup Qualifier in Rome, we lost to the Japanese in the 3-4 match. Again in the World Cup Final, we fell to them in the 5-6 game. Since those meetings we have played in two five game test series, one hosted in the USA and one in Japan. It is nice to meet a familiar foe in competition; however we know this evenings match will be incredibly difficult. The Japanese are quick and disciplined; their defense can absorb a lot of pressure - we will have our work cut out for us, but it is a task we apt to succeed at. I must admit, it was an incredible relie...

So before I get to the 2-2 draw against Argentina, I need to give a view shout outs. Happy belated Birthday to my Grandpop, I hope you enjoyed watching me play for the USA. Congratulations, to my little sister Hannah who leaves for college tomorrow - Han, I can't tell you enough how excited I am for you. . . you have worked so hard to get where you are - enjoy every moment of the experience that awaits you! Lastly, thank you to everyone who got up at the crack of dawn to watch our USA Hockey Team compete; we can feel your support over here in Beijing. So the question of the day, is are we happy with the 2-2 draw with Argentina. In earnest, I think considering the circumstances of the game (we were down a player for 20 minutes in the second half because we received two yellow cards), being able to come back from 2-0 deficit was a huge accomplishment. However, the result is not the outcome we had hoped for but we are pleased to come away with a point. Well, there is more to com...

Amazing. Fantastic. Exhilarating. Beautiful. Nothing I can write will do justice to what was the 2008 Opening Ceremonies. The Chinese have put on an incredible and extraordinary show; one that captivates the mind and enlivens the senses - its magnificence touches the very core of the human heart. Our opening ceremonies experience started early in the day @ 5:15 - and like most days here in Beijing, it was incredibly hot and humid. Dressed in our Gatsby-esque Polo outfits, the perspiration started immediately as we walked out of our building. Our first stop en route to the Birds Nest was at the Fencing Center where we mingled with other athletes and awaited the arrival of President Bush. It was amazing to be in a room filled with so many talented athletes. President Bush arrived with an entourage of people including his father President George H.W. Bush, his wife, First Lady Laura Bush, the Secretary of the Treasury, and many others...After making some remarks, the President min...

The lucky day has finally arrived in China. Today is 8.8.08. Later this evening, the world will gather in The National Stadium (aka The Bird's Nest) to witness the official opening of the 2008 Olympic Games. But before I delve into the excitement of the opening ceremonies, I need to recount the incredible last couple days. It started with our team getaway from the village. Our coaches decided that a break from the hustle and bustle of village life would be perfect to maintain our focus and enthusiasm. After training on Wednesday morning, we packed our bags and crammed into a tour bus and made a trek to the Great Wall of China. After a 1.5 hour bus ride, we arrived at a small parking lot, at the base of a hill. The team was looking around, saying, "Where is the Wall." When we set out on our journey, we did not know that we had to climb in order to reach the wall. So after perusing the markets at the base of hill, we began our 40 minute climb. Kelly Doton and Am...

Good Evening, or should I say Good Morning. Regardless of the time of day, the news I have to share is exciting. First let me preface you with the fact that the village is thriving as new batches of athletes arrive daily. The chaos in the dining hall is a key indicator of the increase in athlete volume. In order to understand the capacity of the dining hall let me draw you a mental picture . . . combine 6 football fields (3 deep and 2 wide), then line the space with thousands upon thousands of tables, put in buffet style food stands and add one McDonalds café, and there you have the village dining hall. Needless to say, the dining hall is the prime location for socializing, culturizing, and simply people watching. Today, there was extra excitement at meal time as some big time athletes arrived - ehhh, maybe you have heard of Michael Phelps, or perhaps Roger Federer or how about Spanish tennis phenom, Rafael Nadal. Yes indeed, we saw all of them. What is so amazing to me is the...

After a long three days of travel, we have landed and settled into the Olympic Village. I cannot explain the eager anticipation I felt as I flew over the Pacific to Beijing. It was thrilling to imagine all of the exciting experiences that await us. Thus far, the scenery in Beijing is breathtaking. The architecture of the village and the Olympic facilities is indescribeable. We were given a passing glance of the Birds Nest on our ride into the Olympic Village - let me tell you, it is a massive structure whose beauty lies in its intricacy and detail. We traveled over to the Olympic Green today and had our first training session on the Olympic field. It was nice to get our legs back under us after the long days of traveling. Well, there will be more to come in the following days about life at the Olympics. For now, its time for bed - so I can hopefully adjust my body to the 15 hour time difference between Pacific Coast time and local Chinese time!!

Wow. Wow. Wow. And the journey to Beijing begins tomorrow. Training in Chula Vista concluded yesterday with a fantastic session in the heat chamber. Our coaches and trainers surprised us with a "special" session - instead of the normal lifting circuit, we were treated to water balloons, water guns, and a slip 'n slide. The team enjoyed the stress-free fun and relief of the newly named "water chamber." Later in the evening, USA Field Hockey Technical Direction Terry Walsh hosted the team and staff to his beautiful San Diego home for an Olympic Send Off. The highlight of the evening (besides the tour of Terry's home) was the presentation of the Olympic Game Uniform. Under Armour created a new red, white, and blue uniform for the Olympic Games. The uniforms are absolutely incredible - I can't wait to wear it with pride in our first game on August 10th against Argentina. Tomorrow we head up to San Francisco for team processing. From San Fran, we fina...

Its Friday morning, and you know what that means, almost the weekend. We finished up Thursday with an intense conditioning practice (but our last round of shuttles for a while) and intersquad scrimmage. The scrimmage witnessed moments of brilliance in the level of play, but overall, it was difficult to maintain such a level because of fatigue. After training we had special visitors join us on the Turf. The kids from Jesse, Kasold, OD's, and Falgo's neighborhood dropped by to take a picture with the team. They also brought cards for each team member. My card had a great quote on it: "Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And Today? Today is a gift! That's why we call it the the present." - B. Olatunji On tap for today is a morning training run immediately followed by a session in the heat chamber. Besides a run on Saturday, we have the entire weekend off. I am looking forward to relaxing, perhaps hitting up the beach or Balboa Park. Unfortunately,...

As we continue our heat training, we are beginning to develop cooling strategies that will help us stabilize our body temp. These strategies include ice baths immediately following training and ice vests. In this short clip, Carrie Lingo shows off our brand new Ice Vests - called the V2 - after a trainer at the OTC, Vinny.

Good Morning!!! Its Monday morning and I am sitting at my kitchen table, drinking a cup of coffee, enjoying a bagel with pb, and gearing up for our last full week of training in Chula Vista. We have a pretty full day ahead of us - a morning training run, a couple of meetings, and then a rendez-vous in the heat chamber. Now the heat chamber is not nearly as sinister as it sounds. It is a tent that is heated and humidified - its purpose is to acclimatize our bodies to the temperture and humidity of Beijing. We perform a 48 minute lifting circuit in the chamber and measure our heartrates during the workout to ensure that our bodies are adapting. Although it isn't always the most enjoyable or comfortable activity, I trust that it will help us once we arrive in Beijing. Well, I hope everyone has a great start to their weeks - and if not, just remember, its just another maniac monday!!!!!

So we concluded our European tour with a 2-2 draw with the #1 side in the world, Holland. I was happy the tour ended on a more optimistic note than it got off to in Germany. The tour marked a difficult training phase in our preparation but one that the coaches assure us is pivotal to our performance at the Games. After the tour, we returned to our home base in sunny San Diego. We train at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista. We surely missed the awesome amenities of the OTC - the great food, awesome training facilities, and not to mention the incredible weather. In other exciting news, I went to the ESPY Award Show in LA a couple of days ago. The experience was a whirlwind - I have never seen a larger congregation of acclaimed athletes and celebrities in my life. I took my Mom as my guest and we had a wonderful time enjoying the event. Fellow Tar Heel Tyler Hansbrough was also in attendance and I enjoyed having the chance to catch up with him about the happenings in the...

So we concluded our three game tournament in Germany and have changed our residence to Germany's neighbor, Holland. The German tour did not go exactly as planned - we failed to get a victory as we had a few difficult matches which highlighted areas of our game we need to improve before we head to Beijing. For more information on the matches you can check out usfieldhockey.com. We have a long (yet short in time) road ahead of us. But we have an incredible opportunity this week to play against the #1 team in the world. Holland and Germany play a very similar style so it will be a could opportunity to implement some of the lessons we learned from Holland. We are staying in Den Haag, Holland. Our hotel is right on the beach - unfortunately summer weather here isn't quite like summer in San Diego! It has been terribly stormy and windy here. Yesterday, we had to go on a 40 minute run on the boardwalk - for 20 minutes we ran dead against the wind and rain and it felt like it was...

So after many days of training in Germany, we will finally start our matches tomorrow. HOORAY. Training has been pretty intense as of late since we are in the final build up phase to the Olympic Games. But enough about Hockey. . . let me tell you about what we have been doing while here in Germany. . . Our hotel is pretty cool because it doubles as a Horse Track and Golf Club. There has yet to be a horse race since we have been here, but I imagine it is pretty amazing. We have been training at a German Club right near our hotel. The club is beautiful - quaint and picturesque. It has clay tennis courts, a pool, an 18 hole golf course, a hockey pitch, a sprawling grassy area and a workout facility. It has many other features including a restaurant and indoor hockey gym - but I am sure we haven't even explored most of the club yet. Yesterday, after lifting, as part of our recovery, we had a pool session. The water was immaculately clean and refreshing. The lining of the pool...

Welcome to the Hallway Cafe - DRIP,DROP, FIZZ (trademarked by Kate "Tiki" Barber). This cafe is the "hot" spot in our hotel. It is team-owned and operated - if you happen to be in Bremen drop by and enjoy the fizz. We also offer free wireless internet.

After a long and interesting day of travel, we are finally settling down into our beds for a good nights sleep. The trip to Europe started out relatively smoothly - but chaos erupted about 40 minutes into the trip. The bus driver was whizzing thru traffic when all of sudden we realized he was slowing down and pulling over to the side of Interstate 64. We were all a little confused and thought perhaps he had to use the bathroom. But he soon revealed to us that the alternator belt had broken - just our luck. So stranded on the side of the road, we were given word to unpack our tightly packed suitcases from under the bus. (Now just imagine the amount of luggage that 20 girls have when they are away from home for over a month). In record time the bus was unpacked - and we all had a bit of elbow grease on our travel uniforms. We felt very accomplished at this point until the bus driver emerged and told us to repack the bus. So without hestitation Dingo, Lee and myself hopped in the ...

Wow. The last few days have been an incredible, emotional whirlwind - filled with joy, heart-ache, and exhilaration. First, the National Championship concluded on Saturday. The New England Team claimed the Gold with a commanding 3-0 victory over the Midwest Team. My New Jersey team fell just short of medaling as we lost in the 3-4 game to CAPA. While the Championship concluded, a new page in USA Field Hockey was written with the announcement of the 2008 Olympic Team. Selection time is a stressful, trying and emotional time for all players and coaches. For the Olympic Games only 16 players are selected from the squad of 24 who trains together year round. We have become a family and it is unfortunate that all members of the squad cannot be chosen because every teammate is deserving of the honor. But the world of sport is a world of semi-permanent absolutes - you either win or you lose, get selected or not - but regardless of your fortune today, you continue fighting because in ti...

Hi There.  Still here in Virgina Beach at the National Championships.  Day four of matches will take place tonight.  At this point in the tournament, the points table is pretty close - tonight's matches will have a huge impact on who is in best position to take home the title.  We take on the CAPA (California Pennsylvania) team (us and capa both have four points) so its an important match.  Our NJ team is pretty young but extremely talented - it has been exciting to be play with younger kids who have so much energy, enthusiasm, and skill. If you want to follow the tournament, you can get the results at www.usfieldhockey.com. Well, I ought to get going.  Its about time to take my pre-game shower, and get some pre-game fuel (aka food).  Its going to be a hot one on the turf!  I don't have many pregame "rituals" besides taking a shower and doing my hair.  My logic is that if you look good, you play good.  I'm not sure if these things are exactly correlated, but they ...

Hi All! Rachel Dawson here. Welcome to my new blog that will hopefully give you the inside scoop on the journey of the USA Women's Field Hockey Team. I am really excited to get this blog up and moving as there are a ton of great things happening right now for USA Field Hockey. Members of the National Team are currently in Virginia Beach competing in the premier Field Hockey competition in the USA - the National Championships. The stakes are high and the competition is fierce, as National Team Members are playing against one another for the acclaim of National Champion and a spot on the Olympic Team. The tournament got underway last night with wins going to the Midwest, the Mid Atlantic and New England. Unfortunately, my team, New Jersey had a disappointing 2-1 loss to the very talented New England team that featured Tiffany Snow's two goal performance. But as I have learned in the past, tournaments are long and the results are often unpredictable, so you have to persist...