USA's Rachel Dawson Represents Family, Country at Games

Rachel Dawson is a FigureRX "top Olympic physique" winner

New Jersey's Rachel Dawson has a field hockey pedigree, and follows her two old sisters on the United States team. As a senior at North Carolina last year, she was the national player of the year and led the team to an undefeated season and NCAA title.

August 12, 2008

The U.S. team's berth in the Olympics is its first since 1996, making Rachel the first of the Dawson sisters to appear in the Summer Games.

Even though her sisters aren't here with her, the former Eastern Regional High School standout from Berlin, New Jersey, said she wouldn't have gotten here without them.

"My older siblings set a great example," Dawson said Tuesday after the U.S. tied Japan 1-1 in its second Group B game at the Olympic Green Field Hockey Stadium.

"Sometimes when someone paves the way for you, it's easy to follow."

Dawson, 23, is fifth oldest of eight children in her family, where she said the competition extended beyond the athletic field.

"I think we always had to grow up competitively," she said, "whether it was food on the dinner table or playing sports outside."

Eastern had an 89-0-1 record in field hockey and won four NJSIAA Group 4 titles while Dawson was there.

Dawson then moved on to the University of North Carolina, where she was an All-American and, as a senior on last year's unbeaten NCAA title team, the national player of the year.

She worked her way up from the U.S. under-21 squad and made the senior national team in 2006.

"When you come to the Olympics, you represent more than yourself," the U.S. defender and midfielder said. "You represent your family, your town, your country. Just to be here and have my parents [Karen and Dave] in the crowd and my sisters and brothers back home supporting me is great."

In an effort to get the most out of the Olympic experience, Dawson has been writing a diary of each day's events and describing her thoughts on a blog —http://racheldawson8.blogspot.com/— that also features pictures. One is of the U.S. team with President Bush.

She wrote on that blog Tuesday: "It is the same game I played with my sisters in the backyard; it's the same game I watched my sisters play in college; it is the same game I have played for years; so that is why when I hit the turf, I feel comfort — because that is where I have always been and that is where I am meant to be. Now, it doesn't mean it is always going to smell like roses on the turf — but being so far away from the USA, the field has become home..."

The U.S. women's field hockey team has earned respect with back-to-back ties against highly ranked teams at the Olympics. If the Americans want to take the next step and earn medals, they had better start winning.

The 11th-ranked United States played No. 5 Japan to a 1-all result on Tuesday after playing second-ranked Argentina to a 2-all draw on Sunday.

Barber said the U.S. didn't play well in the first 55 minutes, the team's second straight slow start at the Olympics. The U.S. trailed Argentina 2-0 on Sunday before rallying to salvage the tie.

"It's definitely something we've identified as a group that needs to be addressed and needs to change," she said. "The fact that we can turn it up shows how good we can be. It's frustrating as a group to know that it's there, and for us not to do it for the full 70 minutes is something we really need to focus in on."

In Tuesday's game, U.S. captain Kate Barber banged in a shot with 12 minutes left that drew the Americans even with Japan.

Ranked 11th in the world — a clear underdog in these Olympics — the U.S. has rallied from two goals down to tie No. 2 Argentina 2-2 and from 1-0 down to deadlock No. 6 Japan.

Kaori Chiba scored for Japan in the 12th minute of play.

"Two points from two matches is fine," said Barber, one of five present or former UNC players on the team. "But we are disappointed that we didn't put our best effort on the field. We need to regroup a little bit."

Barber, 31, who was playing in her team-high 211th international game, had hit the post with a first-half shot.

"It was just great work ethic by our captain, Kate Barber," Dawson said of the U.S. goal. "You could see she had the fire in her eyes."

U.S. goalie Amy Tran kicked away two dangerous Japan shots in the final minutes to preserve the tie.

Next for the U.S. is No. 3-ranked Germany, the reigning Olympic champion, on Thursday. The top two teams in each of the six-team groups advance to the semifinals.  The Germans are 2-0 in the pool after a late goal gave them a 2-1 win over New Zealand.

"I think it's a little disappointing," Dawson said, referring to the game against Japan. "We came away with one point, which is better than none, but we wanted three in this game. We just have to work on things and hopefully we'll execute better next time."

Kevin Tresolini writes for The News Journal in Wilmington, Del.

Source:  USA Today