By Susan Tart, UNC Student Journalist

Beijing, China — The success of any team is dependant on a lot of things such as avoiding injuries, peaking at the right time and a good support system. 

That is also the story for the U.S. women’s field hockey team.

The Olympics might be in China, but you’d think they’re in the United States.

The U.S. women’s field hockey team is loose and dancing to the beat to get ready for upcoming contests.

Their friends and family are here to show their support. Team member Rachel Dawson says it’s great to feel at home.

“It’s just exhilarating to be so far away from home, yet to be able to be surrounded by so many familiar faces, you know, it’s really endearing to know that you have the support of a hometown crowd,” Dawson said. “The dedication of an elite athlete is perhaps equal to only the dedication of their family and their friends.”

The people who run the Hometown Hopefuls Center believe that dedication has an effect on the games’ outcomes. The center allows athletes to hang out with their loved ones away from the Olympic Village, where family members can’t go.

The athletes value their time at the center.

“We don’t really get to spend as much time as we’d like with them so it’s great to have everybody here and rally up kind of, and just get a little taste of home here.”

The team is psyched for the Games, but Dawson knows what winning will come down to.

“We just have to concentrate on doing what we do, taking each moment as it comes during the game, you don’t know how the game’s going to unfold, so just taking it as it happens and putting our best performance out on the field,” Dawson said. “When the team goes to the field, their biggest fans will be in the stands, cheering even louder than they did at this rally.