The Field Hockey Chronicles: Memories and Motivation

Daniel Berehulak/Getty ImagesMichelle Kasold, right, is challenged for the ball by Melody Cooper of New Zealand on Aug. 4 during the Olympics.

Michelle Kasold, a striker, has been a member of the United States field hockey team since 2006, and competed in her first Olympics in London. She has written regularly for the 2012 London Olympics blog. This is her fourth post.
The Olympic Games have officially ended. There is so much to say about the experience I have just had, but at the same time I am at a loss for words. Although I will never be able to explain my experience as an Olympic athlete fully, I will give you some highlights of my favorite moments over the past two weeks in London.
Before the Games, our team left the village for a couple of days for a retreat to Middle Stanley, set in the beautiful English countryside. We spent a lot of time relaxing, getting away from the crazy anticipation of the beginning of competition. It was a chance for all 16 of our players to just enjoy one another’s company in the simplest form. We shared laughs and tears, but it made us appreciate, even more, the amazing people we were around.
My favorite part of the two weeks was the opening ceremony. The memories I have from that one night will stay with me forever. The feeling of being a part of Team USA, not just USA Field Hockey, was incredible. I met athletes from every sport as we walked and wove and navigated our way to the stadium. A rush of emotion took over as we entered the stadium for the first time, behind our flag, as the world was watching. I still get chills. The rest of the ceremony seemed to fly by, until “Hey Jude” played over the loudspeakers.
The world slowed, almost to a stop. My teammates and I embraced, arm in arm, and swayed back and forth. In the moment, we had one another and shared the joy of being together, as a part of something bigger. Within minutes, we had a crowd of United States athletes joining us, a symbol of Team USA’s bond