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24 Hawkeyes to Watch: Kristi Cardwell By James Allan T he dot University of Iowa senior women's golfer Kristi Cardwell marks on her Titleist ball is to identify it in competitive play. The purple circle she draws on her hand is a reminder to stay in the present. to do that. I have a purple dot or circle written on my hand every tournament I play. It's a reminder of getting back to where I want to be and staying in that moment, instead of looking forward or looking back in the past." The technique is one Cardwell picked up after utilizing the services of Mark Springett, beginning in the fall of 2011. The mental skills coach has helped Cardwell mature on the course and take her game to another level. UI head coach Megan Menzel describes Cardwell as a "passionate, very emotional and one that brings everything every day," type of player. It was a suggestion by a rules official at the Betsy Rawls Longhorn Invitational in 2011 that introduced Cardwell to the idea of using a mental skills coach. "We were at the Texas tournament and there was a rules official that was just watching (me play) and he told my dad that I could be a lot better if I got a mental skills coach," said Cardwell. "My dad agreed, and the official gave him Mark's name and told us to give him a call." Cardwell began using Springett's services in November of 2011. The sessions, primarily webbased through the communication application Skype, focus on building techniques to stay in the now and building tools necessary to work through bumps in the road. The sessions take place leading up to, during, and after every competition. Cardwell Skypes with Springett the evening after the initial practice round and the night after the 36-hole day of competition. They'll do a reflection within a week of the tournament being complete. "We talk about staying in the present moment, which is always being in the here and now," said Cardwell. "There are trigger words you can use "That attitude is a good thing because I know she's in it every round, but when you're that connected to it and live and die with every shot, that can be hard," said Menzel. "We have seen her level out, and she has been able to manage that. If she does have a bump, she has the tools to be able to move on." Cardwell began golfing as a 4-year-old when her grandfather gave her a first set of golf clubs, and she started playing competitively as an eighthgrader. After advancing to the Indiana state meet as a freshman, her father, Byron, knew Cardwell may have an opportunity to continue playing. "There was a time in high school where my dad knew I was pretty good," said Cardwell. "He said we should start looking at schools and what opportunities we have in the future." Cardwell finished her prep career as a two-time Indiana High School Athletic Association allstate selection, a three-time All-NCC Conference honoree and a three-time team most valuable player. Former UI head coach Kelly Crawford was recruiting another player in Kokomo, Ind., when Cardwell's local course professional pointed Crawford in Cardwell's direction. 47