Small Things - Diver Spotlight on Cassandra Cardinell

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They're small things: similar hurdles in synchronized diving, climbing the ladder to reach the 10-meter platform and keeping your heels up on back and inward presses. But, sometimes, they make the biggest difference.

Before the 2003 season, Indiana University coach Jeff Huber was quoted as saying, "If she concentrates on the smaller things, she's going to compete for a national championship."

Cassandra Cardinell is concentrating, and she's doing more than competing. She's winning.

Her first national championship came at the 2002 Speedo National Diving Championships. That year, Cardinell teamed up with fellow IU diver Sara (Reiling) Hildebrand. Although the duo had been on the same collegiate squad for two years, the match up was new in Dallas.

"Sara didn't dive the fall of my freshman year; and we didn't have enough time to train together in the spring, so I dove with Erin Quinn," Cardinell said.

"The next year Sara and I had different hurdles on 3-meter and different dives on platform. We didn't dive 3-meter, but Sara learned my back 2 ½, 1 ½."

With one title under their belts and a synchronized platform list ironed out, Huber turned the girls' attention to springboard.

"I was hesitant to learn Sara's hurdle," Cardinell said. "I do a regular hurdle, but Sara's has a big hop. She's able to press the board harder.

"Sometimes I go wacko. I feel like I'm flying all over the place. But, the hop is very helpful once you get it under control."

Cardinell and Hildebrand were in control at the 2003 World Championship Trials in Athens, Ga. They led by 14 points entering the final round on springboard and never relinquished the top spot. With the win, they earned right to represent the U.S. at the Speedo FINA Diving Grand Prix and FINA World Championships.

"Making the World Team was awesome," Cardinell said. "The FINA Grand Prix was good for Sara. It was our first international meet as a synchro team, and we wanted to place better (sixth place); but it was a good stepping-stone.

"We were so fortunate to go to so many Grand Prix events. We were given a lot of great opportunities, and it was very helpful leading into Worlds." (They finished eighth at Worlds.)

The Grand Prix events gave the pair many opportunities to vie for gold, and they were always in the hunt. A bronze medal at the Torneo Internacional de Clavados was followed by a sixth place finish at the Italian Grand Prix and a fourth place finish at the Grand Prix Super Final.

The Cardinell cheering section was one of the more memorable experiences of the Italian meet

"My dad and older brother, Derek, went to Italy. It was the first time that they'd seen me dive in a couple of years," Cardinell said.

"My mom is at most of the big meets. I have two younger brothers, Ross and Travis, who are still at home, so either my mom or my dad tries to be at the meets."

Growing up, the Cardinell children kept their parents, Robert and Barbara, on their toes. Derek was active in tennis and soccer, while Ross and Travis played soccer and hockey. Meanwhile, Cassandra was a gymnast until sixth grade.

"I started gymnastics really young, but by sixth grade I was tired of the aches and pains. I had lost the love and wanted something new," Cardinell said. "I was spending too many hours in the gym, so the summer after sixth grade I went to a diving camp at Union College. I fell in love."

Cardinell also fell in love with the IU campus. Bloomington hosted the East Junior National Diving Championships her junior year in high school. A "good balance between challenging academic and diving programs, a great coach and beautiful spring weather" sold Cardinell on Indiana University.

But, it also presented her with an incredible mental challenge. Cardinell's first dive from platform came the summer before her freshman year at IU.

"I'm scared of heights. I have a huge problem with new pools. It takes me a day to feel comfortable up there, and I never stand near an edge that's not over water," Cardinell said.

"But, I knew I would have to dive platform in college. Back dives were the hardest to learn, because I was used to facing forward. It was tough to get them off.

"That's what I love about this sport. I love being able to suck it up and just go up there and chuck it. Diving is all about overcoming your fears, and diving does that for me."

Cardinell appears to be winning the mental battle. At the 2002 World Cup Trials in Cleveland, she made a lot of noise by placing third on 10-meter. At the 2003 Speedo National Diving Championships in Indianapolis, Cardinell made the national team when she placed fourth on the board.

She's also showing solid improvement on 3-meter. In 2003, Cardinell's gone from 16th place at the Speedo American Cup to 10th place at the World Championship Trials to 8th place at Senior Nationals.

"I was excited to make the 3-meter finals for the first time (at Seniors). It's not been my strong event," Cardinell said.

"My finish was ok on platform. My vols were horrible. I could kick myself in the butt. I moved from eighth to fourth, and I could have easily moved up. It's a tough lesson to learn. I have to get my butt in gear. Most people are just like, 'vols, not a big deal'. But it really catches up with you in the end."

In addition to the voluntary dives on 10-meter, Cardinell is also working on keeping her heels up on back and inward presses on springboard.

"You reach a point where your performance can plateau, and the smallest things make your dives better," Cardinell said. "I'm trying to change my focus to the small things, to make little corrections that will make my dives so much better."

Two national titles and appearances on the National, World Championship, Pan Am and World University Games Teams - you can't ask for a better summer.