Katie Kantrud

By Shawna Carpentier
UW-RF Sports Information

Katie Kantrud says, "[In golf] you're not really competing against anyone but yourself."

A two-sport student-athlete as a golfer and hockey player, Kantrud loves to compete and has been an athlete for as long as she can remember.

Kantrud, who is a goalie for the Falcon hockey team, picked UWRF for its hockey program. She did not plan to play golf at the college level until she found out that RF had a golf team. She recently drafted Megan Sandell, a freshman at RF, to join the team. Kantrud hopes that the word will get out about the golf program at RF, something her golf Coach Reid Perry agrees with. "[I look] forward to a growing program for the future," he says.

Since her 8 th grade year, Kantrud has been playing golf competitively. Kantrud's older cousin Chelsey introduced her to golf and because it meant doing something competitive and spending time with her cousin, Kantrud gave the sport a shot.

While attending Fergus Falls High School, Kantrud participated in golf, soccer, and hockey. She was awarded three soccer letters, four golf letters and five letters for hockey. In hockey, she was the team's Most Valuable Player and the Best Defensive Player award winner. She was named to the all-conference team.  

With the lowest score on the Falcon golf team last year (82), Kantrud has a unique role as a member of the golf team.

Kantrud says that she tells her teammates, "don't get too frustrated." She likes to help her teammates take their minds off the game by helping them to think of other things. Most importantly, "to realize there is more to life than golf." One of Kantrud's latest ventures involving her teammates, or as Kantrud refers to her teammates as "nut friends," was a trip to Wal-Mart where they bought little kids sandals to put on their putters. According to Kantrud, it was just to "keep it interesting."  

Although Kantrud calls the hole in one she shot at Clifton Hollow last year "lucky" she has advice for those who may be interested in becoming involved with Falcon golf. "It takes time to develop and no one is perfect. You've got to stick with it." Kantrud says she golfs better when she gets a Snickers bar and Powerade at the turn between the front and back nine.

Kantrud's attitude about the approach to athletics is something she gives credit to her cousin and a childhood friend. She says that they are "driven to improve and value hard work, which is hard to come by these days." Kantrud's attitude is reflective of Perry's attitude of golf as a "demanding sport that requires discipline."

"[Golf] helps with hockey and exercises mental toughness, and helps with everyday life," says Kantrud.

Athletics is a passion of Kantrud's and she believes they are a part of who she is. Fittingly Kantrud is pursuing a major in health and human performance and a minor in coaching. She hopes to teach physical education at the elementary or high school levels and to coach at least one sport at the high school level.  

Kantrud wants children to learn something when they are active whether it is about a sport or about life because she believes that it affects a person's future. "Athletics are fun and good for you, not a lot of people get outside - there is more to the world than television," she says. Kantrud says athletics/activities help to prepare a person to work well with others and to be effective in getting tasks done.

Getting things done is what Kantrud is trying to do as a student-athlete.  

She is a Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) representative for golf and hockey. Currently Kantrud is trying to balance golf practice, captain's practice for hockey, lifting weights, classes and homework. She says that it is important for her to take advantage of available time, not to sit around too much, and be willing to stay up late to be successful at her role as a student-athlete.

Roller bladding, watching Tiger Woods golf, and the Thumper Pond Golf Course are a few of Kantrud's interests.  

Although Kantrud's parents, Dave and Becky, and brother Ryan may know her well, Kantrud says people may be surprised to know that she is "pretty deep," and that there is more to her than the "exterior."  "I am understanding of other people," she says. As far as athletics go Kantrud's first love will always be hockey, but she says golf is something that she can do "even when I'm old."