Ultimate Beginnings:
What other sports do you have a background in and when did you play them?
I grew up playing soccer and played all through high school. I ran cross-country in junior high and high school as well. My senior year I was also on the varsity bowling team.
Where and when did you first learn to play ultimate?
I started playing pickup with my friends in high school. But I really learned how to play at Penn State freshman year.
What about the sport has made you continue to play since then?	Crider bids at Sectionals 2003
I really just love to play. Going to practice is the best part of my day. The ultimate community as a whole is a big hook too. Plus most my friends do it, so that makes ultimate all that much more fun.
Who would you describe as your main mentor(s)?
My freshman year Isis had a lot of experienced players who were great teachers. Nicole Cook, Heather Wolnick, Sarah Lahm, Amy Morrison, and Julie Laughner definitely top that list, but there are countless others who have helped me along the way.

Ultimate History:

What teams have you played on?

I’ve been playing for Isis since I got to Penn State in Fall 2002, and I started playing for a club team, Wicked, this summer.

What has been your greatest ultimate achievement/memory?

Making it to quarters at Nationals in Texas, by defeated Georgia 17-16 in the pre-quarters in the hardest fought game I’ve ever been a part of.

What has been your worst (most heartbreaking, most challenging, or most embarrassing, etc.) ultimate memory?

My worst memory was getting suspending and learning we wouldn’t be going to sectionals, the Friday before sectionals. Cracking my sternum was pretty bad too, especially the second time, when I was almost healed.

What type of recognition/honors/awards (if any) have you received for your ultimate play?

I got the individual spirit award for Penn State at College Nationals in 2004. I also received Shelley Su Award in 2005, named after one of our former players.

Crider at Club Regionals 2005 with Wicked	Ultimate Skills/Profile:
	What position do you play? Has this differed on different teams you may have played for?
	On Isis, I play deep deep for our zone D. Other than that I don’t really have a set position. Some would say I do whatever I want, but I’d like to think I do whatever the team needs at that time, whether it’s another handler, and deep or a mid. I also like to be part of plays that involve hucking, so if I can get the disc to throw a huck, or make a deep cut to receive one, I’ll do that. On Wicked, I am definitely more of a defender and downfield cutter.
	What do you view as your strengths on the field?
	Plays that involve hucking and deep defense.
	What are you working on most to improve?
	Decision making, break throws.
	What is your role on your college team (include leadership roles on and off the field)?
	I’ve captained Isis for the last 2 years. I handle the administrative duties of the team as well. I also am tournament director of our fall and spring tournaments.
	What type of pre-game or pre-tournament rituals (if any) do you have?
	I make sure I have my cooler filled with ice and a 2-liter bottle of mountain dew. I like to sit on my cooler and watch the other team and our team warm up to see if there is anything Isis needs to focus on for the upcoming game before I finish warming up. Berly (Kim Breese) and I used to do a chest bump before games, but our injuries put an end to that practice. Before big games I'll have an ain't fight with Mel, and before all games I take various painkillers.

Upcoming College Season:
Describe a little bit about your experience on your college team last year. How did the team fare at the tournaments it went to?
We went to Queen City, where we made semis, Stanford where we made quarters and Yale Cup where we made semis. We also spent a week in California practicing over spring break with Heather Wolnick. We were really gearing up for the series all spring, then we got suspended.
How did that compare to previous years for the team?
We lost most of our starters 3 seasons ago, so 2 seasons ago was a rebuilding year of sorts. We’ve had basically the same team since then, so each season we’ve been steadily improving.
Describe a little bit of the background of why Isis was suspended by the school administration from competing in the UPA College Series. What exactly were the terms of the suspension?
Two years ago, we lost our university fields due to weather 2 days before spring fling, so we had to cancel the tournament (it ended up not raining at all). We decided to arrange for back up fields to avoid that type of situation. The local Parks and Rec dept doesn’t give out written permits until mid-April, but we were given verbal permission. Our instructions related to inclement weather was to use our discretion with the fields. Friday evening the university informed us we couldn’t use some of their fields (flower gardens), but that west campus fields were still open. The next day it was raining pretty heavily and the men’s side of the tournament was cancelled after 2 rounds. The men’s fields had drainage problems and were also getting torn up more than the women’s fields. The women’s fields were slated to demolition by State College High School, so we continued playing on them. When we first contacted State College High School, they weren’t even sure the fields would still be there when Spring Fling was held. Following the tournament there was some fall-out from the community, Parks and Recs and the high school. We helped repair divots at the local fields, and the parks and recs committee was satisfied with the results. The university, however, was not. Club Sports made us appear before a committee, and without informing us of the implications of this hearing, basically put us on trial. The result was a fine of ~$12000, community service hours and a suspension, which is up for review this spring. Basically they can reinstate us this spring, or they can deny our reinstatement and continue the suspension as long as they feel like it.
How does the suspension affect the team's ability to compete at various tournaments this season?	Crider at the Stanford Invite 2005 Crider on the sideline at Sectionals 2005 Crider at Stanford v. Oregon
Basically we just can’t be associated with the school in anyway, which amounts to not using the name Penn State. Other than that the biggest hurdle has been money, which we have none of. All of our accounts were frozen and then drained by club sports after we were suspended. It’s very difficult to pay for all season expenses out of pocket in addition to figuring out a way to pay the school back thousands of dollars. Since we are not allowed to operate as a club on campus, we also cannot hold fundraisers or go through any of the previous avenues (such as cleaning the stadium or working at varsity sporting events) we used to get money.
How strong do you think your team will be this season? Any new recruits you are especially excited about?
I really believe in all of the individuals on the team and what they can do on the field. If everyone plays as well as I know they are capable of, I think we can go really far. The core of the team has been playing together for the past 3-4 years. One of the few advantages of having such a small team is that we have all developed an excellent chemistry with each other. If everyone stays committed and can cowboy up toward the end of games, I think we’ll be able to play with just about any team in the country. We weren’t really allowed to recruit, but we had a few rookies find us anyway. Look for Ellery Greenberg to make an impact on defense and new grad student from Delaware, Andrea Kalb, who’s handling will complement that of Mel Holton and Karen Schulte nicely.
What are your personal and team goals for this season?
My personal goals are to be a little more level headed on the field, and to wake up before our first tournament and not have any injuries…I guess that one’s more of a dream. Team goals are to treat every tournament like it could be our last and have nothing left every time we step off the field.
What tournaments are you most looking forward to with your college team?
Well we usually go to Queen City, and Stanford during the spring, so I’m looking forward to them and hoping we get in. Stanford is great for getting a sneak peak at the nation’s best. Plus it’s over our spring break, so that’s usually a fun time, especially since the most delicious ice-cream snack ever, “it’s its,” are there. The Series is really where it’s at though, I’ve been looking forward to this one for a long time. When Berly and I were freshman we decided that all the pieces would be in place this year for Isis to make a run deep into Nationals, and we’ve been working towards that goal for 4 years.