Ms. Fitness Nevada finishes fifth in national competition

      With blonde hair, blue eyes and standing 5-foot-5 and 115 pounds, Cassandra Crider has got the look.
      Literally.
      After training for four months, the 31-year-old Southwest resident seems to have found her niche in competitive fitness events.
      Using her extensive gymnastics and dance background, Crider has already earned the titles of Ms. Fitness Las Vegas and Ms. Fitness Nevada. At Ms. Fitness Nationals, she finished fifth.
      "Compared to some of the girls who have done it for years, it can be difficult at times," said Crider. "I'm not as cut and muscular as the girls because I haven't been lifting weights as long, but Rome wasn't built in a day."
      Crider, who has lived in Las Vegas for 2 1/2 years, is a local stunt performer and also an acro-dancer for local shows.
      As a child, she was a starry-eyed girl who loved black-and-white movies and saw herself as an actress, but never made it down that path.
      "I always had wished my mom would have gotten me in auditions for Annie," she said. "But she took me in the direction of gymnastics instead of the theater."
      Crider began studying gymnastics at 9. She continued to compete at a national level until she was 17, competing as far as the Junior Olympics.
      "It was hard work, it was basically my life," Crider said about her gymnastics venture. "That's all I did back then."
      And just like the way she handled her previous study, Crider has made fitness her entire life.
      "Just from watching TV. I thought to myself, `I could do that,' " Crider said. "I began reading about it and getting phone numbers and eventually found my way to Wally Boyko Productions and they steered me in the right direction."
      En route to becoming a fitness competitor, Crider has struggled a bit with the lack of sponsorships other top competitors have, but is confident her recent titles will bring the necessary funding to take her on a national tour.
      At the recently held Ms. Fitness USA Championships at the Tropicana Hotel, Crider finished 13th out of 31 competitors.
      Back in the gym, Crider maintains an intense training schedule, while describing herself as a quiet individual who likes to get things done.
      "I think about too many things at one time, though," Crider said. "I'm a determined person who when she puts her mind to accomplish something, I'll do whatever it takes to reach my goals."
      Crider said her boyfriend/manager, Justin Parsons, has been her biggest fan and ultimate support during the crossover to competitive fitness events.
      "I think he is really proud of me," she said. "When we first started dating, I think it took a little while to get used to adjust to the things I do. He is not in the entertainment industry, but he has been great and so very supportive."
      Anyone interested in sponsoring Crider can call Parsons at 804-1872.