This week we asked the rookie ballgirls to describe their application and tryout experience. As you can see, besides being quite excited about the job in general, it was not an easy road to becoming the newest ballgirls! Some of the girls had even applied in the past, so we are happy they decided to apply again. Here are the rookie's experiences with tryouts this year!
Victoria: For the past few years I can remember going to the games thinking "how do those girls become ballgirls, that could be me down there!" So I did some research and actually saw an ad about tryouts during one of the games. I literally started on my application the very next day. No one really made me do it, but all my friends definitely encouraged me to do so. I applied in mid September and didn't get an email until November 4, 2009 (yes I memorized the date) about trying out. I remember because I was in a meeting for work and my blackberry went off and I ran out of the room when I saw the email. I was so excited and nervous all at the same time. I was most worried about the on camera interview because I didn't really know how I would handle myself in front of a camera especially considering what was riding on it. However, my on camera interview with Marshall Harris in my opinion went amazing! I remember leaving try-outs feeling confident that I made it to the next round at least but if I didn't that I would walk away with my head held high because I did my best and had the time of my life doing so. When I got the email about making it to the next round I was so proud of myself, I found something that I felt passionate about I gave it my all and I made it to the final round. Since I've graduate college I've done my fair share of interviews so I wasn't too worried about that, I knew all I could do at that point was be myself. After my interview the waiting was the toughest part, I remember Kami and I texting each other everyday, probably almost every hour :) When I got the phone call from Michele about being chosen to be a 2010 Phillies Ballgirl my initial reaction was "are you serious?" Then I did this awkward laugh on the phone for a few minutes and then my eyes got watery. I hung up the phone and called my Dad asap and sent out a huge text to all my friends. The overall feeling of pride and accomplishment was unpredictable, it really goes to show that if you believe in yourself and try your hardest that you can achieve anything you want.
Jess: I had actually tried out to be a ballgirl for the 2009 season, but didn't make it past the application part (*tear*); so, when the Phillies started announcing that they were beginning to take applications for the 2010 season, I was a bit skeptic about it, but still wanted to try. My parents pushed me to try again, and once I mentioned it to my boyfriend, he pushed me to try too. I thought I was going to have the same luck as I did last season and not make it past the first round, especially because my video was not how I wanted it to be like. I'm a telecommunications major, so I can be picky when I'm creating a video and everything went wrong for me while trying to make it. When I got the email saying I made it to the try-outs, I literally was jumping for joy. I thought try-outs were a lot of fun, but a bit intimidating. I hadn't played competitive softball in a while because of a shoulder injury so I was nervous about that part, and like most people, I was nervous about the test because I knew a lot about the team, but then again I didn't. The best part for me was the on-air interview. I'd like to be possibly on camera one day so it was good practice for me. When people asked me how it went, I honestly said that if I didn't make it, it was because my fielding was awful that day, or so I thought. I could not field hard hit ground balls that well nor could I throw without my shoulder cracking and popping. Ugh! I was disgusted with myself. Thankfully, other aspects saved me and I got the best news ever on my birthday! Wearing my Phillies jersey for the first time was awesome! It began to make the job real for me and got me pumped for what is ahead!
Becca: I wanted to be a Ballgirl because of all the great experiences this position offers and obviously, because I love the Phillies! Besides being on the field the Ballgirls work with Phillies Charities to give back to the community and the environment through our "Red Goes Green" program. Who wouldn't want to be a part of such a great organization and group of girls? Tryouts were no joke! They want the best of the best so they were sure to put us to work. I thought the hardest part was the on screen interview in front of the panel. I thought this was the hardest because you really had to showcase yourself in a very short period of time and stand out among all the other girls. I guess I did something right because here I am! Good thing too because all my friends, family, and a large portion of Kutztown University were counting on me. :-/ Putting on my jersey for the first time felt AWESOME! I don't think it will ever get old either!
Kami: As some of you may know, I was the "wildcard" ballgirl this year. A lot of people have asked me about the process so here's the inside scoop on what it took for me to become the final girl of 2010: When Michele told me in my interview that there was going to be a online competition for a final spot for the first time ever, I almost cringed-- not because I didn't think I could win, but because I just wanted to know my fate already, one way or another. I knew that there was a good possibility that I would be one of the candidates, in which case I had another 2 weeks to wait. When I found out that I was, in fact, the one of the final 5 I was definitely conflicted. I had to contemplate whether I could adequately campaign for myself while simultaneously working / interning / preparing for finals.
Luckily, I didn't have to do too much of that because I have some really great friends (shout out to Patrick) who took it upon themselves to get the word out there by all means possible. I, with the help of my friends, immediately jumped onto all forms of social networking (Facebook, Twitter) and forwarded the link to everyone we could think of. After the first 24 hours, my Facebook group had almost 600 members and was still rapidly growing! My family forwarded the link on to my cousins and extended family, as well as their co-workers. People as far away as Germany even messaged me to say they voted for me!
The first few days I could not tear myself away from a computer. I spent hours reading internet commentary on the "race for the final ballgirl". Word about the fans being able to choose the final ballgirl spread quickly and shortly thereafter, various blogs were "endorsing" candidates (coincidentally, none of which were myself).
Halfway through the week Philly.com posted a short article on its homepage discussing the voting process. One of the internship coordinators at the Philly District Attorney's office stumbled upon it, recognized me and forwarded the voting website to the entire network! I actually had no idea he had done this until some of the ADAs came up to me and told me they had voted!
This, however, was the most bizarre: a police office actually stopped me on the street in Center City to ask if I was a ballgirl candidate (here I thought I was getting in trouble)! Philadelphians take their baseball very seriously!
By the end of the week I was exhausted. When I found out that I had won, I was a strange combination of ecstatic, relieved, grateful, accomplished and TIRED! The whirlwind of "thank you" phone calls to friends and family, a handful of media interviews and excessive amounts of Facebook friend requests (the veteran ballgirls can attest to this) lasted a good 24 hours! I never expected that competing for the final ballgirl position would garner so much attention. I felt like I had run for mayor! Would I trade any second of it? Not really. Am I glad it's over? You bet. (Mostly just because I don't want to look at that really bad picture of me from tryouts anymore!)
Thanks again to everyone who was a part of this process - you all are the reason that I can even write this entry!
Bonnie: After sending in my ballgirl resume last year and not getting a call back, I knew I had to step up my game this time around! First step: A creative tryout video. With help from my friends, we put together a video based on "reverse psychology". We suggested possible reasons that I was not chosen in 2009 and followed each reason with funny video footage showing that I really was qualified to try out. I know it sounds cheesy, but hey, it must have worked for some reason!
Second Step: Prepare for tryouts. When I got the email inviting me to the first round of tryouts, I recruited some friends to help me prepare for the big day. We spent our lunch hours at work hitting the batting cages; and in the evenings (since it got dark so early), we searched out lighted tennis courts to work on fielding. Another part of the tryout process that I knew I had to nail was the Phillies trivia. I totally drove my dad and friends crazy making them drill me with questions. I read everything and anything on the history of the team, players, and ballpark. It did cross my mind that I was maybe going a bit overboard, but when I got to tryouts, I was so grateful I put so much work into it. The competition was tough; and some of the questions we had to answer were no joke. Trying out to be a ballgirl was an awesome experience; and I'm glad that it was just the beginning of more exciting things to come!
Kristina: Becoming a Phillies Ballgirl has always been a dream of mine. In fact at a young age I've always made it known that I wished to accomplish two things, become a teacher and a ballgirl. Interestingly enough both goals could possibly be reached in the same year! I wanted to wait until I had graduated college and was done with competitive softball for good. So as I was watching the Phils in September a blurb showed up on the screen saying that if you were interested in applying to be a ballgirl you must send in a video. So that is what I did, I sent a DVD that had a short clip of me speaking then a bunch of pictures of me playing softball at Rowan which was set to music. I am proud of that video because it was the first one I've ever made! Then I received an email stating that I had been chosen for a try out at Citizens Bank Park. I was ecstatic! Going to the tryout I had the mindset that I was going to put forth my best effort and as the saying goes, "leave it all on the field". The tryout was such a positive experience. The veteran ballgirls were extremely comforting when answering any questions I had. Also, the other girls participating in the tryout were so encouraging when cheering for others whenever possible. Not shortly after the tryout I received another email informing me that I had made it to the second round for an interview, wow! I was filled with joy but also a little nervous. So I went to the interview with confidence hoping to show how much being a ballgirl truly meant to me. After a few days filled with anticipation I finally received a phone call, "Kristina, I just wanted to know if you would like to be a part of the 2010 Ballgirls?" Without delay I answered "Absolutely!" I immediately called my family and friends and told them the great news. It was a day I'll always remember!
Emily: My Dad was definitely the number one person who got me to tryout to become a Ballgirl. Of course the idea of being a Phillies Ballgirl always seemed amazing to me, but it seemed so far-fetched that I would actually get the job. When I went to the tryouts I knew that I had nothing to lose. The part of the tryouts that made me the most nervous was definitely the TV interview portion. When I went into the interview room I had no idea what to expect. There was a panel of judges along with the woman interviewing me which was intimidating at first, but once we got to talking it was over before I knew it. The waiting was the worst part of the whole tryout process. I kept replaying every part of the tryouts in my mind and thinking of what I could have done better. When I finally got a call back a few days later (which felt like a few months) I was ecstatic. I wanted to tell my family that I got the job in person so I waited the entire day for everyone to get home from school and work. I got all dressed up in Phillies gear and waited for my family members to walk in the door. It was great to see the reactions on my family's faces...my mom actually had a stack of mail in her hands and threw them on the ground and started stomping on them in a feat of joy...it's actually really strange that she did that now that I think about it but it was also hilarious. It was a great day in my family because of course I got my job as a Phillies Ballgirl, and my brother also got his first job at Wawa! My parents were really proud of us. I am honestly still in shock that I have been given an opportunity like this. Looking back I am so glad that my Dad gave me the confidence to tryout to be a Ballgirl in the first place. Thanks Dad!
Katelyn: I've always thought that being a Phillies Ballgirl would be one of the coolest experiences ever, so as soon as my Pappy told me that they were accepting applications, I applied right away! I had a blast at tryouts. Of course I was nervous, but once I started talking with some of the veteran Ballgirls I felt a lot more relaxed. We first started with interviews, then we filled out a 40 question quiz testing our knowledge on Phillies and baseball,and lastly we hit and fielded softballs. When I went in for my interview, there was Ricky Botallico with a microphone in his hand ready to interview me in front of a 3 important looking people and news cameras all around. He saw on my resume that I had sang "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" on my DVD application and that I was a Music Education Major so he made me sing the song right on the spot! It was scary but very exciting at the same time. Once I left tryouts, I had a good feeling, but all the other girls seemed to be wonderful potential Ballgirls as well, so I wasn't getting my hopes up. Finally, I received a phone call with great news! I had landed the job and I couldn't believe it! I had a smile pasted on my face for the rest of the week. I was in denial for the longest time. I called my parents immediately and they screamed so loud in excitement! I am so thrilled that I'm lucky enough to be part of something so amazing :)
Patti: I first wanted to be a ballgirl when I was old enough to know what a ballgirl was - it was even on my bucket list! Up until about 3 years ago, I figured the girls were family members or friends of owners or something like that. I heard you could tryout my last year of college but the deadline had already passed (by one day), but this year the timing was right! The tryout consisted of a 2 minute dvd highlighting your softball experience and why you wanted to become a ballgirl (which wasn't embarrassing at all... I'm still trying to get confirmation those dvd's were destroyed). Mine was actually so embarrassing it ended up being my Christmas present to my family - they never seem to shy away from sharing a laugh at my expense. From there, girls were asked to attend the tryout which was hitting, fielding, an interview, and a Phillies quiz. I don't think I've ever been more nervous in my life. This is literally a once in a lifetime experience! I have been through a number of tryouts and interviews in my life, but with softball there was always another team, similarly with an interview, there is always another job. There is only one Philadelphia Phillies team!!! After the tryout, about 20 girls were asked back for a one-on-one interview, then from there 11 girls were selected. When I got the phone call that I was one of them, I was onsite doing field testing in a ceiling with another coworker. I jumped off the ladder and ran to a stairwell where I started jumping up and down! I still don't think my coworker has any idea why I flew off the ladder and ran away, leaving her standing there...
Bridgette: Being a Phillies Ballgirl has been a dream of mine since I was a freshman in high school. At first, like most people I thought the ballgirls merely collected foul balls during home games. The more I looked into the position however, I learned about their huge involvement in the community, and the more I wanted the job.
I would mention to my friends and family that I wanted to someday be a ballgirl, and coincidentally that's how I came about trying out for the 2010 team. It was a friend of mine from high school who remembered me constantly gabbing about my goal who informed me via text that the deadline for applications was that Friday. I had only two days to prepare a resume and video, which was a difficult task, but I wasn't going to let this opportunity pass me by. Since snail mail wouldn't deliver my application to CBP by the date of the deadline, I figured personally dropping it off at the stadium would be my only option. Little did I know, applications would only be accepted by either mail or online submissions. Unfortunately I was unaware of this fact until I was standing in the administrative offices of CBP. It certainly took the wind out of my sails for a moment, but I was determined to have a shot at being considered for this year's team. I rushed home to the local postal office and had my application mailed overnight.
My efforts paid off weeks later when I received an email informing me that I was invited to come tryout. Needless to say, I was ecstatic. On the morning of tryouts, the butterflies felt more like a frenzy of Jersey seagulls in my stomach, but my excitement outweighed my nerves. A friend of mine from home was also trying out during my time slot, which made me feel much more comfortable as well.
The first stage of try-outs was hands down my favorite- the on-camera interview with Comcast SportsNet's Marshall Harris. Marshall did a great job of making all of us feel at ease, allowing us to act naturally in front of the camera. Following the interview was a written test on our Phillies knowledge (which could stump even the most devoted of fans!) as well as batting and fielding sessions.
Leaving the try-out there were things I wished I had done differently and had been more prepared for, but I held onto hope that I had a shot. When I found out that I had made it to the next round, I could barely contain my excitement. I must have checked my email 500 times in the days to follow, waiting for some kind of news. Finally one morning I received the phone call informing me that I had been chosen for the 2010 team. I tried my best to maintain my composure, but inside I wanted to scream and jump up and down, which was exactly what, I did when I got off of the phone. The feeling was indescribable and my face was sore by the end of the day from smiling so much. I still feel this excitement every time I put my jersey on, and look forward to an awesome season ahead.
Brittany: Oh man where do I start??! When I was little I always went to games with my dad and brother, and I always knew I wanted to be the "girls in the corner" ( thats what I called the ballgirls) during the games. So when I was watching a game one day and they said "They are now accepting applications for ballgirls" and I knew I had to send in an application!! Once I found out I made it to the try-outs I was sooo excited. The day came and I was somewhat nervous, but you know what... even if I didn't get chosen to be a ballgirl it was one of the best experiences of my life!! It was awesome going to the basement on CBP, who many people go down there!! Just in case no one believed me I secretly took a picture of the Phillies Batting Cage sign (don't tell anyone). I had so much fun meeting all the girls and hearing their stories. Yet, weeks later when it came down to the final call I was so nervous and I was anxiously waiting for Michele's call! Of course, the call came when I was in a class. Once I noticed my phone was ringing I quickly ran out into the hallway and was told the most exciting news ever- I was chosen to be one of the newest Phillies Ballgirls wahooooo!!! I was so pumped I called and texted everyone in my cell phone. And don't even get me started when I got my jersey!!! Ahhhhh writing about my experience so far is making me so pumped right now!!!
Hometown: Upper Darby, PA
Rookie: Victoria
Hometown: Indian Mills, NJ
Hometown: Medford, NJ
Rookie: Bridgette
