Hey Phillies fans! It’s a new year filled with some new ballgirl faces and what is sure to be another great season at Citizen Bank Park. It is my pleasure to welcome you along for the ride as myself, and fellow veteran Bonnie, take over the blog and give you the behind the scenes peek of life as a Phillies Ballgirl. We look forward to sharing our experiences with you, talking sports, and of course, hearing your thoughts as well. We’ll be seeing you out and about in the Philadelphia area soon and you better believe we’ll have our 2011 trading cards ready! Below the girls have shared what the annual photo shoot was like. You might notice a few new faces. Stay tuned to learn more about them soon!

Becca & Bonnie

Bridgette: Around 7 a.m. on the morning of this year’s photo shoot I awoke to find a thick blanket of snow covering the ground outside my house. Upon learning that the storm’s intensity was directed primarily towards areas east of the city, I ventured out onto the snowy NJ roads determined to make it to Citizens Bank Park in time for one of the most exciting days of the year. Being that it was the first time us vets would be together with the new girls since the day of tryouts I was eager not only to welcome them to the team, but to witness them experience the same initial excitement we had felt just one year ago. After reviewing the ins and outs of what the ballgirl position entails, it came time for the fun part…our close-ups! Personally, I felt much more comfortable in front of the camera than at last year’s photo shoot, thanks to the styling expertise of Katelyn and Patti who made sure each of us were looking our best. The shoot seemed to be over in a flash, and now we must patiently await the arrival of the set of proofs we get to decide from for our ballgirl card photo. Great job to both the vets and the new girls who have their first official ballgirl experience under their belt, “it’s only gonna get funner!”

Emily: I had a blast at the photo shoot this year!  It felt pretty strange to have my first official event as a BG vet, but it was awesome meeting some of the new rookies of the 2011 season!  I think this year I was definitely much more comfortable in front of the camera…and I don’t want to toot my own horn here but I think the girls will vouch for me when I say that I totally “worked it”.  Juuust kidding!  But seriously everyone looked fabulous and I can’t wait to see how our baseball cards and team picture turn out!  The photoshoot made me sooo excited for the season to start back up and to meet the rest of our 2011 ballgirl team!

Maureen: It’s hard to explain the excitement and the nerves on your first day. As a rookie, you walk in and you’re like a little kid trying to absorb every site and sound going on around you. You realize you’re able to go places that very few people get to go and you’re totally in awe of it all. I arrived very early and tried to calm my nerves before walking in. Once inside with the other girls, my nerves settled quickly. Everyone was so nice and helpful it instantly set me at ease. Seeing my jersey for the first time was an amazing feeling. I felt my face light up. Once you put it on it starts to really hit you, I’m so lucky, this is really happening. I watched a veteran take her photos and since I was ready I went second. It was easier than I thought! Kristina was great, helping adjust my hair and give me tips while my photos were being shot. It’s not every day you get to do something like that and it was so much fun. The best part of the shoot was when Tori convinced everyone to do a pyramid and we managed to pull it off with a lot of laughing and possibly crushing the bottom row, sorry! I couldn’t have asked for a better day. It was a great way to kick of the 2011 season and I can’t wait for my first event and my first game!

Kristina: The photo shoot is something that I was really looking forward to this year.  Being this was my second ballgirl photo shoot I knew exactly what to expect and I wanted to help the rookies feel comfortable.  I remember last year being very nervous about the shoot solely because I didn’t know what to expect!  Meeting a few of the new girls and finally seeing a few of the vets who I have missed dearly made the afternoon an enjoyable one.

As far as the shoot goes, I told myself I was going to take a lot of pictures with my personal camera to “capture the moment” but of course I was too busy talking so I only got a few quality shots.  I tried to help the girls as much as I could while in their poses to make those last touches like placing hair to ensure that the pictures come out perfect!  I can’t wait to see how the group shot comes out, yay for the 2011 season!

Jamie: I was both very anxious and slightly nervous for my first activity as a 2011 Phillies Ballgirl. I arrived in the parking lot at the same time as some of the Vets and was lucky enough to follow their lead. They comfortably showed me the way to our photo shoot, which was surreal in itself. I was at Citizens Bank Park and not just as a loyal fan this time. As unbelievable as the whole situation seemed, the girls were all so friendly and down to earth which made it easier to see myself as one of them. We had a brief orientation of the responsibilities and expectations of being a ballgirl and just imagining all of the activities and events that I will have the opportunity to be a part of was exciting. Then, it was time to change into our 2011 pinstripes. When I saw the jersey with my name on the back, it finally hit me.  I’m really going to be a Philadelphia Phillies Ballgirl! The rest of the day flew by.  We took turns taking our individual shots, standard headshots and some posing with a bat, glove and softball. I certainly didn’t feel like a natural up there, to say the least, but all of the other girls were very encouraging.  I trust them. J Next, it was time for our group shots, but before we could begin, someone just happened to notice that we had the perfect amount of girls for a pyramid.  We couldn’t resist giving it a shot.  Although I wasn’t able to actually see the final outcome of our ballgirl pyramid, the laughs alone made it a success in my book.   (And the fact that no one was injured in the process!) Finally, we took our official group shots and it was time to head home, until next time.  After my initial exploit as a Phillies Ballgirl, I’m anxious to see how the pictures turned out, but even more so, for the 2011 season to begin!

Bonnie: The beauty of getting a new Ballgirl card this season is that I get to change things up from last year. I was looking forward to switching up my hairstyle and grateful that I get to pick a new “one word that describes me” on the back of my card. People always enjoyed teasing me on that one. The best part of the photo shoot was meeting some of the rookies and hanging out for a couple hours. With Katelyn as our stylist, Patti as our guest photographer, and our boss Michele playing DJ with the tunes, we managed to turn this event into a great memory

Jess: The photo shoot was so much fun this year. Although I’m not fond of having to model, it was a lot of fun meeting all the new girls and seeing the returning vets.  The day made me even more pumped for this upcoming season.  We have such a great group of girls again.  I can already tell this season will be just as good as last season when it comes to the ballgirls.  Get ready Phillies Phans, the ballgirls are back!

Genevieve: I had so many emotions running through my body that morning! I was like a little kid the morning of the shoot, what do I wear, how many pictures are we going to take, is my first official Phillies day as a ballgirl going to be cancelled because of all this snow!? Thankfully everyone made it to Citizens Bank Park safe and luckily for me, Brittany was there to show me where I was going.  It was great to meet everyone and the Vets were so nice and welcoming.  We had a blast listening to music and doing the shoot and a special thanks to Katelyn and Patti for being our hair stylists during the session. The best part of the shoot was finally being able to put on my uniform.  I think for me, that’s when I realized that my dream of being a ballgirl had finally become a reality and it’s a memory I will never forget!

Samantha M: While driving to Citizens Bank Park for the first time as an official ballgirl, I was still in shock that I had actually been picked for what I know will be one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Stepping in front of the mirror for the first time wearing my very own Ballgirl uniform was definitely a point of realization for me! After seeing myself in those red and white pinstripes, I finally really felt like one of the girls.  I was definitely more excited than nervous to be in front of the camera for our photo shoot (I guess I always secretly wished I could be a model for a day).  With the help of the vets, I think I got at least one decent photo where my eyes weren’t closed or my hair wasn’t sticking straight up.  I definitely have to give a shout out to Patti who was my hairstylist for the day!  I would be looking at my bad hair day on thousands of trading cards for weeks without her! Many of the other girls gave me tips and calmed my nerves, which made getting in front of the camera so much easier. I can’t wait to get the pictures back to see how they turned out, but either way I had a blast! It’s hard to believe this experience is considered work, but as far as my first day on the job goes, it was a great kick off for an amazing 2011 Phillies season.

Katelyn: Ah, Photoshoot day.  I can’t believe a whole year has gone by since my first one!  I remember just how I felt when I had my picture taken in front of all these girls I had just met.  I was very excited this year not because I would be getting my picture taken, but so I could finally meet some of the new rookies!  Each girl was nicer than the one before and judging by the small amount of time we got to spend with each other, I could tell we are all going to get along really well.  Sammy rocked some poses like a pro, while some veteran ballgirls used a bat in their pictures instead of the glove and softball props they had used the year before.  We all helped each other with our hair to make sure it looked picture perfect even though Genevieve and Samantha’s hair didn’t need fixing!! All in all, it was everything I expected.  Now I can look forward to picking my new trading card picture!

Leanne: For me, photo shoot day was, is, and hopefully will be my most nerve-wracking experience as a Phillies Ballgirl (aside from my first on-field experience).  Before that day, the culmination of my photo shoot “career” had ended with high school senior portraits, and I never predicted having serious professional pictures taken ever again.  But, the second I put my uniform on, looked in the mirror, and saw my name on the back of a Phillies jersey – it hit me how real this is.  I’m now part of the Phillies organization, but even more important, part of an amazing group of young women who share a love for Philadelphia baseball.  To ease our “rookie-nerves” (that’s what I’m gonna call them), the veterans coached us through the picture-taking and reminded us that they were in our shoes one short year ago (while we were literally in their shoes that day since we were short a few pairs and had to share).  All in all, it was a great first experience as a Phillies Ballgirl (I say before seeing how the pictures turned out) and I can’t wait for what hopes to be a year full of firsts!

Brittany: Although my cheeks hurt from smiling so much I think most of my excitement was from meeting the rookies at the photo shoot. Everyone was so excited and we all helped each other to get that “perfect” shot for our trading cards. Last year during my photo shoot, the baseball bat was missing in action, so I planned on taking the most pictures with it as my prop.  I’m hoping my plan worked and I’ll have a trading card with the bat!

Patti: This photo shoot was the first event that the new Vets were on the other side of the table! However even though it was a little bit of a relief from last year, I still have to admit just like last year I lost a little bit of sleep over it. I was excited to have the chance to meet some of the new girls and get to know them a little bit before we get consumed with the season. The vets were eager to help them relax for the shoot, suggest some poses, and aid in any stray hair smoothing (this step is critical). They were great! I think secretly some of them had practiced and most didn’t need our help, but were polite enough to make us feel useful (we’re appreciative). And of course, I had the opportunity to snap some pics myself. The day was a blast and made me all the more anxious to continue to get to know the girls and get the season underway. As for my own photo shoot, here’s to hoping my eyes were open…

Moira: Wow!  I cannot even describe the range of emotions that I have already experienced while walking through the doors of Citizens Bank Park…from uncontrollable nerves on the day of the final interviews to complete and utter excitement on the morning of the photo shoot!  I could not wait to meet the veteran ballgirls once again and meet my fellow rookies for the very first time.  While all of the events and requirements of being a ballgirl were discussed during our meeting, it hit me…I finally was living out my dream of being a Phillies Ballgirl!  I wanted to get started with the amazing opportunity that very moment…and skip over the photo shoot part!  While I really do not enjoy pictures, I basked in the amazing feeling of having my ballgirl uniform on for the very first time and smiled until my cheeks hurt!  Overall, the day was a great preview to what I am sure will be many more exciting times at Citizens Bank Park!

Samantha T: The first thing that came to my mind was, “Is this really happening?” Till this day I still cannot believe I’m a Phillies Ballgirl! Going into the photo shoot as one of, “the new girls” was very nerve racking. I did not know what to expect, at this point I was just praying for the best. When I finally met the other girls and experienced how nice and welcoming they were, I defiantly had nothing to worry about. Being in a real photo shoot was exciting, but having my own jersey with my name was out of this world amazing! I couldn’t wait to put it on and look into the mirror as a Phillies Ballgirl of 2011!! As I was getting ready I started to think, “WAIT, what am I going to do in front of the camera? How am I supposed to pose?” I started to get nervous once again! After seeing the other ballgirls posing in their pictures I started to get an idea and the nervousness started to go away. At the end of the photo shoot my cheeks were hurting and I was blind from the bright lights, but it was definitely worth it! I know there is more to come and I am ready for it! It is a privilege to be working for an amazing organization and being around the greatest fans!

Tori: This year going into the ballgirl photo shoot I was just as excited to meet the new girls but I wasn’t as nervous. It was definitely easier knowing what to expect. Just like any typical girl the questions of how to wear my hair?…..how to do my make-up?…..and how to pose? were running through my head a few days prior.  Back in December I cut 9 1/2 inches off my hair to donate to Locks of Love, which was well worth it, but I did however miss having the option to curl my long locks.  I think the photo shoot is always a really nice ice breaker among the girls because each ballgirl’s personality really comes shinning through. Getting the proofs back is always interesting to see how pictures our eyes were closed for, how many pictures we were laughing rather than smiling and how many just look completely awkward. But, there’s always that one that stands out the most and becomes our trading card picture for the season.

Becca: You would think that the second time around would be different, but I still couldn’t contain the huge grin that took over my face as I put on my pinstripes. Being back at the park felt GREAT! It was nice, as always, to be with my fellow vets and great to welcome and meet some of the new girls. I still feel like I need someone to pinch me, and this is my second year! By the end of the day, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much, but all I could think of was here comes another AMAZING season!

The holidays have come and gone, and we were incredibly busy with family, food and travel.  The ballgirls were all over the map this holiday season, with Amanda traveling the farthest. (She was visiting Riviera Maya in Mexico!)   We are definitely jealous of her tan, considering the amount of snow we had over the holiday.  We were still able to see family but some of us had to cancel some plans as the area was covered in a giant snow drift!

Jess was busy with Christmas at her Gram’s house with relatives, Bonnie was in South Carolina with family involved in a big weekend of games (including a card game called Spot it) while Kristina was doing a big meal and relaxing with family.

Katie was doing Christmas with her family three times and remembering her Nonna with a “Nonna Pollyanna” game this year.  Becca was busy eating Italian food and laughing til her stomach hurt all over while discussing the acquisition of Cliff Lee!  Perrin spent her last single girl holiday with her friends and family locally.  Tori had a huge family brunch with all the foods you could want and then got to relax with the family.

Bridgette was excited to celebrate the holidays and her nieces first birthday on Christmas day as well.  Katelyn was in Bethlehem visiting family on Christmas Eve and was back home for the holiday with her cousins. 

Fehran was relaxing and basking in Christmas Cheer with her new husband as well as testing out her baking skills.  Brittany was spending time with family working on lots of Christmas cookies!  I was able to spend the holidays with the extended family and relax a few extra days.

Overall we were very fortunate to escape the snow and enjoy the down time with our families and friends.  Some of us even got together to ring in 2011 – Patti, McKenzie, Jess, Katie, Bonnie, Tori, Lindsay and Katelyn and the rest of the 2010 Ballgirls wish you a very happy and healthy new year!!!!!!!

For 2011, we have quite a lot to look forward to.  The season will be underway before we know it and the new ballgirls are getting ready to take the spots of the six of us who will be entering ballgirl retirement.  Look out for our last Veteran blog coming soon and get excited to meet the new fresh faces of the 2011 ballgirls!!!!

It has been a thrilling few days in Philadelphia!!! Lots of wins, holiday cheer and of course, the acquisition of Cliff Lee.  This is an incredibly exciting time for the Phils during the offseason.  I was one of the many fans who was sad [to say the least] over the loss of Lee after the 2009 season.  He was a great force behind our team in the playoffs that year.  To have him back now to add to our already stacked rotation is incredible!  I cannot wait to see number 33 in action for the Phillies this year and many to come.  If Halladay says he is excited about the season – multiply that times 46,000 fans per game, 17 ballgirls and thousands more in the city of brotherly love and then Cliff could know how much we appreciate him picking us.   I’m not usually a nickname fan, but this is really an unbeLEEvable time for the Phillies.    Time to buy more tickets!!!  [Even though Todd Zolecki reports the Phils sold 35,000 after Lee was acquired]

Here are some of the reactions from the other ballgirls to the newest teammate for 2011.

Katelyn: I stayed up very late last night (early this morning!) to hear what the final decision was.  Once I heard, I couldn’t believe our luck!  I thought to myself I couldn’t wait for my chance to be on the field while Lee pitches!  Then I started laughing to myself thinking of how nervous and afraid every other team must be feeling right now… haha!

Tori: I was at work and my phone started vibrating non-stop, calls, texts you name it. I ran into the cafeteria and turn on espn to watch. I started jumping up and down, I absolutely could not believe it. Welcome back Cliff Lee

McKenzie: I heard the rumors swirling last night, and woke up to three text messages I received during the middle of the night saying Cliff was back with the Phillies!! It’s amazing how it is December and all anybody is talking about is the Phillies, it is going to be an amazing season! It seemed like almost everyone was sad to see him go last year not only because of the talent he brings to the team, but also because he seemed like a very classy guy who added a great aspect to the team. Welcome back!!!!!

Jess: Dear Santa, THANK YOU!!! When I heard this amazing news, I was excited beyond belief. We have Halladay, Hamels, Oswalt, and LEE…OMG! I am even more pumped for next season now! Baseball season better come fast. Merry Christmas, Philly! We got our gift early!

Becca: Beyond being incredibly exited to have such a talented rotation going into the 2011 season, I am most excited that Cliff Lee picked Philadelphia because he truly wants to be here. I think it says a lot about our club and organization as a whole that a player would turn down the offers he did to be a part of it. Now, since I spent all last night watching/reading up on all the Cliff Lee news, I really need to get back to studying for finals! 106 days till Opening Day baseball fans…Merry Cliffmas!

Kristina: What a way to begin my day!  I woke up this morning to the news of Cliff Lee coming back to Philadelphia.  This makes me even more excited for the 2011 season to start.  Halladay, Oswalt, Hamels now Lee, this year is going to be a memorable one.  Go Phillies!

Perrin: When I first heard we signed Cliff Lee (again) my reaction was immediate shock, then excitement! I can’t believe we landed the biggest ace in the free market to join an already remarkable rotation. It really says something about our management and the Phillies organization, but most of all about Lee. He left a lot on the table to move to the city of brotherly love which says a lot about his character. 2011 here we come!

Bridgette: Shocked, excited, overjoyed, proud…all of the above!

Bonnie: What a big day for Phillies baseball! I woke up this morning to text messages and a flood of Facebook statuses with the announcement. I was joking this morning that there’s no need to check the news anymore. Anything that’s really important will be posted all over Facebook and Twitter in a matter of seconds. So I was already well aware of Cliff Lee’s decision as I walked into work this morning. One article on the news was titled “Cliff Lee Chooses (Brotherly) Love over Money,” and I know many Phillies fans think he’s that much cooler because of it. Welcome back, Lee. You’ll be seeing a lot of brotherly love from this city come spring!

The Phillies Holiday Sale was yet again a wonderful success for both Phillies Charities and Phillies fans!  The ballgirls were in attendance on Saturday and Sunday for the sale which also included visits by Phanta Claus, Jimmy Rollins and more.

We had tons of signed Phillies merchandise for sale including signed bats, hats and baseballs:

We also had Phillies merchandise for all fans with great holiday sale prices!

Overall, the ballgirls had a great time meeting some enthusiastic fans and collectors, the tree looks great and the field was in great condition for 2011!

Happy Holidays!!!

First, the ballgirls will be working as Phanta Claus’ elves this weekend at the annual Holiday sale at Citizen’s Bank Park!!  I worked this event last year and we all had so much fun. This year there will be plenty for you and your family to enjoy!  Think – 3 book signings[Chris Wheeler, Len Epstein and fellow Phillies blogger Todd Zolecki], pictures with Phanta Claus and an appearance by none other than Jimmy Rollins!!!  Here is a photo of Phanta Clause himself (and a few ballgirl friends from 2009)

We will be there from 9:30 to 6 pm on Saturday and 9:30 to 3 PM on Sunday.  There will be plenty of merchandise for you to get that special Phillies fan in your life – especially new Roy Halladay gear!  Jimmy will be there to help light the tree at 5 PM Saturday – see you there!!

Second, the votes are being tallied for the final ballgirl spot as we speak…and the winner is….GENEVIEVE!  Congrats and welcome to the 2011 Phillies Ballgirls presented by Macy’s

Third, Phillies six packs are now available for purchase just in time for the holidays. It’s a great way to see the 2011 Phillies and ballgirls!!! 

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Fans Cast Nearly 184,000 Votes to Select New Phillies Ballgirl
Presented by Macy’s
Final Phillies Ballgirl Roster Announced
 
 Nearly 184,000 votes were cast online at phillies.com to select the final member for the 2011 Phillies Ballgirls team, a program presented by Macy’s. Genevieve Haney from Levittown, Pa., a marketing coordinator for Villanova University, received the most votes. As a result, she is the newest member of the 2011 Phillies Ballgirl team.

 This was the second time the team opened up the final ballgirl spot to online voting. Haney was one of five candidates in the two-week voting opportunity, which ended Tuesday, November 30. Fans had the chance to view biographies of the final candidates, as well as a brief video from ballgirl tryouts held in early November. The candidates were narrowed from tryouts.

 ”The fan response to select the final Phillies Ballgirl through online voting was truly amazing,” said Michele DeVicaris, Manager, Phillies Community and Charity Events. “Genevieve, as well as the six other young women who will be joining this season’s ballgirl roster, will no doubt be terrific role models both on and off the field.”

2011 Newly-Selected Phillies Ballgirls
? Moira DiSandro from Ambler, Pa., University of Delaware student
? Genevieve Haney from Levittown, Pa., a marketing coordinator for Villanova University
? Leanne McCarron from Norwood, Pa., a coordinator at University of Pennsylvania Law School
? Samantha McDonald from Warrington, Pa., an Environmental Resource Management Major at Pennsylvania State University
? Jamie Orensky from Philadelphia, Pa., a civil engineer who attended the University of Delaware
? Maureen Shockley from Magnolia, NJ, an assistant softball coach and currently enrolled in the MBA Finance program at Centenary College
? Samantha Torres from Pennsauken, NJ, Camden County College student and softball star athlete

ABOUT THE PHILLIES BALLGIRLS
 Phillies Ballgirls serve as ambassadors for the Phillies and represent the team both on and off the field at various charity and community events. For more information, please visit http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/phi/community/ballgirls/index.jsp.

One of the things that the ballgirls love to do is TAKE PICTURES!  We constantly have our cameras out ready to capture all the excitement that takes place at Citizen’s Bank Park, at softabll games, appearances and everywhere else the ballgirls travel.  Since we have more photos than you could imagine, I had the ballgirls narrow down their favorites so we could all re-live some of our favorite moments. 

Some need more explanation than others…  But, I get to go first!

Since I get to see a preview of all the other photos, I decided to pick out two photos that I find to be the funniest ones from the 2010 season.  First, on the left you’ll see a photo of a bunch of people in pink and yellow ponchos crossing a small creek formed by rain.  Then in the middle, you’ll find one ballgirl wearing a protective trashbag and falling into the creek I mentioned.  On our trip to Clearwater, we unfortunately ran into some bad weather for the game at Brighthouse field.  We all had time to stop at a local store to pick up Disney themed ponchos and assumed our host Bonnie had one at home.  We were quite wrong! Poor Bonnie was forced to wear a trashbag! Besides the fact that she looked hilarious, she also was awaiting surgery to repair a torn ACL.  Needless to say, she didn’t make the jump over the creek (she’d probably say it was a river) and we were not so sympathetic at first.  Don’t worry, she was ok!!

The second photo on the right is an example of what happens when you work with kids… sometimes they like you and sometimes they don’t.  I asked these two Starting 9 kids if they’d like a photo and both said yes. As you can see, someone changed their mind and it made for one of the funniest pictures I’ve ever seen!!

Becca: As mentioned in our last post, some of my most fond Ballgirl memories are those spent getting to know all the fellow Phillies fans out there. This particular picture was taken at our softball game versus the Hatboro EMS team, which was also one of my favorite games we played this season. This snapshot captures our batgirl of the evening Kelly and I breaking it down to the chicken dance! 
 
Because this photo combines a number of my favorite things i.e. Philies, Christmas, dancing, and my fellow Ballgirls, it remains one of my all time favorites from this season. Not only is Christmas in July a great time at the Ballpark, but it goes to a great cause which makes it all the more enjoyable and rewarding to be a part of.

McKenzie: I have so many favorite pictures from throughout the season, but here are a few of
the best. One was with Rylee, and fan who I gave a foul ball to over the summer. She was so adorable and made me appreciate my job so much more by showing how happy I was able to make her! Another favorite is me with Kristina and Bridgette before our last softball game of the season, which was the most fun we have ever had on the softball field!

Kristina: My favorite picture was maybe inspired by the upcoming holiday taken during Christmas in July at Citizens Bank Park.  I chose this picture because it looks like it could be a holiday card!  This photo represents a day that was so wonderful.  For Christmas in July the ballgirls were able to dress up and play “Santa’s helpers” in collecting toys/donations all over the park.  It was amazing to see how generous people were and the children will benefit greatly from the collaborative effort.  Another exciting part of this day was when the ballgirls danced with the Phanatic to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You”.

Bonnie: I didn’t quite know what I was getting myself into when I volunteered to be a Hot
Pants Girl for 80′s night, but I’m so glad I got to do it. Emily, Bridgette, and I had a great time sporting the classic hot pants and white boots for the occasion. Katelyn and Perrin also got into the spirit of things with their 80′s outfits (pretty sure Katelyn was the most excited to pull out her beloved hair crimper). We definitely enjoyed pulling out our favorite retro moves for the dance party and having a special appearance from Miami Vice’s Sonny Crockett. Definitely a night to remember.

Bridgette: The first photo I chose is was taken at this year’s Retro Night. I picked this one because of how much fun we all had dressing up in retro gear followed by having a dance party with some fans- oh and special guests ‘Crockett and Tubbs’- on the Bud Light Rooftop. The second was taken at the Phillies Phestival in May. While promoting the photo booth station on the concourse, we decided to take a photo of our own. I happen to love this one because of how much it resembles photos taken in real vintage photo booths!

Brittany: This is one of my favorite pictures because it was from one of the first times a lot of
us got to meet for the first time.  Some of the veteran ballgirls decided to schedule a rock climbing outgoing so we can all get to know each other. We had so much that Perrin didn’t even want to take her harness off!  Little did I know that this would be a start to some great friendships.

 I chose the second picture because it shows how much fun we have during our softball games.  Perrin and I thought that the best way to show our excitement for our softball game was to do cartwheels in the outfield!! Even though we all  play our hardest, we still throw in our own special touch to each game. Whether it’s  great hits, little errors or just doing cartwheels in the outfield, we are always having fun! There is never a dull moment when we’re all together.

Jess:  These are two of my favorites because of what they represent.  The first one of me, Lindsay, and Brittany working Green Team, and it reminds me of all the good times all the ball girls had together even if we were collecting recyclables.  The second is of me, Bridgette, and Tori at one of the post season games.  No words can describe what it has been like working for the Phillies this year as a ball girl.

Patti: Photo #1 the parade: This picture needs no explanation. Simply awesome. (that’s my explanation)

Photo #2: Phillies Harmony Fan Club – What an amazing group of kids to spend some time getting to know. There is so much courage and bravery among this group that they can’t help but make you smile. Plus they kick butt in wiffle ball.

Katie: It was difficult to choose only a couple of photos that were my favorite.  This year has flown by but it was truly special.  So many memories were made on the field and within the Ballgirl squad.  The two pictures I chose help illustrate the strong bond we’ve had as a squad this year, both on and off the field- from charity events to our trip to Spring Training.  We weren’t just a team or co-workers, we are great friends!

Emily: This picture was taken at the Ballgirl tryouts this year.  I love this picture because
almost exactly a year prior to when this picture was taken we were just meeting each other for the first time at our own Ballgirl tryouts, and now a year later it’s great to see how much fun we have together and how we’ve grown as friends!  I also want to thank Bonnie in this picture because she looks about as goofy as I do obviously we didn’t get the memo being on the ends that this was just a smiling photo!  ;-D

This picture of Bridgette, Bonnie and I from Phillies Retro Night.  I love this picture because it is so different from anything we did all year as Ballgirls.  It reminds me of how much fun we had getting into character in our vintage Ballgirl outfits, and “boogying down” during our dance party.  It was certainly a night that I will never forget!  

Tori: “A picture is worth a thousand words.”  This is a saying that I have heard numerous times and never really thought about till now.  This year flew by, and meeting these 15 spectacular girls was one of the best things that’s ever happened to me.  Back in March, 8 of us ventured down to Spring Training with little knowledge about the other girls we were heading down there with.  I think I speak for us all when I say none of us knew what was going to come out of that weekend.  But sure enough we made the most of every moment down there, from laying on the beach, to Tokyo drifting across 4 lanes of highway traffic all the way to huddling up in a ballgirl built tent with Disney poncho’s on in the pouring rain at one of the home games…..memories that will last forever were made.  There’s not enough I can write to sum up all the memories from this past year because there are just too many, but I will say that these 15 girls that I spent the majority of my spring and summer with are some of the most admirable, independent, intelligent, outgoing, caring individuals I have ever met, and no matter what the memory was that was made or which ballgirl it was it I will cherish it forever and ever.  Love you girls <3

Fehran:
 

Katelyn:  I chose this picture of Brittany and me because the Ballgirls and I are big fans of awkward family photos.  We are often trying to recreate all of the funny poses photographers force families to make in professional pictures.  In this picture, Brittany are posing for our own “family photo” but it actually turned out pretty cute!

I chose this picture of us at Spring Training in Florida because it was such a great day.  The weather was perfect, and nothing is better than a good baseball game after months of not being able to watch baseball on TV.  We had such a good time getting to know each other on this trip and I can’t wait for Spring Training trip part 2 this year! 

A Big Update today!!

First off – I’m not revealing anything just yet, but we are making some headway onto the 2011 ballgirls!!  This year we are having a second try at the voting process.  We are using an online voting system to vote in the last ballgirl for 2011 and they all need your help! There are 5 girls in the running for the last spot this year.  Please take the time to watch their videos and make a good decision – you’ll be watching them for a whole year!  Here is the link:   http://mlb.mlb.com/phi/fan_forum/y2010/ballgirl_ballot.jsp

Secondly, this blog has been a project for me this year, and my goal was to keep our readers happy, keep the ballgirls creativity level up and maintain a high level of readers throughout the year.   We have done that!!! Thanks to you all, the ballgirl’s “Down the Line” Blog has reached #16 on the charts!!!  Here is a look at the top leaders:    http://mlblogs.mlblogs.com/  Thank you to all of our readers and of course congrats to the other winners this month. 

Finally, onto our entry for today.  This is kind of a part 1 to the farewell blogging of 2010.  I’m starting with the rookies.  I asked them to think about their favorite memories of the 2010 season.   It’s quite hard to nail it down to one (as you can see from their entries!) especially since this year was so exciting.  Please enjoy a glance back at some happy memories from 2010.

Bonnie: There’s so many memories of my rookie ballgirl year, so how do I even pick just one…I will have to say that all of the “firsts” that I’ve experienced this year will always stand out in my mind. First time I got to put on my uniform. First time I got to sign one of my trading cards. First time on the field. First line drive down the third baseline right at me. First ballgirl appearance when we helped put furniture together for a school library. Well, I at least tried my best to put furniture together. Out of all these “Firsts,” nothing beats the friendships that I’ve made along the way. It amazes me how much fun we ballgirls had this year. Putting 17 girls together for a full baseball season could probably be turned into an interesting reality show because we sure knew how to make the most out of the entire experience and enjoy every second.

Bridgette: Being a first-year ballgirl this year has been one of the most fun and exciting
experiences of my life. While having the opportunity to be on the field was certainly one of the most exhilarating aspects of the job, there were countless other memories made throughout the 2010 season. If I had to rank the highlights of my first year as a ballgirl they would be: 10.) Playing against the Patriot’s Old Timers in Allentown. 9.) Being a member of the Hot Pants Patrol on Retro Night. 8.) Dressing as Mrs. Claus on Christmas in July while collecting toys for children in need. 7.) Doing the Cupid Shuffle on the dugout during Game two of the NLCS. 6.) Standing at home plate during Alumni weekend in which the alumni as well as the current players lined the baselines for the National Anthem. 5.) Volunteering for Habitat for Humanity on one of the hottest dog days of summer. 4.) Taste testing nearly every cuisine Citizen’s Bank Park has to offer. 3.) Modeling Phillies Comfy Throws (AKA Snuggies) with Lindsay and Tori on the first day of Ticket Sales back in March. 2.) Getting to know the Phillies family of employees on the field, in the offices, the command center, and those who always helped us with Green Team. And last but not least the #1 highlight of my year hands down has been becoming friends with 15 of the most awesome girls the Tri-State area has to offer. I can only imagine the memories yet to be created in 2011!

Katelyn: When I look back on the 2010 season, it’s hard for me just to pick ONE memory that stands out above the rest.  Each Phillies game, event, softball game, or get together has a special meaning and memory.  One of the first things I got to do as a Phillies Ballgirl was take a vacation down to Clearwater, Florida for Spring Training.  While there, I became close with the other Ballgirls that I knew little about.  It was while in Clearwater that I realized that I had just made lifelong friends.  The perfect ending to a perfect vacation was the sunset that Bonnie, Tori, Katie, and I got to watch on Clearwater beach.  It was a storybook ending to an amazing weekend.  My favorite event at Citizens Bank Park as a Ballgirl that I was able to participate in was probably Retro Night.  I was able to dress up in 80′s fashions and dance all night on the rooftop!  Can you imagine anything more fun?  The girls and I had a blast trying to replicate 80′s dance moves.  The best memory I have while being a Ballgirl on the field is DEFINITELY Roy Halladay’s No Hitter.  The other game I was fortunate to be on the field for was to see Jamie Moyer pitch a complete game shut out before his injury.  I also really enjoyed being able to participate in the Phillies Harmony Fan Club events the Ballgirls got to do.  Each time I met someone really special that I will always remember.  The Phillies Phestival will always stick out in my mind as a wonderful memory.  The Ballgirl Choir had their debut with “Take Me Out to the Photobooth” and it was one of the only times all of the Ballgirls got to be together.  I am very greatful for all of the memories I have collected this past season and I look forward to making even more fun memories (possibly another world series parade??) in the 2011 season!!

Jess: It’s really hard for me to pick one favorite ball girl memory.  For most, it would probably be the first time on the field which is an unexplainable feeling, but if I had to choose, it would probably be the first Phillies game I worked this past season.  I, unfortunately, was late getting into the swing of things since I was away at Penn State finishing up my senior year and could only make the 3+ hour trip few times.  Because of that, I was the odd man out on a lot of inside jokes that had already occurred by May.  I also didn’t know the Phillies staff personally like many other rookies already did.  I felt way behind and wasn’t sure how well I would mesh with the already tight group or if I would at all.  My first game changed all of that.  I was working green team with Lindsay and Bonnie, and I was announced with Lindsay as the green team “captains” for the game.  Although we didn’t have a group, we managed to have a lot of fun, turning green team into a scavenger hunt game and seeing who could collect the most recyclables.  Although my partner **cough Lindsay cough** lose me for about 3 innings, I felt as though I had been with the rest of the girls the whole time.  It still amazes me how well we all bonded together and how we are all great friends.

Patti: I can’t say that there is one memory that stands out as a favorite among the rest. There are simply too many. From the first day of 2010 tryouts, to picking up my uniform, to Spring Training, my first event, to Opening Day, to my first game on the field, to my first foulball, to my favorite fans, to Photo Day, to Phillies Harmony Fan Club, to Fan Appreciation Day, to Christmas in July, to dancing on the dugout, to the Postseason, to the 2011 tryouts, nothing but great memories have been made and shared. One thing remained constant the entire season, my fellow ballgirls at my side for each and every one of these moments. None of the fond memories that I have from the 2010 season would be anywhere near what they are today, had it not been for the 15 women I had the opportunity with which to share them. The season may be over, and we may be saying goodbye to our Vets, but the bonds we formed throughout the year will continue to flourish as we transition from being ballgirls and coworkers to friends.

Kristina: The picture that I chose for one of my favorite ballgirl memories is a group shot from
Hatboro EMS vs ballgirl softball game which took place in September.  I chose this picture because not only did we play well (excluding a few fielding errors, oops) but I had such a great time.  In between innings we even did the Cupid Shuffle on the mound.  The Hatboro EMS did a wonderful job organizing this event and I was glad the ballgirls were able to be apart of it!

Tori: When you have 16 girls that means 16 cameras, which if you do the math equals a TON of pictures.  With so many pictures and so many unforgettable memories from this season I think my favorite picture is this one from Game 6 of the NLCS.  It’s rare that all of us are at a single event and this was event where we were all present with only one girl missing from the photo (Katelyn).  This was the last game of the postseason, and although it didn’t end the way we hoped it would, being about to share this memory with girls that have become like family to me over this past year was priceless.

Brittany: As I try to look back and think about all the exciting memories that occurred in the
past year, I knew this blog was going to be a hard one.  So much has happened, I had to brainstorm and think about all the great memories with some fellow ballgirls.  Since this blog could take forever and I have sooo many great memories, I decided that I would make it easier for the readers and try to pick my top memories according to the seasons of the year… I know, I know, I’m totally lame but this way I won’t be writing a whole novel, because let’s be honest here, no ones going to read an extremely long blog post.  My favorite memories before 2010 were the day of tryouts at CBP and the day I received my very own Phillies jerseys! During the winter time we wanted to get to know each other a little better, so the vets organized a rock climbing event for all of us to attend and build our team bonding.  This event was great because it was the first time a lot of us got to meet each other, I remember being so excited to meet my fellow ballgirls! Once baseball season started we all became inseparable, it felt as though I had 15 wonderful sisters.  We all become so close with each other, we were just one big happy ballgirl family . Since the best memories happened during the baseball season I’ll just list my favorites instead of rambling on and on: first time stepping on the field!, all of my training games, first time on the field as ballgirl with no vets sitting next to me,retro night, Christmas in July, Photo Day, post season; honestly this may take awhile so I’ll cut it short and end it there.  This past year has been a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am so grateful to experience it.  I have some of the best memories that will stay with me for my entire life.  Even though, I had made some great memories I think I am most grateful for the group of fabulous fellow ballgirls.  I have made friends for life amongst this ladies and I am so happy they are in life, sharing this great memories with me. I’m going to sound like a total nerd when I say that I love my job as a ballgirl, but more importantly, I LOVE the ladies that work with me.  I LOVE Y’ALL BALLIGRLS 2010

Becca: Many of my favorite memories from 2010 involve interacting with the fans, but particularly the younger fans. Chatting with them at events and games is something I will always remember about being a Ballgirl. The first event I worked this year was the Spring Training Day at the Franklin Institute. A young fan, who was also named Becca, approached me and shared her hopes of being a Ballgirl one day as well. It’s very rewarding knowing that we encourage young women to be involved in such a great sport and to hold a position that allows them to give back to the Philadelphia community. Keep an eye out for another Becca down the foul lines soon!

Emily: This Year of being a Phillies Ballgirl has been a dream come true for me to say the
least.  I have had so many incredible experiences while working for the Phillies organization, and have made amazing friends along the way.  Thinking back through the season at all of the awesome events that I’ve done, it is really hard to pick one memory that I loved the most.  But, if I must choose, I absolutely loved all of post-season for so many reasons (I know it’s not technically one memory but I loved it all!).  Obviously the atmosphere was incredible with the pre-game band and pep-rally, the unmistakable rowdy Phillies Phans, and of course the rally towels, but what I especially loved was that every night of post-season almost all of the Ballgirls were there at the stadium (which is a rare occurrence!).  It was so much fun to be able to share the experience of post-season with my Ballgirl friends that I’ve grown close with throughout the season.  It amazes me that a group of 16 girls were able to mesh so well together.  With that being said, I’m sad to see the end of my 1st year of Ballgirling because it means our vets will be leaving us :’( but I am also so excited to be able to make another year of Ballgirl memories, and I look forward to being a vet for the new string of rookies in 2011!      

Last but not least…..  a huge congratulations to ROY HALLADAY, the 2010 NL CY Young Award winner.  We couldn’t be prouder!!!!  He was our MVP and our favorite pitcher from the season and provided the ballgirls and the fans with plenty of excitement.  We cannot wait to see what he has in store for 2011.

On Friday November 5th, about 60 women had the opportunity to tryout for the 2011 Phillies Ballgirls team.  The tryouts were held at Citizen’s Bank Park in the media room and batting cages.  After sending in a 2 min DVD and resume, the girls were selected to attend this 3 hour intense tryout.  The 2010 Ballgirls were ready and waiting for the applicants when they arrived bright and early.

They were all brought into the media room for the schedule and process briefing by our boss, Michele!

Following the meeting, the girls were split into many different groups and headed off to show their skills.

Kristina: This Friday myself and a couple other returning ballgirls were able to help out at the 2011 ballgirl try outs.  Young women from all over the tri state area came in two different sessions starting at 9am and 11am.  My job of the day was to assist in the hitting portion of the try out (placing the softball in the pitching machine).  I must say there was definitely a ton of talent present at this tryout and the ballgirl softball team in 2011 will definitely benefit from the new ballgirls!  I loved asking the other girls where they played softball or went to school because throughout my years of playing I definitely recognize some faces.  Overall, I believe the tryout was a success and I excited to welcome the new ballgirls. 

Bridgette: Excitement was certainly in the air Friday morning as the 2011 ballgirl applicants arrived at Citizens Bank Park for this year’s tryouts. Having been in their shoes only twelve months prior, I could definitely relate to the butterflies the girls were experiencing about the process. Of the four stations the girls participated in- hitting, fielding, interview, and sprints (new this year!), the general consensus from the group was that the interview was the most nerve wracking stage. I got a chance to talk briefly to Kelley Bisceglie from Palmyra, NJ, who confessed to blanking out on a seemingly simple question despite the fact that she spent a great deal of time preparing for the interview. Nerves are certainly to be expected so in the event of a sudden moment of memory loss, it’s all about the recovery that matters. In attempt to ease the girls nerves, we decided on a quick ice breaker that we all know very well by now- the cupid shuffle. All the hootin’ and hollerin’ was sure to calm the girls down and allow them to be themselves throughout the remainder of their tryout.

Bonnie: Last Friday, the greatly-anticipated Ballgirl Tryouts was held at Citizens Bank Park. I think I can speak for all the ballgirls when I say that we felt a little anxious for the girls trying out, since most of us were in their same shoes just last year. Brittany and I enjoy reminiscing about our own tryout experience because we were back-to-back at every station. You definitely create a special bond with the girls you go through the day with, so we were very excited when we heard that we both got a spot on the team. My favorite part of tryouts this year was getting to talk to all of the girls and helping them to have fun and just take it all in. It’s not every day that people get to hit baseballs in the Phillies batting cages or have an interview with local news reporters. Oh, and let’s not forget the newly-added feature of this year’s tryouts…the Cupid Shuffle dance. If anything, the ballgirls enjoy being at the park together, and I hope that all the girls that came out felt the same way!

Emily: Being on the other end of the Ballgirl tryouts this year as a current Phillies Ballgirl was so much fun (and a lot less nerve-racking)!  It was funny to me that almost exactly a year ago I was just like all of the girls who walked into the tryouts this year, so I knew exactly what they were feeling: excitement, nerves, giddiness, awe…possibly nausea (kidding…but not really).  Since I was once in their shoes I was happy to be able to talk to a lot of the Ballgirl hopefuls and make an attempt to calm some of their nerves.  The tryouts were similar to what I remember from last year…the girls were able to show off their softball skills (which were very impressive I must say!) and they also were given a chance to show off their personalities in an on-camera interview.  I acted as an escort for the girls to bring them to their different stations, so I was able to get the inside scoop on the different questions they were asked in the interview…one of the girls even had to pull a “Katelyn” and sing “Take me out to the Ballgame” during her interview!  It was funny to hear about all of the different stories that the girls had.  At one point we, as Ballgirls, took it upon ourselves to create our own tryout portion…dancing!  We gathered all of the Ballgirl hopefuls and led them in the “Cupid Shuffle”.  It was all in good fun but the Ballgirls have been known to dance on the Phillies dugout occasionally so why not see if the new girls got the moves?!  Overall the tryouts were a blast and I am so excited to find out who the new additions will be to our Ballgirl squad for 2011!    

I’ll try to cover what the other ballgirls left out from tryouts… 

Patti and Katelyn were able to continue with ballgirl tradition and photograph all aspects of the tryout!

The prospective ballgirls got the opportunity to try on all the ballgirl gear so we could be prepared for the next season. Here’s a hopeful in our warmup pants!

Fielding is always a tough part of tryouts.  The nerves are running high and the balls are hit pretty fast.  Here, Becca and Emily look on at a ballgirl hopeful who made the grab!

The interview is always a tough portion of the tryout process and very important!  We always have to be ready for public speaking.  Our advice – limit saying “um” and “like!”  Here’s the panel from one of the interviews… I’d say they are happy about our new girls!

Where would tryouts be without this guy?!

There was a new part of tryouts this year.. the sprints! We have to make it to the bullpen and back pretty quickly, and these Phillies staffers were able to assist us in timing the ballgirl hopefuls!

Sam and Teresa, former ballgirls, dedicated their time and helped out with the hitting portion of tryouts!

Finally, we gave the new girls a pep talk before tryouts and encouraged them to have fun, ask questions and enjoy their day at the ballpark.  We did!

Thank you to all of the girls who applied, and all that made it to tryouts. We had a pleasure meeting all of you and guiding you through the process.  We will be sure to update you with the newest girls of 2011!!!

Go Phils!

One last photo of all the ballgirls who worked at tryouts… two of us in our day job clothes!