Owls Behind the Scenes: Life as a Phillies Ball Girl

What led you to want to become a ball girl?

Madeleine: T-ball was the first sport I ever played and I was one of two girls on the entire team. After that, I played softball for my club team and high school. When I went to college I decided to stop playing to pursue my career. There were a few girls that I grew up with who became ball girls, and then at Temple there were three girls I met that were also ball girls. I missed playing softball and the whole team aspect in general. I’ve been a Phillies fan since I was born and spent many summer days at Citizens Bank Park. I knew it was the perfect opportunity to continue to be involved in the sport, give back to the community and be a part of the Phillies organization.

Megan: My family raised me to be a die-hard Philly sports fan, and the Phillies have always been No. 1 in our household. When I was little, we had the Sunday Game Plan, so we were down at the ballpark all the time. I also wanted to be a ball girl because it is awesome how much they do for the community, and I was excited to be a part of it. I also enjoy teaching young kids the sport of softball and watching them develop into superstars, so this was an opportunity to be able to do that.  

What are your daily duties and tasks in your position?

Madeleine: The main task that everyone thinks of is being on the field during games, but the ball girls do a lot more than that. During games we also work as 50/50 sellers, which helps to raise money for Phillies Charities. We participate in events around Philadelphia to show our support for the great fans and community. Some of these include partnering with Nemours Children’s Hospital as well as recently doing the polar plunge with the Special Olympics. The other major thing that the ball girls do is holding clinics for Phillies Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) and Phillies MLB Urban Youth Academy.

Megan: Two of us get to do “Red Goes Green” every game, which is an initiative done by the Phillies to keep the ballpark clean, and of course, two of us get to be on the field as ball girls every game. I have not gotten the opportunity to be on the field yet, so that is something I am really looking forward to.

What’s your favorite part of the job?

Madeleine: My favorite part of the job is meeting new people every day. Whether it be talking to the other ball girls, people at the stadium or at events, I have had many great conversations with people. People who live in Philadelphia have awesome stories to tell and I love to learn about other people’s lives.

Megan: My favorite part of the job is probably just being able to be a part of the ballpark atmosphere every game. We are Phillies Ball Girls, but we are also fans too. Being able to be in the Philadelphia fan environment and see how excited people are to be at a Phillies game is awesome, and to think I had even a tiny part in making their experience at the ballpark better just makes it all so worth it. There are not even words to describe how awesome it was to be able to work the playoffs last year because the vibes were on a whole new level that I think only a World Series could match.

What’s something that people may not expect or be surprised to find out about what you do?

Madeleine: All we do outside of the Phillies games; we try to give back to the community. Also that all the ball girls are either full-time college students or have full-time jobs and that we do this part-time.

Megan: Our time on the field is only a small percentage of our jobs. I feel like the assumption is that there are only two of us and we’re on the first base and third base side every single game, when in reality, there are 20 of us that share field time. Attending community events and helping run clinics is what we do most out of everything, so I think that would surprise those who do not know much about the ball girls.

Do you expect to stay in this position and what are your future goals?

Madeleine: The contracts for ball girls are only two years. Since it is an amazing position, there are a lot of applicants and we want everyone to have an experience with it.

Megan: Being a ball girl is only a two-year gig, so as much as I would love to do it forever, my time will be over in 2026. I would love to continue working with the Phillies, though, because everyone in the organization treats everyone like family, which is special. I am currently studying sport and recreation management, so after I graduate, I would love to continue my path within the sports industry, I just have not figured out what exactly I want to do yet.

How has it been juggling Temple/going to school and working for the Phillies?

Madeleine: At Temple I majored in health professions and have since been in physician school at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Physician’s assistant school is a very intense program that is only 26 months long, so it can be a challenge at times to fit in both. I try to work hard during the day and during the week so that I can enjoy my time at the stadium. It also gives me a needed break where I can coach softball, get to know more people and spend time watching the Phillies.

Megan: I feel as though I have learned a lot about time management since starting my job with the Phillies. Having to sign up for games so far in advance, I find myself checking every syllabus to make sure I am not putting too much pressure on myself. Overall, the balancing of school and work has been beneficial for me, but it can be stressful at times. As I am a sport and recreation management major, this job has gotten me most of the industry hour credits I need, so that is always great too.

What has Temple taught you that you found beneficial in your position now?

Madeleine: Without Temple’s opportunities and diversity, I would not be in the position I am today. Careerwise, Temple provided me with a strong health education that allowed me to attend a very prestigious PA school. In my time at Temple, during the spring and fall Phillies season, many of my friends would go down and watch games. As previously mentioned, it was because of the people that I met through Temple that I decided to try out. When I chose Temple, I got to be a part of the Philadelphia community, especially the amazing Phillies community.

Megan: This job gives me the opportunity [to branch out] because there are so many parts of it. You have the sport side of working under those in the front office and learning more about what they do and what they’re responsible for; there’s the nonprofit side of being a part of community events and learning everything that goes into planning them; and then there’s the recreation side where you get to work with kids and help them develop more softball and baseball skills. There are so many aspects to this job that are beneficial to my major at Temple and figuring out what I will want to do with my degree.

Is there anything else you want us to know about your position?

Madeleine: It is truly one of the best jobs in the world; there is nothing quite like Citizens Bank during baseball season. I am so thankful for the past year and am excited for one more year as a ball girl.

Megan: The last thing that I want to emphasize is that if it weren’t for me choosing Temple, I would not be a ball girl today. I am a subway ride away from the ballpark. That makes it easy for me to get to games and events. Seeing the ball girls at pep rallies really showed me just how much fun the job is. I thought, “If I’m already coming to all these pep rallies, wouldn’t it be cool to actually be a part of it?” So I am very grateful that I chose Temple because this is a great opportunity that I would not have right now if I chose to go to school anywhere else.