New Jersey high school teacher is also a Phillies ballgirl
ROBBINSVILLE, N.J. (CBS) - A Mercer County teacher's side gig is giving her on-the-field access to the Phillies' post-season run. Robbinsville High School history teacher Kelly Fleck is one of the Phillies' 19 ballgirls.
"I can't even concentrate!" Fleck said while on hall duty Friday afternoon. "I was excited to have hall duty the last block of the day because I needed to walk around, get the jitters out."
A softball player growing up, Fleck followed in the footsteps of her older sisters, trying out for the Phillies in 2020.
"The tryouts, they were competitive," Fleck said. "It was a little nerve-wracking because you're with a lot of girls who played softball their whole lives."
Besides fielding foul balls, Fleck and the ballgirls sell 50/50 raffle tickets and play in charity softball games.
Sometimes, her students get to see her in action at the games.
"It's funny because no one really knows my last name because it's our first names on the back [of our jerseys]," Fleck said. "When I hear someone yell like, 'Ms. Fleck!' I'm like, 'me!?' I get a little surprised to see that, but I really am happy to see my students come to games."
But this is Fleck's last season as a ball girl as Phillies ball girls only serve two seasons.
"It's a really cool thing that not many young girls know about," Fleck said. "To show them that they can continue their passions with the sport is really special."