Jill Ottigner has
brains and brawn

By Melissa Yerkov
Times Sports Editor

Ever since she was a little girl, Jill Ottinger wished she could play football.
Now, as a 30-year-old woman, Ottinger is living the dream.
"I remember driving down the road with my dad and watching peewee football and asking if I could play," she recalled. "He said, ‘No, but you can be a cheerleader.’ That’s definitely not what I had in mind."
For four years now, daddy’s little girl has been kicking major butt on the football field with the Philadelphia Phoenix, the city’s first and only women’s professional tackle-football squad. The team — 43 football warriors from throughout the area who are 19 to 47 years of age —competes with 35 teams in 23 states in the National Women’s Football Association.
In the NWFA — now the largest full-contact women’s league in the country — games are played with the same rules, clock, field size and penalties as regulation men’s football. The only difference is that the ball’s slightly smaller.
"There are so many things I really enjoy about football," said Ottinger, who plays quarterback. "I like the fact that I can hit people; I like the group of forty women who are all working toward the final goal. There’s a lot of camaraderie. And it’s a great port — I’m learning every time I step on the field."
Ottinger has led her team to a memorable season. The Phoenix, whose home field is Northeast High School’s stadium, went undefeated in league play (8-0) and claimed first place in the Northern Division.
"We are doing so well, and it feels wonderful!" she said. "It’s such a huge change from last year. Now we have a new coaching staff and a lot of rookies. And we have some phenomenal athletic capabilities across the board."
The team is preparing for a Saturday night playoff game in Germantown. It’s quite a contrast to last season, when the Phoenix had a disappointing time on the field. Their 1-6 record also cost them a playoff appearance, the first time that happened since the Phoenix debuted in 2000.
Ottinger and her teammates weren’t going to let that happen again. This year, their eight included seven shutouts — overall, the Phoenix flattened their opponents, 262-8.
"I don’t think anyone coming back from last year was willing to lose again," said Ottinger, who rushed for 257 yards this season and scored 60 points. "We all came back with a different perspective."
New coaches and a roster bolstered by promising rookies apparently helped. Coach Jack McKenna became the primary mentor, and about two-dozen new faces became part of the team.
"The team looks impressive," said McKenna. "So far it’s going very well. Every one of them has a lot of heart and is willing to step up. They’re strong."
One of the new gals, Beth Speakman, quickly made a name for herself this season. As a running back and a wide receiver, she led the squad in rushing, gaining 468 yards, and caught nine passes for 166 yards. Speakman also led her team in scoring with 62 points.
Cynthia Corrisdeo, a veteran linebacker, thinks that chemistry has done much to solidify the team.
"There are a lot of new girls on the team this year, but they fit in quickly," said Corrisdeo, a member of the Phoenix for six years. "When you first hear of it, it’s actually more intimidating than when you actually get here. It’s hard work, but I keep coming back. Once you become part of this, it’s hard to leave."
The Phoenix typically practice three nights a week. The players also must study playbooks and train on their own time, all while holding day jobs and tending to day-to-day matters in their personal lives.
"This is a bit more demanding physically, mentally and emotionally," Ottinger said of the football life. "It’s more of a commitment, but the team aspect is unsurpassed. It’s definitely worth it."
Beyond football, Ottinger enjoys playing softball, and she has teamed up in the past with several local squads.
"I play for the Flying Monkeys, which is a Sunday league, so I go when I can make it," she said. "I also played with the Breakers, in Norristown, but now that has to wait until after football season, because they play on the same nights we practice. I was also with the Smoke Eaters, but it was too much of a time constraint with football."
Not to mention her career.
The Abington resident is a scientist for Rohm and Haas.
"I work in leather finishing," said Ottinger, who has been with the company for nine years. "I put the paint on that protects it. It’s actually what Rohm and Haas was founded on. It’s the longest-standing department in the company."
After graduating from Alvernia College in Reading with a chemistry degree in 2002, Ottinger went to La Salle University for her master’s in business. She graduated in 2006.
"I started out in research, but I wanted to blend science and business together," she said. "I really enjoy what I do. It’s a very interesting place to be."
Taking into account her football season, playing softball and holding down a full-time job, life can be hectic for Jill Ottinger.
But, she doesn’t seem to mind.
"They’re all things that I enjoy," she said. "I wouldn’t trade one for the other. I guess everyone only has a limited amount of time to do what they love, and I don’t want to waste one minute." ••
The Philadelphia Phoenix, who had a bye week in the first round of postseason play, will play on Saturday at 6:05 p.m. (at press time, the opponent was still to be determined). The game will be played at Benjamin Johnson Memorial Field, Woolston and Sedgwick avenues, in the city’s Germantown section. Tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 12 and under, and students with proper ID. For more information, visit www.PhiladelphiaPhoenix.org
Sports editor Melissa Yerkov can be reached at 215-354-3035 or myerkov@phillynews.com