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Mia Brickhouse loves football. She plays it on the beach and takes on the men in her family without hesitation. In the fall, no matter how much schoolwork she has, the Villanova law student’s schedule revolves around Philadelphia Eagles games.
As a female, Brickhouse always figured her interest in football would stay purely recreational. But taking advantage of recent changes in professional sports, she now plays for the Philadelphia Phoenix of the National Women’s Football Association.
Think those guys will still want to play her on the beach?
Brickhouse, of 21st and Mountain streets, has always been a formidable athlete. She was a standout softball player at Girard Academic Music Program and Villanova.
Now, the 24-year-old plays running back and defensive back for the Phoenix. Brickhouse heard about the women’s football league through a friend and decided to try out for the team — then called the Philadelphia Liberty Belles — last season.
"Football has always been my favorite sport, but women never had an opportunity to play," she said during a recent phone interview. "Now I’ve got it, so I have no excuses."
Brickhouse is a name opposing teams are well aware of when they face the Phoenix. In last month’s 51-0 win over the Rochester Raptors, the running back rushed for 187 yards and four touchdowns. She inherited the offensive role after two of her teammates went down with injuries earlier this season.
"I am the type of athlete that if I am going to play, I am going to make an impact," Brickhouse said.
That includes, she hopes, helping the Phoenix win the NWFA league championship game, to be played in Nashville, Tenn., on Aug. 2. Her team is currently leading the Northern Division race with a 5-1 record.
"We think we are a championship-caliber team," said Brickhouse, whose squad advanced to the semifinals last season.
Unlike their male counterparts, the women of the NWFA — which formed in 2001 with just 10 teams — aren’t playing for the seven-figure paydays and championship bonuses. Actually, they play for nothing.
Without big corporate sponsorships and a national television contract, teams don’t have the financial resources to pay their athletes. That could change down the road, as the league, now comprised of 30 teams, signed a five-year TV-rights broadcast deal with the new Football Network, and lined up its first major sponsor in the Essere Corp.
The limited budget also means players have to find their own transportation for road games. Team fundraisers usually cover lodging expenses. It’s a big difference from Brickhouse’s softball-playing days at Villanova, when the school covered all expenses, including hotels, transportation and food.
"I didn’t realize how great we had it," the former outfielder said.
Just as in football, the 1997 GAMP grad could do it all on the softball field, which included hitting .621 her senior year. Brickhouse, a Review Female Athlete of the Year, helped the Pioneers win the Silver Division title with an undefeated record.
She went on to play four seasons at Villanova, where she set single-season records for runs (53) and triples (eight), while graduating as the Wildcats’ career leader in stolen bases and runs scored. Brickhouse was also named to the All-Northeast Region and All-Big East Conference softball teams.
When she graduated from Villanova in 2000, it looked as if her competitive athletic days had come to an end. Then, last season, she made the Liberty Belles’ roster as a defensive back.
The athlete, who now lives in Overbrook, once again finds herself trying to balance a very busy schedule that includes law school, football games and practice, and a part-time job in Villanova’s athletic office. When most of her classmates are in the library studying for one of their exams, Brickhouse is often driving to Wissahickon High School for football practice.
"I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything," said the player, who is also looking for a summer legal internship.
As much as she enjoys playing in the league, Brickhouse admits the after-effects of opposing teams’ tackles can be rough.
"I wake up the next day and feel like I got hit by a truck," she said.
But she keeps coming back — and wishes more spectators would, as well.
"The hardest part is getting people to come out for the games," Brickhouse said. "Once they are there, they’ll be sold."
The Phoenix will close out the regular season with two more road games before opening the playoffs June 28. This could be Brickhouse’s last shot at the league championship, as she’ll graduate next May with the hopes of landing a paying position in the legal field.
"It’s a tough call," Brickhouse said. "I would love to play as long as I can."
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For more information about upcoming Philadelphia Phoenix games, visit the team Web site at www.philadelphiaphoenix.com.
