GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Jeriesha “Jay” Hodge '03 has a knack for carrying out her goals, even when she's committed to multiple endeavors. At Gettysburg College she was committed to earning her degree in four years, while also starring for the Bullets' basketball team. The same holds true a decade after she first stepped foot on campus as Hodge carries out dual careers as a passionate recreational therapist and an award-winning pro football player with the Independent Women's Football League's D.C. Divas.

It has been an interesting and life-altering decade for Hodge with its roots on the basketball court in the late 90s. The passion and sense of commitment that has helped drive the Silver Spring, Md., native can be traced back to her time on the court under the tutelage of her basketball coaches. At St. Vincent Pallotti High School it was Warren Crutchfield and at Gettysburg it was Mike Kirkpatrick. Both men helped Hodge realize the work and effort needed to accomplish goals.

“I always wanted more for myself. I just never knew what that meant exactly,” said Hodge. “My coaches had a big role and impact on me growing up. It started with Warren Crutchfield and continued with Coach K.”

“When I met Coach K,” she added, “he and I just had a real connection.”

“I was strict and fair with her and she responded to that, even if she didn't like it all the time,” said Mike Kirkpatrick, Gettysburg's all-time leader in victories.

Kirkpatrick pointed to an instance when Hodge was struggling with a math class and he sat her down and gave her two choices: call someone for help or don't play in the next game. Hodge made the call and eventually earned a good grade in the class.

“I think she learned about commitment,” stated Kirkpatrick about Hodge's time with the Orange and Blue. “She realized you just can't walk out there and expect to do things. You have to set little goals, reach those goals, and continue to add more goals.”

On the court, Hodge never missed a game during her four-year tenure and continued to set goals along the way. With the help of Coach Kirkpatrick, she learned ways to get better and became a more mature player and person.

“For me, it was about finding myself and who I wanted to be. It was also about finding what I wanted to contribute as a person overall and on the basketball court. I wanted more and I just didn't know how to get it. Coach K was very good with what I actually needed to do to get better.”

As a freshman, Hodge appeared in all 23 games and averaged more than five points and five rebounds per game. Her numbers grew every season and by her senior year, she was a major force in the Centennial Conference, earning first-team all-conference accolades after averaging a double-double and setting a school single-season record with 297 rebounds.

The collegiate awards and records were well-earned and deserved, but both Hodge and Kirkpatrick singled out finishing college in four years as her biggest accomplishment at Gettysburg.

Following graduation, Hodge continued to play basketball in recreational leagues, but there was something missing. Looking for a more competitive environment, Hodge heeded the advice of a friend and tried her hand at football, eventually making the roster of the IWFL's Connecticut Crush in 2006.

“One of my good friends at the time told me that she had found something new to fill the void from not playing basketball as much,” said Hodge. “So I went to their try outs and have been committed ever since.”

Both basketball and football are team games, but the skills used are vastly different. Hodge was a raw talent and had to adapt skills from basketball to her new position on the defensive line.

“The defensive end position and the center position/forward position that I played in basketball are somewhat similar,” noted Hodge. “For me, both sports require sprinting, awareness, timing, and out-thinking your opponent.”

During two years with the Crush and one year with the Boston Militia, Hodge honed her football skills. Her potential was fully realized in 2009 when she moved to D.C. and joined the Divas. She helped the team to an undefeated regular season (8-0) and a pair of postseason wins before a three-point loss to Kansas in the IWFL Championship.

Hodge finished second in the league in sacks with 11, in addition to totaling 30 tackles and two forced fumbles. She was named an IWFL All-Star and was tabbed the Divas' Defensive Line MVP and the Defensive MVP. Additionally, she was named the Defensive Player of the Year by the Pigskin Club of Washington, which only started recognizing female athletes in 2003.

“I would love for it to be as popular as men's football,” said Hodge about the future of women's football. “We need to get the profession in the public eye, get sponsorships, and let people know that we too are just as passionate and entertaining to watch.”

Women's professional football does not pay its players, so Hodge had to find a career to pay the bills. Unsure of the path she wanted to take following her time at Gettysburg, she spent some time searching for a career that would allow her to help people on a daily basis. She eventually came across some information on recreational therapy and just like that, she found her calling. She earned a master's degree from Southern Connecticut State University and she has settled in as a therapist at the Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute in Falls Church, Va.

“A recreational therapist's primary purpose of treatment is to restore, and rehabilitate individuals with illnesses and disabilities. We strive to improve health, promote independence, build self-esteem, and eliminate or reduce the effects of illness through positive recreational involvement.”

Hodge acknowledges it's not the most glamorous position in the world of therapy, but to her, it's the most rewarding because she gets to use her passion for sports to help others.

“I've always been involved with sports so being able to share those experiences with other people has really been a joy for me. I know that this profession is not as popular as some therapies. However, I've found that recreational therapy is extremely important when you talk about recovery.”

Despite the success of the last 10 years, Hodge has set loftier goals for herself and her dual careers. She wants to continue terrorizing opposing quarterbacks and lead the Divas to a title, and she wants to expand the field of recreational therapy and someday, start her own business. If the previous decade is any evidence, Hodge is well on her way to reaching her goals.