Johari Smith. It’s probably not a name you’re familiar with, but if you’re a Philadelphia Phillies fan, maybe Johari Rollins rings a bell. Yes, that’s right. She’s the new bride of Phils’ shortstop (they married in January) Jimmy Rollins, that is certainly not all she should be known for.
Besides being a Philadelphia native, the strikingly beautiful woman co-owns Balance Chestnut Hill where she trains and she's also a strength and conditioning trainer/track coach at Springside School in Philadelphia.
Beauty, brains and brawn – is there anything Johari can’t do?
Well, yes. If you ask her, cooking is not her forte, but it is a talent that her husband possesses.
”He’s a very good cook. We trade off. I try to cook during the season, then he cooks in the off-season. He’s definitely a better cook than I am."
And there’s a lot more about the couple that you don’t know. Luckily, we got to sit down with Johari and talk everything from earthquakes to fitness to the Flyers.
NBCPhiladelphia: What’s the biggest misconception about being married to a professional athlete?
Johari Rollins: All in all having people say that, you know, our lives are so easy. I mean, yes, we’re very fortunate that we’re in the position that we are, but, I still work…and I still have my life. And it gets difficult sometimes because I only see my husband for one week and the next, he’s gone. Not everything is always as smooth as people perceive it to be.
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NBCPhiladelphia: Yes, but now that Jimmy is on the DL, you get to see him a little more than usual. Are you secretly excited?
JR: This go round no, definitely not. It was such a bummer. It was awful the first time it happened too because he started the season off really well that first week and he had good momentum, then he was placed on the DL. The whole thing, it’s just really unfortunate.
NBCPhiladelphia: How is Jimmy? Are his spirits up?
JR: Yes. I tell people all the time, he’s very even-tempered. He’s very even-keeled about everything. He’s bummed, of course, but there’s nothing he could do, so you’ve gotta take it in stride. And unfortunately, with that type of injury, a sprain, you just have to be patient, go to all the rehab and really let it heal.
NBCPhiladelphia: How involved are you with your husband’s fitness routine?
JR: I wish I could say that I had a hand in helping him be fit, but it’s very minimal. He has his own routine, he goes to the field, has his trainers there and everything. In the off-season, I try to get him to run because that’s what I like to do – run and stay in shape. During the season, it’s all him and the Phillies.
NBCPhiladelphia: Speaking of fitness, what one tip you can give to women who want to get their bodies beach ready?
JR: Don’t wait! Stop procrastinating and just start doing it. Start small if you haven’t worked out in a while. Do whatever you can – 20 minutes a day. There’s no excuse, start now.
NBCPhiladelphia: Beyond baseball, beyond owning a gym, what do you see for the future?
JR: Well, we’re newlyweds, we’re still in our marital bliss and enjoying it, but in a couple years, whenever that is – God willing – we’d like to have a pretty big family, three kids.
Jimmy’s got one more year after next year then he’ll be a free agent, so it’s kind of up-in-the-air what will happen.
Right now, just hoping that the success of the business will continue and just being supportive of Jimmy and a family in out future.
NBCPhiladelphia: You mentioned that you’re still in the “honeymoon phase,” but we know you experienced something very stressful the week of your wedding, what happened?
JR: Well, we got to the Caymans on a Monday and an earthquake hit Tuesday. I don’t know what it was, maybe 5.8 or something. We definitely felt it. Jimmy, being from the West Coast, was like “Get out, we’ve got to get out of this hotel.” It was scary. My number one concern was making sure everyone was safe.
(Thankfully, everyone was safe and the wedding, that following Saturday went off without a hitch.)
NBCPhiladelphia: You’re getting ready to host the 10! Show with Bill Henley on June 1, that’s got to be pretty scary too, are you nervous?
JR: You know what? I am. This is something I’ve never done before. But it was a great opportunity, one that I couldn’t pass up, so I’m excited.
NBCPhiladelphia: You’ll be hosting the show during the Flyers’ Stanley Cup run, so, there’s no doubt you’ll be talking hockey. What advice, having been with Jimmy when the Phils’ became World Champs in ’08, do you have for the Flyers wives?
JR: Get some sleep! And be supportive of their husbands.
I remember it like it was yesterday. Some of the women wouldn’t even eat, couldn’t sleep. I was a mess emotionally because you just want them to win so badly. Just be supportive, do whatever you can, take it in stride and breath.
Want to learn more about Johari Rollins? Watch her recent stint as co-host of the 10! Show.
