The subject was Marist’s opening day of practice for the 2025 softball season.

Ellie Holmstrom’s eyes were sparkling as she talked about the emotions she had being on the field for the first time since the summer of 2023.

“I was pumped, very pumped,” Holmstrom said. “Honestly, I didn’t have any nerves going through me, no chills, but I was super excited to be on the field again with my best friends and playing my favorite sport.”

Senior teammate Gabi Novickas, a Georgia recruit, drew the picture even prettier.

“Oh, my goodness, Ellie was just a bundle of joy,” Novickas said. “I mean, you couldn’t wipe the smile off her face that day. Not being able to be a leader on the field last season was tough for her.

“But she sure is going to be one for us this season.”

It’s been a long, tough road back for the junior second baseman/outfielder.

In June 2023, Holmstrom was on top of the world as a freshman starter for the Class 4A state champion RedHawks. She was a major contributor, playing in 34 games and posting a .337 batting average with six doubles and 15 RBIs.She most definitely made good on the faith of Marist coach Colleen Phelan in bringing her up to the varsity.

“I’ll never forget … we were having a second base tryout because we needed one,” Phelan said, smiling. “She looked great in the outfield and she looked great at third. But then I was like, ‘Ellie, go to second.’

“During the tryout, she made this play turning two, where she caught the ball bare-handed and threw the ball across the diamond off-balance on one leg. I was like, ‘There’s our answer. That’s an athlete.'”

The electricity carried over into the regular season as Holmstrom helped carry the RedHawks to the conference title. In Marist’s state semifinal win over Barrington, Holmstrom went 1-for-2 and scored a run.

“Even though she was just a freshman, she made a huge impact on the field,” Novickas said of Holmstrom. “She was just important to our culture, a great person to be around. And she came up clutch at the plate a few times.”

It was supposed to be the beginning of a four-year varsity career. But Holmstrom, a multisport athlete, never got a chance to play her sophomore season.

Her world was turned upside during the 2023-24 basketball season, when she suffered an ACL tear in her left knee.

Holmstrom’s eyes reflected a much different emotion when telling that story.

“It was at Loyola Academy,” Holmstrom said. “It was a very intense game because we had lost to them earlier in the season. It was close to halftime, and on a fast break, I went to guard a girl and changed direction.”

Unfortunately, her left knee didn’t get the message.

“I went down,” Holmstrom said. “I knew immediately what had happened. I started crying because I knew I’d be out for softball season and that we were coming back from a state championship.

“That was devastating. And then, I was also on the edge about playing basketball the next year and I knew it would be my last time playing basketball.”

Holmstrom was a cheerleader and supporter on the bench for the softball team last spring that finished second in the state. This winter, she served as the manager for the basketball team that advanced to a supersectional.

Needless to say, she missed out on a lot. And rehab wasn’t easy, either.

“It was very hard,” Holmstrom said. “I mean, it’s super hard to get muscle back. Mentally, it’s super hard watching somebody else play the game that you’ve grown up to love your entire life.

“It was definitely draining.”

Watching freshman Mary Fortner replace her at second base and do an admirable job could have added to the pain but it didn’t. She was proud of her.

“Mary did a very nice job,” Holmstrom said. “Coming in as a freshman is tough. And there were five of them, and I wouldn’t have been able to guess they were freshmen if I didn’t know.”

This season, Fortner will be shifting from second base to shortstop. Holmstrom will be sharing positions with freshman Maddie Rogers at second base and right field.

“Playing middle infield and outfield and being able to run everywhere, I’m excited about that,” Holmstrom said. “But it’s all about the team. Some of these girls have made me love the sport.

“I know they’ll have my back.”

Tony Baranek is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.