Swart thrives at short
After 2 injury-riddled years, junior shortstop experiences Kankakee Valley’s success for herself in her first season
Jilly Swart finally is experiencing Kankakee Valley’s rich tradition firsthand.
Not watching from the stands as the younger sister of one of the Kougars’ stars.
And especially, after two long years that included surgery on her left ankle, not on the bench as a scorekeeper on GameChanger.
The junior shortstop is a key cog for the Kougars, who have won their second straight regional championship.
Kankakee Valley (11-13) played Leo (27-2) in the semifinals of the Class 3A Twin Lakes Semistate at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
Swart was sidelined with her injury for the first of those regional titles. Her freshman season, when she also had been projected to start, was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
So Swart is savoring this season — and its successes.
“It’s been awesome,” she said. “I never really got to do this from my point of view.
“We all work together well. There’s lots of teamwork, and it’s been a lot of fun.”
Missing each of her first two seasons was anything but fun for Swart, whose eldest sister Maddie, a 2019 graduate, was a central player when the Kougars reached the 3A state championship game in both 2016 and 2017.
Kankakee Valley coach Amanda Suarez said she was “excited” when each of Jilly Swart’s first two seasons “rolled around” and was again for Swart’s third season. Suarez joked, “The third time’s the charm.”
“We knew her playing abilities early on,” Suarez said. “She grew up watching KV softball, watching her sister play. She’s watched KV softball grow.
“She’s just a fun kid to be around. She has a lot of personality. We’ve just enjoyed having her back on the field and watching her growth throughout the season. Her confidence has really grown, and that’s been huge for us.”
Swart suffered her ankle injury in fall 2020 while attending a soccer game for middle sister Lexi, a 2021 Kankakee Valley graduate. She said she jumped off the front row of the bleachers to get a drink and “twisted it funny.”
Swart went to the emergency room. After further evaluations, doctors couldn’t find anything, and she said she was told “nothing was wrong.” Eventually, she was told she had an osteochondritis dissecans lesion and that a piece of the bottom of her tibia broke off and was “floating around,” she said.
Swart had surgery in January 2021 and wasn’t cleared to resume playing until the beginning of this school year.
“It was like a yearlong thing,” she said. “It sucked.”
As she was rehabilitating her ankle, Swart also went for physical therapy on her back for three months, focusing on strengthening her core.
“It was like full-body therapy,” she said. Even after the ankle surgery she experienced shooting pain up her leg and in her knee. After diagnostics on her knee and back, it was discovered her back was misaligned.
“I think I had it my whole life,” Swart said. “My back always hurt, but I didn’t really think anything of it. They started putting stuff together, and it was like, ‘Oh!’ ”
Swart said her back feels good. Her ankle still gets sore after games, and doctors told her it likely won’t ever be 100%.
But it hasn’t prevented her from hitting .300 with three homers, 14 RBIs and 14 runs scored this season.
“She’s done really well for us defensively throughout the year, and she’s been consistent offensively,” Suarez said. “She’s really just been a big part of our defense and our offense.”
Swart said she started off slowly this season but has gotten into more of a groove as it has progressed.
“I hadn’t played in two years, so it was a big adjustment,” she said.
Last season Swart adjusted to being part supporter, part coach, part practice catcher and part scorekeeper.
Suarez praised her dedication.
“It was a hard year for her, but she was part of the team,” Suarez said. “She showed up every day even though she knew she was never going to put a uniform on. That speaks volumes about her.”
It was challenging for Swart at times.
“It was hard on me,” she said. “It was hard watching everyone else play and not being a part of it. It’s been great this year, just being able to play.”
Swart has her longawaited opportunity.
She fondly recalled watching Maddie, who left as the program’s single-season and career hits leader, catching and batting second in the 2016 and 2017 state championship games. As a senior Maddie Swart was a second-team all-state and North All-Star selection at shortstop. She spent two seasons at Purdue Fort Wayne, making secondteam all-conference in 2021, before transferring and playing at Eastern Illinois this season.
Jilly Swart hopes a third trip to the state final is on the horizon for the Kougars after they reached a semistate final last season. Leo is ranked No. 6 in the state coaches poll.
“We’re going to have to bring our ‘A’ game,” Suarez said. “I don’t think it’s a secret that we are not favored to win that game based on our record. But we told the girls, ‘Your record means absolutely nothing in the postseason, and anything can happen.’
“We told them, ‘You don’t have to be better than them every day. You just have to be better than them on Saturday.’ That’s what we’re going with.
“We’re going to have fun, play hard and try to get a win.”