Libertyville's Hollingsworth plays through the pain

When the soccer season started, Marshall Hollingsworth was suffering pain in his heel.

It would have been easy for the Libertyville junior midfielder to sit out and let the injury get better over time. But Hollingsworth wasn't about to do that. He played through the pain.

Then he finally yielded to the nagging pain and was shut down for a while.

That's when he realized how much his teammates looked up to him as a leader on the field.

Libertyville got off to a hot start, winning its first 12 and going unbeaten through its first 14 matches, and never cooled off. The Wildcats' success was due, in large part, to Hollingsworth, who is the captain of the Daily Herald's Lake County All-Area team.

“I hate to watch and needed to get back,” said Hollingsworth, who has 3 goals and 4 assists. “I'm very passionate about soccer. I never want to sit. I'd rather run than sit out.”

Hollingsworth recovered from the injury after several games. He got back right where the Wildcats wanted him to be in the midfield.

“Everybody wants to play like him,” said Libertyville coach Andy Bitta, whose 18-3-2 Wildcats will play in Saturday's 11 a.m. Class 3A sectional final on their home field. “He works hard out there and sets a great example for others.”

Hollingsworth isn't the biggest of players. He's 5 feet 7 and 130 pounds, but played bigger.

“He was very powerful, like cowboy strength,” Bitta said. “He worked hard in the weight room in the off-season. He's a player that gives 110 percent all game long. You can compare him to a point guard in basketball in that he has great vision.”

Just before games, you can you find Hollingsworth showing his leadership by talking to his teammates and encouraging them.

“He gets everybody pumped up for each game,” Wildcats defender Sam Kaplan said. “He'll get in the team huddle and go, “1, 2, 3, Cats,” and give the team a motivational speech to get us going.”

Hollingsworth started playing soccer when he was 4 and moved into travel by the age of 8.

Last year, Hollingsworth was on the Fire Developmental Team and will play on the U-18 Academy squad this year.

He gets his leadership qualities from his parents, Mark and Michelle.

“My mom taught me a lot about leadership,” Hollingsworth said. “She believes that I have a God-given talent for leadership and that I don't use it enough. She has been talking to me about it for a few years.

“My dad pushes me a lot to make me do better, but the best thing is that he gives me confidence.”

Hollingsworth strives to always play his every minute of every game.

“I'm hard on myself,” Hollingsworth said.