Pellus sisters teaming up at Hoffman

Being able to play second base for Hoffman Estates' softball team brings a smile to Jenna Pellus' face for more than one reason.

First of all, after suffering an ACL injury last spring and undergoing surgery, the senior was worried about playing at all this spring.

"Jenna was absolutely devastated when she tore it sliding at the St. Charles tournament last April," said her father Joe, "because all she could think about was not being able to play her senior year."

Second, she is getting to play with her sister Kelsey, a freshman who not only made the varsity but is the starting catcher.

And third, she knows her father is having the time of his life getting to watch his daughters play for the same school where he was an all-conference baseball player in 1981.

"My wife (Denise, also a Hoffman grad) and I are thrilled to come out and see them playing together," Joe said. "It's just overwhelming to see them both out on the field playing."

Jenna is out on the field with a noticeable hobble in her right leg from the knee surgery.

"She hobbles and has a little pain at times, but she loves the game," Joe said. "She just loves being out there with the girls. She loves Lindsey (head coach Hamma) and she loves Karin (Beaumont, assistant coach). She's in a lot of pain but she loves the game."

"It's painful at times," said Jenna, who also played volleyball as a freshman. "I try to make it look like there is nothing wrong."

From watching her hustle, you'd never know Jenna was nursing a knee injury. She made two diving stops up the middle in a 1-0 win over Conant last week.

She also was 2-for-3 and doubled home her team's only run.

"Jenna does a great job for what she is capable of doing with her knee," Hamma said. "She got voted our single captain this year. She was a unanimous selection. She's just a great all-around kid."

Obviously, Kelsey loves having her older sister on the team.

"She really makes me more confident on the field," said Kelsey, who also played on Hoffman's freshman "A" basketball and volleyball teams this school year. "I was hoping so much to be able to make the team and play with her this season."

Hamma didn't have a difficult decision.

"Kelsey has quite a bit of talent," said Hamma, a former standout shortstop for Buffalo Grove and the University of Illinois. "She will only continue to grow and learn from our older girls.

"Kelsey really pushes herself to get better and she'll go the extra mile. It's really tough for a freshman to step up in that position (catcher)."

She had a good mentor right in own house.

Joe played the position for two years as a sophomore and junior for coach Ken Johnson's Hoffman varsity baseball team.

Then, he suffered a similar fate as his daughter Jenna.

Heading into his senior year, he underwent ACL surgery at Northwest Community Hospital.

He wound up switching to left field his senior year and was an all-conference pick.

Just like his daughters, Joe also attended Armstrong Elementary School and Eisenhower Junior High in Hoffman Estates.

"It's unbelievable how we've gone to all the same schools," Joe said. "Especially when I go to a teacher's conference and I'm talking to the same teachers that I had when I was in school. It's funny."

It's also a special spring for Joe and Denise Pellus.

"For our daughters' first game, I brought the video camera," he said. "At one point, Kelsey was standing in the batter's box and Jenna was on deck and I was able get them both in the same shot. It was so cool.

"The girls made fun of me when I took the videos. But I told them 20 years down the road, they'll say 'Oh dad, that was so neat.'"

The sisters, though, will say it's neat playing together this spring.

"I'm very lucky to have this chance to play with Kelsey," said Jenna, who plans to major in math at Illinois and would love to coach one day. "I'm very proud of her. I really look up to her. She has a calming effect out there. I love everything about the way she plays the game."

Kelsey is obviously just as proud of her older sister and the way she is playing through her knee ailment.

"She fights more than anyone," Kelsey said. "She's amazing. She's still hurting but she is pulling through."

Both girls say they wouldn't be where they are if not for their father.

"My dad taught me everything," Kelsey said. "Catching was his position."

"He works with us every day," Jenna said. "He's a big part of all of this."

And it's a big deal for Joe.

"It was unbelievable when Denise and I found out Lindsey (Hamma) was going to bring Kelsey up to the varsity," Joe said. "The girls are truly best friends. They do things together on and off the field.

"Jenna has paved the way for Kelsey and has made it a lot easier for her to play on the varsity team."