Junior Maja Zivojnovic and sophomore Ilse Tromp have basically played field hockey together for as long as they can remember. Both growing up in the Netherlands, Tromp followed Zivojnovic to Northwestern where they’ve each had very different experiences: Tromp is tied for the second-most goals scored on the No. 1 team in the country, while Zivojnovic recently returned from her second torn ACL in two years.
Zivojnovic and Tromp joined this week’s episode of NUFH Said to chat about growing up playing in the Netherlands, their journeys to Northwestern and Zivojnovic’s long road back from two crushing injuries.
Below is an excerpt from the conversation, edited and condensed for clarity and brevity. For the full interview, check out this week’s episode on Spotify or Apple.
Eric Rynston-Lobel: When did you both first cross paths playing?
Maja Zivojnovic: I think we were probably 8 years old maybe. Ever since that first year, we played together, so that was like eight, nine years at home, played together every single year. Got to know each other really well, had some really fun teammates along the way.
Ilse Tromp: Maja went one year earlier (to Northwestern). That was the only year since we were 10 that we didn’t play together, so kind of sad, but now we’re back together.
Rynston-Lobel: Ilse, how did Maja going to Northwestern make it an easy decision for you to come?
Tromp: When Maja came back for winter break her freshman year, I saw her and we just talked. I was basically saying like, ‘I don’t know what to do next year.’ Then Maja was like, maybe I can talk to (assistant coach) Will (Byrne). It was actually really funny because that Saturday I played in a game against other teams, and then Will was in the Netherlands too, and he was actually coming to watch the game the next day for another Dutch girl who wanted to come to the United States, and I played against her. So Maja came to the game to watch us play, our old team, and Will was there, and during the game, Will was just watching the game, and Maja talked to Will, and then after the game, I talked to Will for a bit, and we had some meetings and then I was like, ‘Whoa, it sounds really fun. Let’s go.’
I was like, I feel like it’s meant to be. I should go.
Rynston-Lobel: Maja, it’s been a challenging road for you. You suffered an ACL injury your freshman year, then again your sophomore year. You just came back from the most recent injury. What was that journey like for you and how gratifying was it to be back on the field finally?
From the Netherlands to NU: Maja & Ilse’s journey is up on #NUFHSaid! Listen here ??
Spotify: https://t.co/hh58ILgFIE
Apple: https://t.co/MnvVskiNlG pic.twitter.com/LwrTGa2XnC
— Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) October 30, 2024
Zivojnovic: The second time around was a lot harder mentally to accept it. The first time was pretty easy to just be like, ‘it is what it is.’ Second time around, especially the first month, was just really, really challenging to accept that it happened and accept that I was going to have to go through all of that again. I had some complications early on; I had to get a couple other surgeries, so it was definitely a little rougher at the start, but I do think, having gone through it before, I knew what was coming. I knew what I had to focus on. I’d matured a lot in that first year, the first time around during recovery.
I always say everything happens for a reason. Second time around it was definitely harder to see that and realize what that reason was, but it all turned out to be fine. It’s really exciting to be back now, and I’m just really excited to be back on the field. I’m really grateful for every minute I get. I think that’s one thing you really realize when you have an injury like that where you’re not allowed to play or can’t really do anything at all, it just made me really grateful to get to play the sport I love with so many girls that I love. These past two weeks have been really exciting.
