Love and Basketball. The 2000 movie follows a girl and boy who grow up together and fall in love through basketball. 

Fast forward to 2011 where “love and basketball” follows a boy and a girl who meet at Shores, get engaged on a basketball court and remain in love as coaches for the Sailors.

It all began in 2005 when first-year science teacher Sarah Doane and Nick Bronsema, who was a substitute teacher, met through Nick’s sister Stacy, who was an assistant coach with the girls’ varsity team while Sarah was assisting with the JV team.

“I was living at home, substitute teaching, and at the age of 26, pretty much a bit embarrassed about my life up to that point,” said Nick, who played basketball as a Sailor in his high school career. “Stacy came home almost every night for a month straight telling me I needed to meet this girl. My response was always negative.”

Nick finally came around and went to a JV girls’ basketball game to catch a glance at this new teacher.

“Turns out, she had conferences that night, so I was at this game where I knew zero players, and she wasn’t even there,” said Nick, who was coaching at the middle school  said. “Then, she walked in, and she immediately caught my eye.”

Nick caught Sarah’s eye when she walked through one of his practices.

“The word on the street was that she wrote an email to my sister that only at the end said maybe your brother and I should meet,” Nick said. “We went out to eat, and the rest is history.”

They continued to date for about two years, and to both of them, everyday felt as if it were the first day they met each other. Shortly before Thanksgiving of 2007, Nick popped the big question.

“The hardest part was sitting down with her father to ask him if it was okay,” Nick said. “Let’s just say he made sure my intentions were good.”

One Saturday, Nick told Sarah he needed to go to the middle school to pick up something. He then called and asked Sarah if she would bring him his keys. 

When she arrived at the school, Nick took Sarah to the gym to “pick up some shoes that someone left.”

“We walked into the dark gym, and Nick said the lights are over here, so I followed him,” said Sarah, who played as a Grand Haven Buccaneer during her high school career. “When we got to the light switch, there was a tiny little box on the floor that had a light inside it.  He picked up the ring box and said, ‘Maybe we can use this to see.’ Inside was the engagement ring.”

Ecstatic and surprised, Sarah said yes. A year later on Dec. 6, 2008, they tied the knot.

For the past six years, Nick and Sarah have been coaching at Shores.

“Our lives from November to early March are completely controlled by basketball,” Sarah said. “Most of our talk, when we do see each other in the early morning or late night, is about basketball.”

As a new husband, Nick said he is still learning his role in the relationship.
 
“My thought is that if she is coaching, ‘Why can’t I stay an hour, hour and a half after practice to work with the guys?’ When I get home, it’s the same thing said, ‘Practice was over an hour ago.’ You would think that I would learn. Men are slow learners,” Nick said jokingly.

Together, the two said they support each other by exchanging ideas about the other’s team.

“Right now, the varsity is experiencing some adversity, and as much as I try not to, I think about basketball all day long,” said Nick, whose team has struggled to a 2-8 record. “My wife has been a wonderful support system and makes sure I know I am the best person to lead these wonderful men.”

Although both support each other on and off the court, the only time the couple ever spends time together is the weekend because they are always in the gym.

“It’s something we have gotten used to. At first, it was tough, but it’s like a sacrifice because we both like coaching and are willing to make that sacrifice,” Sarah said.  “It would be totally different if one coached and the other didn’t.  It would be very hard because basketball isn’t just a few months long; it’s all year round.”

However, the absence of one another is not a problem for the coaches.
“We both have a desire to make a difference and as they say, ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder,’” Nick said. “I figure the less she sees me, the less she will be able to figure out my quirks.” 

Although both coaches are busy, they still find time to relax, spend with one another, and continue their lives off the court.

“Kids will hopefully be in the very near future, and as of now, neither of us plan on changing what we do (as far as coaching goes)” Sarah said. “Our kids will be raised in the gyms of Mona Shores.”