MCBAIN - New CMU men’s basketball coach Andy Bronkema has some fond memories of his time with the Ramblers, winning a class C state championship in 2002 under hall of fame coach Bruce Koopman. Bronkema was named on the Class C first team and led all scorers in the state championship game with 21 points. Coach Koopman is a Chippewa graduate has been leading the Ramblers for 31 years, racking up 800 wins between the McBain girls’ and boys’ basketball team. Coach Koopman shared his reaction to coach Bronks getting the CMU job and what the relationship between the two of them is like.
“To be honest I was kind of shocked, I got a text from someone close to me who’s been on my bench over the years, and he texted me and immediately I call him (Bronkema), and he’s like it’s true. It’s great, you know I’m a former Chippewa, so it was great to see a former player go back there and can maybe turn it around and develop a little tradition there again.” said Koopman.
“He still tries to attend a game or two, every year we get down to his Ferris camps with our team, we’ll probably do the same thing, you know probably hit a CMU team camp and we stay in touch, we text periodically, so it’s a great relationship.”
Coach Bronkema reflected on his time at McBain and what coach Koopman has meant to him.
“He had a big part in my life and somebody that I looked up to and somebody that I wanted to be like, you know. I wanted to be a teacher and a coach, that’s what I went to school for. Some different doors opened up and a different path, it’s been great.” said Bronkema.
Talking about coach, he is a legend, he’s a Hall of Famer and for all of us McBain alum that played for him, we you know, I don’t want to give his play calls out here on the interview, but we could still call the plays, and we know, the system, we’re proud to have played in in his system.”
Coach Bronkema is still looking to build his roster at CMU for the upcoming season.