Ryan and Marlie Steele

 

 By Liz Tennent

For Salisbury Post

SALISBURY – Sports has an amazing way of bringing people together, even when they’re not expecting it.

After nearly 25 years, two families have discovered a special connection thanks to two girls, free throws and family traditions of basketball talent.

Mark “Moose” Misenheimer’s daughter, Hadley, and Ryan Steele’s daughter, Marlie, have won local, district and state Hoops Shoot championships — Hadley in the 8-9 division and Marlie in the 10-11 division.

The dads met each other for the first time at the district competition in Winston-Salem. They struck up a conversation and shared a little about themselves including their love for sports.

Steele was an all-sport athlete at West Montgomery High School (which has combined with East Montgomery into Montgomery Central). He started playing basketball at age 4 at the YMCA, played through high school then went on to play for Pfeiffer University from 2000-2004. He coached varsity girls basketball in Albemarle from 2004-2006.

 “It’s easier to play the game, but it’s more rewarding to coach the game,” Steele said.

The Misenheimer name is well known in Rowan County. Mark competed in three sports — football, basketball and baseball — at East Rowan High School from 1997-2001. His younger brother, Kurt, was a four-year varsity player for the Mustangs in the mid 2000s and was part of some of the finest teams in school history. He is among the school’s all-time top 25 scorers and went on to serve as head boys basketball coach at East. He’s now a Carson assistant coach.

But it was Mark’s sister, Brooke (Misenheimer Stouder), who is the key connection between the families. She was an outstanding three-sport athlete at East Rowan and went on to play basketball at Pfeiffer. In 2006, she was hired as the first girls varsity basketball coach at Jesse Carson High School. Her 263 wins in 17 seasons rank second all-time for Rowan County girls coaches. In 2021, the Cougars overcame many challenges, including COVID, to win the school’s first NCHSAA 3A state championship. They defeated Asheboro 51-40 in the championship game to finish a 19-0 season. Stouder retired in 2023.

But where was Brooke between 2000 and 2004?

As the dads continued to talk, Mark mentioned that his sister had been head basketball coach at Carson.

Ryan, a little shocked, replied, “Who, Brooke? She’s your sister?”

Mark grinned and nodded with a yes. It was the same Brooke that Ryan knew at Pfeiffer when both played ball for the Falcons.

The dads shared a laugh and discovered they lived within two miles of each other. It was a special moment between two fathers.

Meanwhile, Marlie and Hadley continued shooting hoops unaware of the family connection. But their dads will share the story, and they’ll make more connections. Perhaps, one day, Hadley and Marlie see their names etched on championship trophies and in the Rowan County records.

Sports does have an amazing way of bringing people together, from one generation to the next.