Sometimes, as the saying goes, love truly knows no boundaries—both figuratively and literally. Volleyball player Vasya Poylov of Maccabi Tel Aviv and basketball player Alex Cohen of Maccabi Ramat Gan have experienced this firsthand, and they don’t regret it for a second.
Poylov (31) was born in Glazov, in western Russia, while Cohen (31) hails from Wisconsin. Neither ever imagined they would meet their better half in Israel, of all places. But, as if straight out of a movie, it happened in the most unexpected way—not through their professional sports careers, but through a dating app.
“It’s actually pretty funny,” says Poylov with a smile, who entered the relationship as a father of three from his first marriage. “Neither of us had much free time back then. Practices, games—it’s hard to go out every day. And with three kids, it was even more complicated. So, using an app was actually pretty helpful.” Cohen agrees: “We’re both athletes, so we quickly started talking about that—how hard it is to go out. It came up early in our conversations, and that’s something that really connected us.”
Two professional athletes under one roof—Isn’t it hard?
Cohen: “In athlete terms, it’s actually a blessing for us, especially since we don’t play the same sport. I come home, and he doesn’t give me feedback about my game or why I didn’t do a pick-and-roll. I learn about volleyball, and he learns about basketball. There’s no tension. The fact that we’re both athletes helps us understand each other on a deeper level—how our minds work. Athletes function a bit differently, and that’s good for our relationship.”
Poylov: “I’ve always worked a second job at an advertising agency, and it’s an advantage having someone who understands me. She gets what practice means, what a game means, and why it’s important to go to bed early or eat healthy.”
From Israel to the US
In 2021, the couple moved in together, and on October 7, they flew to Milwaukee to be with Alex’s family. In the near future, they plan to pack up the kids and move to the US permanently. “It wasn’t easy for my family to understand when I said I was making this decision,” admits Poylov. “But that’s exactly what my family did when they emigrated from Russia to Israel—it was for the kids. And what we’re doing now is also for the kids, for their future. It wasn’t simple, but they’ve seen how happy the kids are and how much they love Alex, so they’re satisfied.”
Cohen: “For me, it’s fun to be close to my family again, but really close this time. I played in Israel for a decade—I’m still with Maccabi Ramat Gan—but the time came when we had to make a decision.”
Until two months ago, they were still in the US, but then Vasya received an offer from Maccabi Tel Aviv, and Alex got one from Maccabi Ramat Gan, so they returned to Israel. “We were debating whether to stay or leave and couldn’t decide. But then the kids started attending a Jewish school here, and we realized they had already adapted. That helped us decide that after this season, we’ll move to the US,” explains Cohen.
Poylov: “We’re in our 30s, and we want to move on to the next phase of our lives.”
Cohen: “I always thought they’d have to drag me off the court to get me to retire—it’s been such a significant part of my life. I had the opportunity to play for Israel’s national team for several years and to compete in the Premier League.”
For the joint photo shoot, Cohen and Poylov arrived with Vasya’s children—Sophia (8), Arthur (7), and Alexa (5)—who see Alex as a mother in every sense of the word.
“It wasn’t in my plans to become a mother of three at 28,” Cohen admits, “but as soon as Vasya became part of my life, so did his kids—they were love at first sight for me. I formed a strong bond with them early on, and it’s a joy to raise them. But it was easy because he’s an amazing father. I’ve always wanted a big family, so it worked out perfectly.”
Vasya, how did the kids react to Alex at first?
“The first time they met her was after a game where I got hit in the head with a ball and had a suspected concussion. She was in the stands, and the kids didn’t know her yet. But after the game, we went home, and she saw I was in bad shape and said, ‘I’m not leaving you like this.’ The kids welcomed her with smiles, and the youngest immediately connected with her. She didn’t call her Alex; she started calling her ‘Mommy.’ Within a month, the other two asked if they could call her ‘Mom.’ I told them they could if that’s how they felt. We’ve reached a point where she’s their mom in every way.”
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Are there already plans for future athletes in the family?
Poylov: “The kids love sports. In the US, they’ve tried just about every sport—soccer, basketball, volleyball, baseball. Because of us, they didn’t really have much choice; it’s in their DNA.”
Cohen: “It’s fun to see them trying out different sports, not just basketball or volleyball. When one of them wanted to play baseball, it was exciting because that’s a sport neither Vasya nor I ever played. Now we’re the ones cheering them on from the stands. It’s awesome.”