Community Health & Wellness Police & Fire Sports

Sports safety agency suspends former coach at Gig Harbor gymnastics facility

The U.S. Center for SafeSport suspended a former coach at a Gig Harbor gymnastics facility for two years, citing inappropriate conduct, emotional misconduct and physical misconduct.

The organizations suspended Andrew Michael Smith, listed as a resident of Dupont and a former coach at NASA Gymnastics in Gig Harbor, on Sept. 6. It will remain in effect through the same date in 2025.

NASA owner Linda Smith said Andrew Smith has not worked at the gym for almost two years.

The suspension is posted on the websites of SafeSport and USA Gymnastics. The USA Gymnastics post indicates Smith is “suspended from all contact,” preventing him from coaching for the duration of the suspension. 

The Center for SafeSport is a nonprofit, authorized by federal legislation in 2017, dedicated to “ending sexual, physical and emotional abuse on behalf of athletes.”

No criminal charges 

The center suspended Smith, 31, for his conduct with a teen gymnast. They gymnast petitioned for and received a protection order against the coach in 2022.

The gymnast and her family reported the behavior to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office. A detective from the office took a report and forwarded it to the county prosecutor’s office. Prosecutors decided it contained insufficient evidence to prove a crime.

Smith did not attend a Pierce County Superior Court hearing to contest the information in the protection order.

Linda Smith, also Andrew Smith’s mother, largely declined comment on the matter, citing privacy concerns. 

“It’s been dealt with,” she said. “Procedures were followed and we’re a thriving business in our community and offer a safe environment and a good product.”

Allegations 

USA Gymnastics and SafeSport do not discuss the details of disciplinary actions taken against coaches and other figures. However, Gig Harbor Now obtained a copy of the protection order request filed by the teenage gymnast. 

According to the gymnast’s statement, the coach: 

• Inappropriately touched the gymnast during workouts 
• Tattooed the protected party’s first initial on the inside of his lip and on his leg, and said he planned to spell out the entire name. 
• Texted and Facetimed the gymnast to discuss matters unrelated to the sport, including his personal life. The teen said he asked her not to tell her parents about these conversations. 
• Was physically and verbally aggressive and swore at her, including cursing and name-calling. 
• Asked her to attempt gymnastics maneuvers for which she was not qualified. 
• Hugged her, “danced” with her during workouts and kissed her on the forehead. He routinely told the gymnast to record portions of their workouts to review her performance, but told her to delete the videos where he acted inappropriately. 
• Joked about them being a couple and called the gymnast his “bae.” On one occasion, the coach asked the gymnast to lie down next to him at practice and put his arm around her. 
• When she left the Gig Harbor gym and began attending another, he applied for employment there. 

The gymnast wrote in her statement that Smith’s actions caused her to become too scared to go to the gym and lose her passion for the sport.