Community Education Sports

Parent accused Gig Harbor girls basketball coaches of drinking alcohol during team trip to Florida

Posted on February 25th, 2025 By: Vince Dice

Peninsula School District placed three Gig Harbor High School girls basketball coaches on administrative leave in January after a parent reported that they drank alcohol during a team trip to a tournament in Florida in December.

All three coaches admitted to consuming alcohol during the trip. But each said they were never intoxicated, did not drive after drinking and were unaware of district policy on conduct during sports trips.

Coaches remain on leave

Gig Harbor Now obtained documents pertaining to the district’s investigation through a public records request.

The investigative file included several letters in support of the coaches, including from other team parents, a former Gig Harbor coach, and a representative from a local select girls basketball team.

Two of the three coaches told Peninsula School District investigators that they believe the parent raised the concerns because she was upset over playing time for her daughter, a team member.

The Gig Harbor girls basketball team during a timeout at a game this season. Photo courtesy Gig Harbor basketball

The three coaches remain on administrative leave. The investigation turned up indications that the coaches may have violated the terms of the original administrative leave — both by discussing the matter with “someone other than your spouse, union representative or the investigator;” and by continuing to act “in your role as coach” after the suspension.

“As a result, no disciplinary decision, if any, regarding the primary investigation will be made until those reports are fully investigated,” according to a letter the district sent to the coaches.

The coaches hired attorney Amanda Searle to represent them in the case.

“This is an unfortunate instance of the district trying to set an example by disciplining three exemplary coaches in response to an anonymous letter sent by a parent one month after the trip who was upset with coaching decisions pertaining to their child,” Searle said in a statement to Gig Harbor Now. “The coaches plan to explore their legal options.”

When were they ‘on duty?’

The coaches — head coach Tim Olson, junior varsity coach James Bonnici and assistant coach Nicole Martin — said they didn’t believe they were “on duty” during every moment of the five-day Florida trip.

A Peninsula School District policy prohibits employees from “using, possession, (or) transmitting alcohol … in any amount, in any manner” while working. The policy says “working” includes “during any school-sponsored or school-approved activity, event or function, such as a field trip or athletic event, where students are under the jurisdiction of the district.”

Coaches indicated they were not clear on that point.

“I feel that if I was told or had a guideline or policy I would have never ordered a glass of wine,” Martin told a district administrator, according to the investigation documents. Martin admitted to having a single drink on the trip, which happened to coincide with her birthday. “I would never put this program or these girls in harms’ way. … I wish I was trained better or had a code of conduct for going on these trips.”

Olson, Bonnici and Martin work for Peninsula School District only as coaches, according to district spokesman Jacob Voss. They do not work for the district full time, and thus may have been less familiar with all district policies.

“The contracts signed by the three coaches did not include a requirement that they read or familiarize themselves with the district’s policies,” Searle said in her statement, “nor were they trained on the policies that they are now being accused of violating.”

Coaches admitted to some alcohol

District officials spoke with six players and all three coaches for the investigation.

Some of the players, in response to questions, reported seeing coaches consume alcohol during the trip — generally either with meals or after the team had returned to the hotel for the evening. It’s impossible to tell how many players witnessed this, because the district redacted minors’ names in accordance with state law.

Bonnici acknowledged having drinks at night, after the girls were at the hotel and he didn’t need to drive anymore. Asked directly if he drove after consuming alcohol, he said: “Absolutely not.”

Olson told the district investigator that: “If I was on duty for five straight days then yes, I am guilty (of having alcohol during the trip). At no time was I ever intoxicated.”

Complaint from a parent

A complaint from a parent of a player on the team apparently triggered the investigation.

The anonymous letter — signed “A GHHS Girls Basketball parent” — described several incidents in which her daughter saw coaches consuming alcohol.

Olson and other coaches told investigators the parent was unhappy with the coaches for not playing her daughter as much as the parent felt she deserved.

“I do believe that we have been targeted by a parent over playing time,” Olson told investigators. “If that is the case, it has been over several seasons and was well-documented over last season.”

The investigatory file included some of that documentation, in which an unnamed parent apologized for outbursts related to her daughter’s playing time.

One of the coaches indicated that the same parent was also involved in an incident where police were called to a Gig Harbor girls basketball game on Feb. 4.

Tides’ season already over

Because the district is investigating the new allegations — that the coaches violated the terms of their administrative leave — it has not decided whether they will return to coach the team next year.

The 2024-25 season is over. The Tides advanced to the District 3 tournament, thanks in part to winning their first three games under interim coach Dan Dizon.

Their season ended with a 35-34 district tournament loss to Auburn Mountainview on Feb. 19.