Community Sports

Peninsula High boys basketball coach Robles steps down

Matt Robles, the head boys basketball coach at Peninsula High School since 2016, resigned the position on Friday.

Robles was a head coach from California who was hired to build on the success of former Peninsula coach Jake Jackson. Jackson departed to take the coaching job at his alma mater, Sumner High, in 2016.

Jackson had established a successful basketball tradition at Peninsula, including three straight playoff appearances, culminating in a 21-4 record in the 2015-16 season. Jackson handed over an up-and-coming program, one he had quickly built into the sixth-ranked Class 3A team in the state.

Robles, a marketing teacher at Peninsula, took over the Seahawks in the 2016-17 season with high expectations. In his six years, Robles guided the Seahawks to a winning season once, when the Seahawks went 14-9 in 2017-18. He departs with an overall head coaching record of 49-70 at Peninsula and a 69-119 record overall.

“I recently made the difficult decision to step away from coaching basketball at Peninsula High School,” Robles said in a statement when contacted for this story. “I am proud of what we have accomplished over the last six years. Even though this choice was hard I am looking forward to the new challenges ahead. To all the players that have played for me over the last six years, I want to say thank you for all your hard work, dedication and pride you had in wearing the Peninsula High School jersey.”

PHS athletic director Ross Filkins was unavailable over the weekend for comment.

As previously mentioned, it wasn’t that long ago that the Seahawks’ basketball program was ranked in the top 10 in the state. Fortunes can turn quickly, as Peninsula has proven to have plenty of talented, good sized athletes on campus.

Evidence points to the many successful football, baseball, soccer and tennis teams that are seemingly always competitive and regularly win South Sound Conference championships.

Peninsula offers an attractive package for a new basketball coach, with large facilities that include dual gyms and an expansive weight room; an active booster club; the stability of a longtime supportive athletic director; and the chance to live and work in a highly coveted, picturesque community full of  people who love their sports teams.

It is believed that Robles, who lives in Tacoma, will continue teaching at Peninsula High School.