It felt like the roller-coaster ride had come to an end. Turns out, there’s one more loop-the-loop.
Michele Hackett, the Gig Harbor High School basketball coach who was fired, then re-hired, announced Tuesday in an email to parents that she’s leaving and taking the Stadium High School girls basketball coaching job.
In the email, Hackett called it a “bittersweet” decision.
“I recognize that this news is a sudden pivot,” she said. “I want to reassure you all that this decision is not about running away from a difficult situation, nor is it a concession to outside pressures or critics. The Tides are strong, and the program is in a great place. Rather, this choice is entirely about where I am in my coaching career and the specific purpose that drives me at this stage of my life.”
Hackett said rebuilding struggling programs is her passion.
“Last year, Stadium High School was winless in league play,” Hackett said. “They are a young program hungry to learn, eager to grow, and in need of the specific kind of mentorship and culture-building that I feel called to provide right now.”
Hackett was released from her contract on April 23 after a meeting with Gig Harbor High School athletic director Blair Suek, during which Hackett was told the “general consensus was that I wasn’t the best fit for this particular program and community” after postseason discussions with players.
In a rare reversal, the Peninsula School District stepped in less than two weeks later and announced Hackett would be returning.
“The district would like to clarify that this decision to end Coach Hackett’s tenure was made without consulting district administration, and proper administrative protocols were not followed,” district officials wrote in an email/ParentSquare post to parents in early May.
Hackett replaced Tim Olson, who was placed on administrative leave — alongside two assistants — after a district investigation found the coaches allegedly consumed alcohol during a team trip to Florida. Hackett was hired in the fall of 2025 and took over for the 2025-26 season.
A source told The News Tribune many of the team’s parents remained firmly in Olson’s corner and that Hackett was never given a fair chance. The source also said some of the parents weren’t fans of Hackett’s laid-back, hands-off coaching style during games.
By any reasonable standard, Gig Harbor had a successful season under Hackett, who was hired late in the cycle and wasn’t able to coach the team during the summer, a critical team-development period for any coach, but especially a first-year coach.
Gig Harbor posted a 19-6 record in the 2025-26 season and was one win away from playing in the Class 3A state tournament at the Tacoma Dome, falling 44-43 to the Maggee Schmitz-led White River Hornets in a state tournament regional round game at the University of Puget Sound Logger Memorial Fieldhouse on Feb. 28.
Hackett was named the 3A Puget Sound League Narrows Division coach of the year in 2025-26. Two Tides — senior Kaliyah Miller and junior Willow Bonnici — were named first-team all-league selections, while junior Ashlyn Pierce and sophomore Anika Jones were second-team selections.
Miller, a team captain and one of the first-team selections, wrote an email to Peninsula School District leadership expressing her frustration with Hackett’s coaching style. The email, obtained by The News Tribune, detailed her grievances.
“Before the season, Coach Hackett presented herself as a coach who emphasized physicality, defensive intensity, pressing, and fast-paced basketball,” Miller wrote. “However, once practices started, that philosophy did not translate into reality. Most practices were spent listening to instructions rather than actually playing or getting reps.
“For the first time in my basketball career, I found myself dreading practice. It didn’t feel competitive or productive, and honestly, it didn’t feel like we were getting better.”
The email continues with other concerns.
“She RARELY coached during games,” Miller wrote. “When times got rough while playing, we would look to our coaches for guidance and help but there was no coach to be found. Ours just sat on the bench like two spectators. There was no coaching going on. I had to call timeouts for our team during games.”
In her farewell email, Hackett wished the team well in the future.
“Thank you again for your trust, your passion and the unforgettable support and friendship you have shown me,” she said. “I will always be cheering for the growth and success of these young women, and I can’t wait to see where your skills and talents take you next season! Roll Tides!”
The Peninsula School District now has a tight window to fill the position before the summer basketball season begins.