Welcome to the second half of February — somehow.

This week, we are celebrating something truly special: Unified Winter Sports at Peninsula High School. Unified Sports is not just another athletic program; it is a movement. It brings students of all abilities together, breaks down barriers, and creates a school culture where everyone belongs. And when you see it in action? You feel it.

We are also recognizing our basketball All-League honorees (congrats to all our athletes!), celebrating Gig Harbor’s Boys Swim & Dive team on their District Championship, and reflecting on our first-ever Middle School Girls District Basketball Tournament — an event that showed us exactly what sportsmanship and community are all about.

This one is a good one. Let's get to it!

Let's talk about something that makes Peninsula High School truly special.

PHS is a National Banner Unified Champion School—a distinction that places us among the best inclusive education programs in the country. This is not just a title. It is a commitment to building a school community where all students are accepted, included, and valued, regardless of ability.

As a Unified Champion School, Peninsula brings students with and without intellectual disabilities together through inclusive sports, youth leadership, and whole-school engagement activities. The goal? To break down stereotypes, promote social inclusion, and foster a sense of unity and belonging across our entire campus.

And here is the truth: it's working.

Unified Sports are exactly what they sound like: teams where students of all abilities play, compete, and grow together. Athletes with and without intellectual disabilities share the court, the field, and the victories—learning from each other, cheering for each other, and building friendships that last long after the final buzzer.

These are real sports, with real teamwork, real competition, and real moments that matter. Every player contributes, every effort counts, and every voice is valued.

The impact goes beyond practice and games. Unified Sports change how students see each other in hallways, classrooms, and everywhere in between. They break down barriers, spark understanding, and show that inclusion is not just a concept—it is a culture, one high-five, pass, and assist at a time.

This is Peninsula's seventh year as a Unified Champion School, and the program continues to grow. We now offer:

✅ Unified Basketball

✅ Unified Cheer

✅ Unified Cornhole

✅ Unified Winter Guard

✅ Unified Soccer

✅ Unified Track

✅ Unified Esports

In addition, Unified Club meets every other Thursday throughout the school year, providing ongoing opportunities for connection, leadership, and inclusion beyond competitive sports.

Seven years. Seven sports. Hundreds of students impacted. That is a legacy.

The success of Unified Sports does not happen by accident. It takes dedicated coaches and support staff who believe in the mission and invest in every athlete.

Head Coach: Jenny Buys

Assistant Coaches: Heather Neil & Eileen Osera

Paraeducator Support: Wendy Christiansen, Bri Sweet, Linda Younchild, Michelle Learned, and Randy Ogburn

This season, PHS Unified Winter Sports brought together:

Sixty students. Three schools. One unified community. That's what this program is all about.

Unified Sports change lives. They change perspectives. They change schools.

When students with and without intellectual disabilities compete together, something powerful happens. Stereotypes disappear. Friendships form. Respect deepens. And everyone involved becomes part of something bigger than themselves.

Peninsula High School is not just creating inclusive athletic teams—we are building a culture of belonging. A culture where differences are celebrated, where everyone has a place, and where students learn that we're stronger together.

To every athlete, coach, manager, and supporter of Unified Sports: Thank you. You are making PHS a better place, and you are proving that inclusion is not just possible—it is powerful.

And here is the exciting part: we are hoping to grow this movement even further!

Gig Harbor High School is exploring starting a Spring Unified team, and if anyone at GHHS is interested in being part of this amazing experience, registration is now open on FinalForms!

The more schools joining in, the bigger the impact—and the more students get to experience the power of inclusion firsthand.

Let's do this, Tides! 💙

Questions? Reach out to Blair Suek, GHHS Athletic Director.

Congratulations to all our basketball athletes who earned All-League honors! These awards recognize the best players across both divisions, and PSD is well-represented.

🌟 First Team All-Division:

🌟 Second Team All-Division:

🏆 COACH OF THE YEAR: Michele Hackett (GHHS, First Year). Let's talk about this for a second. Coach Hackett is in her first year at Gig Harbor and just won Coach of the Year. That is not luck—that is leadership, preparation, and building a culture that wins. Congrats, Coach!

🌟 Most Valuable Player:

🌟 Honorable Mention:

🌟 First Team All-Division:

🌟 Second Team All-Division:

🌟 Second Team All-Division:

🌟 Honorable Mention:

Congratulations to every athlete who earned All-League recognition. You represented your schools, your teams, and yourselves with excellence this season!

The Tides did it again!!!

Over the weekend, Gig Harbor Boys Swim & Dive dominated the West Central 3A District Championship, finishing with 327 points and claiming the District title. This was not just a win—it was a statement. The Tides qualified three relays and multiple individual swimmers to the State Championship meet, and they did it with depth, talent, and unmatched team performance.

🥇 Travis Scott - WCD Champion in 200 Free (1:45.26) and 100 Free (47.75)

🥇 Relay Dominance - Champions in Medley Relay (1:39.30), 200 Free Relay (1:30.36), and 400 Free Relay (3:27.68)

🥇 Owen Moore - Clutch swim-off victory in 100 Free (50.03) to qualify for State

The Tides are sending 12 athletes to the State Championship meet:

In one of the most dramatic moments of the meet, Owen Moore tied for 5th in the 100 Free, forcing a swim-off to determine who would advance to State. After already swimming four events at 100% effort, Owen was exhausted—but he was not done.

Owen charged from start to finish, winning the swim-off in a season-best 50.03 seconds and punching his ticket to State. That's heart. That is what champions do.

Congrats to every athlete, every coach, and every supporter who made this championship season possible. Go Tides! Go Seahawks! Bring home some hardware from State!

Last night, we made PSD history!

Peninsula School District hosted its first-ever Middle School Girls District Basketball Tournament, and it was everything we hoped it would be—competitive, fun, and filled with sportsmanship. Three varsity games. Four JV games. Seven sportsmanship award winners. And a glimpse of the future of PSD girls basketball.

Yes, the games were competitive. Yes, the athletes played hard. But what stood out most was the sportsmanship.

In each game, one athlete was recognized for exemplifying what it means to compete with integrity, support teammates, and respect opponents. These young athletes showed maturity, grace, and character—and that is what we want to build our program on.

We have pictures of all the varsity girls who were presented the sportsmanship awards, and seeing the connection between our high school and middle school athletes was powerful. This is how you build a program. This is how you create a culture.

This was not just about crowning a district champion. It was about:

✅ Growing the girls basketball program - The more opportunities we create for girls to play, the stronger the program becomes at every level.

✅ Having fun while staying competitive - Middle school sports should be challenging and competitive, but they should also be enjoyable. These athletes are learning to love the game, and that matters.

✅ Strengthening relationships with the high schools - When middle school athletes see high school players supporting them, coaching them, and celebrating them, it creates connection and continuity in the program.

✅ Building community - This tournament brought together athletes, coaches, and families from all four middle schools. It was loud, energetic, and full of pride.

It was incredible to see both Peninsula and Gig Harbor varsity girls basketball players at the tournament, along with their coaches. These high school athletes didn't just show up—they engaged. They cheered. They showed our middle school athletes what it looks like to be part of something bigger. That is leadership. That is program culture. That is what makes PSD special.

This was our first Middle School Girls District Basketball Tournament, but it won't be our last. We are committed to growing girls basketball at every level, creating more opportunities for athletes to compete, and building a program rooted in sportsmanship, development, and community.

To every middle school athlete who competed: You played with heart, you represented your schools with pride, and you showed us the future of PSD girls basketball is bright. To the coaches, families, and high school athletes who supported this event: Thank you. You made this tournament something special.

Let's keep building!

Let's pack the stands and support our athletes on the biggest stages of the season!

⚠️ Reminder: With multiple teams competing across different locations this week and several postseason outcomes still to be determined, it isn’t possible to publish a complete postseason calendar at this time. We’ll share updates as soon as schedules are confirmed so everyone can plan accordingly.

Thank you for your understanding and support as our student-athletes compete at the highest level

We want to hear from you! If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback about the Playbook or PSD athletics, please reach out to us at athletics@psd401.net

Your input helps us make our programs and communications even better!