Kingston coach was on administrative leave at time of resignation

Kevin Strozier, Kingston High School's girls basketball coach until his sudden resignation earlier this month, was on administrative leave when he resigned from his post at the school, a district official said Monday.

North Kitsap School District Assistant Superintendent Chris Willits would not elaborate on the details of an investigation into allegations made against Strozier, but said the district will place an employee on administrative leave if it believes there is validity to an accusation.

Chris Case, spokeswoman for the district, had declined to say whether Strozier was on administrative leave when Strozier's resignation was first reported by the Herald. But both Case and Kingston High Athletic Director Dan Novick said Strozier did not give a reason for his resignation Nov. 12, four days before team tryouts for the 2009-10 season.

When contacted by the Herald, Strozier said he quit to spend time with his family.

In 2007, while a coach at Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Strozier was placed on administrative leave after being accused of not following procedures regarding an altercation between two players at a practice.

When Strozier was hired by Kingston in 2007, Novick told the Tacoma News Tribune Strozier had been vetted by the district.

“Our district did its homework,” Novick told the paper. “And we are satisfied that the situation at Lincoln was isolated to Lincoln, and it won't be repeated here at Kingston.”

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