Clover Park School District announcement.
LAKEWOOD, Wash. — Clover Park High School (CPHS) will host a special ceremony before its varsity boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 4, at 6:30 p.m., to unveil a new name for the school’s gymnasium in honor of long-time educator and coach Mel Ninnis. The event and game will be livestreamed on the district’s YouTube page due to COVID-19 safety protocols and capacity restrictions.
Ninnis was a long-time educator and boys basketball coach who passed away last August. He joined the district as a teacher in 1985, serving as head coach of the boys basketball team from 1995 until last school year. He left an immeasurable impact on CPHS and the greater district community.
In his 28 seasons as head coach, Ninnis won 398 games and the 2011 Class 2A State Championship. His coaching record is impressive, but his success was not confined to the walls of the gym. His reach extended throughout the school and community through his kindness, vigorous support and character-building values to every student he connected with as a mentor, coach and advocate.
With his relentless fight for the betterment of all students and his larger-than-life personality, Ninnis was well known throughout Lakewood and Pierce County as a champion for students and CPHS.
The district assembled a committee, comprised of CPHS staff, students, a parent and district administration, to review a community recommendation to name the CPHS gymnasium in his honor. Support for the name change was overwhelming, and the school board approved a resolution in December to officially change the name.
For more information about the event, contact Community Relations at 253-583-5040.
