Many people just see her as another faculty member – one who works in the office, unknown exactly what power her position holds. Students see her around the school and at all of the sporting events.

But what do they really know about Wenatchee High School Athletic Director BJ Kuntz? Prior to her 12 years as athletic director, along with six years spent teaching, Kuntz was highly involved in athletics at WHS. She still holds several school records today.

Kuntz participated in nine sport seasons, the maximum for students at the time, including volleyball for three years, basketball for two years, softball for two years, and track for one year. Kuntz has held five WHS school records for basketball since her senior year of high school, 1987. She also held the numerous volleyball records until the scoring was changed to volley serving and the records were reset. Her senior and only year of participating in track, Kuntz was ranked third in the nation in the javelin. After a devastating shoulder injuring towards the end of her season, she still managed to place third at State in the javelin.

After high school, Kuntz attended Gonzaga University to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher, however the thought of becoming the athletic director lurked in the back of her mind.

“Way back in middle school I knew what I wanted to do. I guess I just knew that I wanted to coach, I wanted to teach, an eventually wanted to be an athletic director,” Kuntz said. “It’s been a really long dream and I think I wanted to do it because I wanted to make a difference in something bigger than just one sport.”

Kuntz spent her first six years at WHS teaching adaptive PE and math classes, on top of being the head volleyball coach for five of those years.

Now on her 12th year in her current position, Kuntz juggles the many tasks and duties that come with the job. Throughout the year, she manages 20 sports, including the coaches, athletes, eligibility, all of the arrangements that go along with the games and scheduling, and also scheduling for all facilities in the community that the district owns.

Teacher and Head Swim Coach James Elwyn has been working with Kuntz as Athletic Director for all 12 years she has spent at WHS.

“She is always professional and she really tries to be impartial,” Elwyn said. “She truly cares for the people she works with, including coaches and the athletes.”

Kuntz enjoys many aspects to her job, though admits there are still times she struggles. According to Kuntz, she has three favorite parts about her job.

First, she loves watching the athletes compete. Along with this, she enjoys working with the coaches to watch them grow, change, and develop so they can be better at their jobs. And, according to Kuntz, perhaps her favorite part of her position is working with kids who struggle, either academically or just in general.

“It’s great watching kids that haven’t been able to play, and then going and getting to watch them finally play for the first time,” Kuntz said. “They are so excited. So many athletes take it for granted that they get to play, and they are  just so excited to play and it’s such a cool thing to be able to see.”

Kuntz has individually impacted WHS athletics in countless ways, from her name etched into the record boards in the hallway, to her extreme efforts with athletes, coaches, and teams as athletic director.

“I always had a really burning passion to come back to Wenatchee and walk the same halls as I did as a kid and make a difference in the same place that I was. It felt like a natural fit.”