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Logan Van Staalduinen Age 25 Pungo Christian Academy Athletic Director

Bath native, now lives in Washington

Logan Van Staalduinen graduated from North Carolina State University in three years after playing multiple sports at Pungo Christian Academy in Belhaven. The Bath native left Raleigh with a degree in Human Resource Management and thanks to fortuitus timing, had a job waiting for him at his old school. Van Staalduinen became the athletic director at PCA for the 2019-2020 school year in addition to coaching the boys basketball team and the girls soccer team.

1. Did you choose your current position or did it choose you?

It definitely chose me. I was a manager for the Wolfpack basketball team the first two years Kevin Keatts was there and wanted a graduate assistant position so I could get into college coaching. I was doing a camp at PCA the summer before my senior year and athletic director Melanie Sawyer, who was my AD when I was here, noticed my work. She had been here a long time and was looking for change. She thought I would be a good choice to step in for her and I decided to take it after I graduated.

2. Not many people step into a leadership role at their ala mater at 22 years old. What was the biggest surprise?

One of the big reasons I took the job was to teach and coach three of my siblings. I am the oldest of five. The biggest surprise was the level of respect they gave me and how well we got along on a daily basis. I’ve been coaching my youngest brother, Drew, since he could dribble and he and his friends are seniors this year. I’ve really enjoyed watching all of them develop on and off the floor. I wasn’t sure how it would work out when I took the job, but it’s been an awesome decision so far.

3. What accomplishments are you most proud of?

We’ve expanded our middle school sports programs, added girls soccer and tennis and also had girls golf one year. We are also adding boys tennis this spring. We won the 1A Wells Fargo Cup for all-around program excellence in 2022-23 for the first time in school history. I’m also proud to be a male role model for our students and realize I need to work hard and set high standards for them to follow. I’ve also expanded my personal faith in order to be a Christian mentor to them. The Lord has definitely blessed me with the way my life lined up. I couldn’t have done it on my own.

4. How has this area changed since you were in school here?

I got married during my time at N.C. St. and my wife, Taylor, and I were amazed how much things changed while we were away.

Downtown Washington is an amazing place after the streetscape project with all the new businesses and downtown Belhaven has come a long way also with Riverforest Manor being redone and Spoon River opening. We like to walk around downtown Washington and go into the shops to see what’s new. We can get coffee, a meal, or ice cream if we’re in the mood and there’s lots to see along the waterfront. 

5. If you could be invisible, how would you use that superpower?

Probably when Mr. Daniels is looking for me to help him with a job, like moving something, or when I hear my name on the PA system to report to the office. It would be okay if I couldn’t be found sometimes.