Chaplain helps Y athletes adjust

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    Although Paul Warner has many titles at BYU, including chaplain, his main goal is to help student athletes adjust to school and graduate.

    After graduating from BYU in 1965, Warner started his career as a seminary teacher in Ogden. In 1968 Warner moved to Los Angeles where he taught institute at Long Beach State. After three years, Warner made another career change. He moved his family to Utah and began training seminary teachers.

    Warner got the opportunity to come to BYU in 1998. Originally, he worked with the student leadership council. One day, Warner received a call from President Bateman asking him to work as the chaplain.

    “I had been a bishop three times and worked for the church education program, so they felt like that combination would be helpful as a chaplain specifically,” Warner said.

    Warner serves as a chaplain for all of the student athletes at BYU.

    Four years ago Warner was given the added responsibilities of being the director of the student athlete center and an athletic advisor. Warner has fulfilled his roles by making athletes a priority.

    “He always finds the time to be involved with the student athletes,” said Jaclyn Price, 24, student athlete center assistant office specialist. “He genuinely cares about the athletes and how they are doing athletically, academically and personally.”

    As an athletic advisor, Warner has four goals for the student athletes. First, he wants to achieve a 90 percent graduation rate for all athletes. Second, he intends to have the male athletes maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0. For the women, he expects a cumulative GPA of 3.2. Last, he likes to see teams win conference championships and if possible, national titles.

    Warner said seeing students enjoy school and achieve academic goals is the most rewarding part of his job.

    “When somebody who has struggled with school gets excited about the opportunities they have to get a diploma and graduate I feel I’ve done my job,” Warner said.

    Despite the moments of success, Warner’s job is not without its ups and downs.

    “It’s hard motivating those who don’t like school and help them realize the opportunity they have,” Warner said. “A degree opens a lot of doors.”

    Also, Warner is responsible for helping athletes from different religions adjust and feel comfortable in the BYU atmosphere. Warner said he encourages athletes to view the Honor Code as a positive guideline, not a negative one.

    “For some athletes coming here to Provo is a real culture shock,” Warner said. “The desire to have them come into this changed environment is often difficult.”

    Many athletes also want to take religion classes from Warner.

    “He gives a lot of information. I’ve learned a lot from his classes,” said Cynthia Polk, 21, a junior from Chattanooga, Tenn. majoring in Psychology.

    Warner enjoys teaching religion because it keeps his teaching skills polished. Warner said he learns as much from his students as they learn from him.

    “I hope to learn to have the same amount of enthusiasm that the student athletes have for life and their sport, Warner said.”

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