Paul Turner is a man on a mission. With numerous accolades, records and honors behind him, Turner is ready to forge ahead in 2013 to fulfill his lofty expectations.
After three seasons, Turner has already established himself as one of the best ever in Leopard track & field history. His impressive resume includes an individual national title, four All-America performances, a school record and six conference event championships.
Go to a Leopard track meet and you'll notice Turner as a study in concentration. On the runway, he blocks out everything with a keen purpose at hand. Then his inner-most thoughts lead to an adrenaline rush as he lets those in attendance join in. “When I'm about to jump I like to get the crowd involved, and get them to start with a slow clap and slowly build up," he said. "That’s get’s my adrenaline pumping and then I become even more focused and hyped. From there, I simply want to attack the board.”
Turner has been in attack mode ever since he arrived on campus as a freshman. That season, he established the school record in the triple jump with a leap of 48-1 3/4 at the SCIAC Championships en route to conference titles in both the long and triple jump. But it would be his sophomore year in which he elevated towards a higher level.
He burst on the national scene as a sophomore when he claimed first place in the men's long jump at the 2011 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships, leaping 23 feet, 6 1/4 inches. Though he entered that meet with a season-best distance of 24-0, the elements and fate intervened to earn his place in Leopard history. On that day, he recorded his winning jump in the first round during a rain-soaked competition and watched the remaining competitors chase the mark to no avail.
Turner won the event by a scant one-quarter inch to claim La Verne's sixth individual track and field national title in school history and the first since 2003. "It was such a great feeling to win a national title," he said. "I was really focused that day and I refused to let the wet weather bother me. I just battled and was fortunate enough to win."
He has been known by both teammates and coaches to not only be a fierce competitor, but at times a selfless athlete willing to do whatever is best for his team. "Paul has always been there for us when we've needed him," said Leopard head coach Pat Widolff. "He has competed in several sprinting events and relays in many of our conference meets to help us in team scoring. He's always shown tremendous sacrifice."
Last season, Turner jumped 50 feet, 9 and ½ inches in the triple jump at the first SCIAC Quadrangular in March to become the first Leopard in history to reach the 50-foot mark in that event. The distance was a new La Verne record and the second best jump in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference history.
That performance, along with going undefeated in conference meets in both the long jump and triple jump, propelled Turner to earn the 2012 SCIAC Men's Field Athlete of the Year award. Moreover, Turner is unbeaten in both events in his previous three conference championship meets. Victories in the long jump and triple jump at this season's SCIAC Championships would give him an unprecedented eight league titles, a four-year career sweep of the two horizontal jumping events.
Though he battled nagging injuries during the latter part of 2012, he still managed to earn All-America status in both events at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Claremont, placing fifth in the long jump with a personal best of 24-1 while securing third place in the triple jump with a 49-7 3/4 effort. Though he is proud of his performances at the national championships, he feels like he can accomplish even more in his senior season.
He doesn't hesitate to mention his lofty goals for this season which include another national title, setting the all-time SCIAC record in the triple jump and establishing a school record in the long jump.
On several occasions he has flirted with breaking Kirk Dean's 26-year old school record in the long jump of 24-2, as he stands less than an inch away from the mark. Not bad for someone who did not even compete in the long jump coming out of high school.
As a prep at Indio High School, Turner was primarily a sprinter and triple jumper, earning modest success with a best of 47-4 in that event.
Although, Turner’s talent on the track is evident, the Public Administration major explained that success for him this year also about a better understanding of the sport in order to improve his consistency with technique. “I think my approach to track & field has definitely changed for the better,” he says.
“Paul not only has matured as an athlete but also a person during his time at La Verne,” Widolff said. “His dedication and commitment to the sport has grown, but more importantly, his development as an individual has been tremendous. He has undoubtedly taken more of a leadership role for our program.”
For now, Turner will focus on the 2013 campaign and work to not just meet certain marks or numbers, but to fill his promise and potential to be more than one of the nation's best at the Division III, but to simply be the best he can be.
How far will be determined.
"When this season is over, I want to give it my all every practice and every meet," he said. "In the end, I want to say I have no regrets.”
