Ray and Kelly Chmiel were understandably skeptical when their son told them his plans to attend the United States Naval Academy two years ago.

Braydan Chmiel was, in his own words, a good — but not great — student at the time.

“So they kind of patted me on the head and said, ‘OK, Braydan,’ ” the recent Warrenton graduate recalls with a laugh. “I don’t think they believed me.”

Two years later, Chmiel doesn’t talk about his dream of one day attending the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

He talks about what he wants to do with his degree.

“I didn’t do terribly my freshman or sophomore years,” he said. “But I realized my junior year if I wanted to pursue what I wanted to pursue, I needed to turn it on or I wouldn’t be accepted.”

He will attend the Naval Academy preparatory school in Newport, R.I., in the fall before enrolling in Annapolis.

“I’ll then get four summer cruises, so I’ll get to tour with aviation groups, the marine corps, special warfare, submarines, all of that,” he said. “So that will get me pretty exposed to everything.”

Eventually, he plans on medical school.

“I could do that through the Navy, but I would incur a pretty large service commitment and not get out until my 40s,” he said. “If not, I’ll serve my required time and get out and go to medical school through the civilian route.”

Chmiel’s options are vast because of an impressive resume.

He was the president of the WHS senior class and a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and National Honor Society.

He played varsity football, basketball and track at Warrenton before nearly graduating with a 4.0 grade point average.

He averaged 8.6 points as the only senior on the Warrenton basketball team, and helped lead the Warriors to their first postseason win in nearly a decade.

“Braydan always did what was right and was so respected by the younger players that they naturally followed his lead,” Warrenton Head Basketball Coach Mike Uffmann said. “Even though he is not on the team this year, his leadership helped show the others how to be leaders when they are older.” 

This spring, Chmiel was one of 11 recipients of the 2016 National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete Award for the St. Louis Chapter, which is given to outstanding local high school football players who have shown exemplary character on and off the field.

Football has always been Chmiel’s favorite sport.

“I love the hype around the game every week,” he said. “The camaraderie is great, too.”

He began playing tackle football at the age of 6 when his aunt bought him and his cousin pads, which he eventually parlayed into the starting quarterback job at Warrenton.

Last fall he led Warrenton to a winning record while throwing for 1,645 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Last year’s dramatic wins over St. Charles and St. Dominic stick in his mind the most.

“My girlfriend and I came up here to work out the other day and I was telling her, ‘I threw my first touchdown pass over there, I ran for my first touchdown and broke my arm over there,’ ” he says as he points onto the field. “Even now when I take my little brother up here for workouts, I drop him off and think, ‘That used to be me.’ ”

His brother, freshman Nolan Chmiel, followed his brother’s path onto the football, basketball and track teams.

“I’m excited to see what he does,” Chmiel said. “He’s probably going to be bigger than me.”

Besides his parents, one of Chmiel’s biggest influences has been Warrenton football and track coach Steve McDowell, who also taught him in fifth grade.

“Even back then, you could tell he always knew what he wanted to do,” McDowell said. “His work ethic on and off the field has always stood out, and I think this is a phenomenal opportunity for him. I just wish I had an entire team of Braydan Chmiels.”

Chmiel was quick to point out the impact McDowell had on him.

“It’s good to have someone who pushes you and holds you accountable,” Chmiel said. “We have a saying, ‘In Coach Mac we trust.’ I couldn’t imagine high school football without Coach Mac.”

Now Chmiel is preparing for more accountability, and he believes coaches like McDowell and Uffmann have helped him prepare for the next decade of his life.

“It felt a little weird when I realized high school sports was over, but everyone knows it’s coming so I was prepared for it,” Chmiel said. “I told myself I wanted to give everything I can while I still can, and I’m proud of how my high school career went.”