MCKEOWN READY TO ASSUME LEADERSHIP ROLE.

Byline: Brian Dalziel Daily News Staff Writer

To say Collin McKeown has had to make adjustments heading into the 1999 volleyball season is an understatement.

The senior outside hitter at Newbury Park High is the only returning starter from a team that finished 20-6 a year ago and reached the Southern Section Division II semifinals before losing to Dos Pueblos in four games.

Then in November, McKeown and his teammates were notified that Ed Bond, a former player at Cal State Northridge, would become the new coach at Newbury Park.

Practically a new team with a new coach.

The transition for the three-year varsity player was tough at first, but McKeown just rolled with the punches. And at the same time he's stepped up to become the team's leader this season.

``This year it's more difficult because there are only two varsity players returning,'' McKeown said. ``(At first) it was just more weight than I could handle, but all the guys are stepping up and helping out a lot.''

The Panthers were 2-2 coming into Friday night's meeting with Royal, the favorites to win the Marmonte League title. The makeup of this Newbury Park team doesn't have the look of a 20-win team, but McKeown said he and his teammates are taking a different approach.

``I just want to come out this season and have fun,'' McKeown said. ``And all the other guys think that as well. Just have fun.''

McKeown's sports of choice growing up were baseball and soccer. He used to watch his older sister, Kara, play volleyball. Kara graduated from Newbury Park in 1995 and went on to play at Fresno State.

In fifth grade he dabbled in a few volleyball camps, but the sport didn't interest him until he reached high school.

Even then, McKeown wasn't sure about volleyball.

``My parents told me that if I don't try out I might regret it for the rest of my life,'' McKeown remembered.

McKeown listened to his parents and made the frosh-soph team. After participating in club volleyball after his freshman season, he found himself on the varsity squad his sophomore year.

``After playing club, it convinced me that I could be good at the sport,'' McKeown said.

The 6-foot-2, 180-pound McKeown worked hard during the summer to prepare himself for his final season at Newbury Park. Almost every day he drove up the 101 freeway to Santa Barbara to play pick-up games on the beach.

``There was some good competition up there,'' the 17-year-old said. ``Playing in Santa Barbara helped define my skills. I started jumping higher and hitting the ball harder.''

The wave of letters from colleges hasn't filled the mail slot at McKeown's house. ``Colleges aren't looking at a guy who is 6-2,'' he said.

But McKeown remains positive about continuing volleyball after high school. He said he'll attend either Pierce or Santa Barbara City College and hope to go on to a four-year school, just like his sister, Kara, and older brother, Sean, who is competing in the shot put and discus at Cal State Bakersfield.

``I would like to play college right away,'' McKeown admitted. ``But at the junior college level I can put my game together and be a lot better player when I go to a four-year college.

``I think I've done pretty good for myself and I've worked as hard as I can. Hopefully things get better in the future.''