SINGING IN THE LANE; WESTLAKE CENTER TYLER ADAMCZYK DEFTLY JUGGLES CHOIR AND BASKETBALL.

Byline: Chris Cocoles Staff Writer

WESTLAKE VILLAGE - The Westlake High parking lot was jammed, meaning Tyler Adamczyk's already tight squeeze for time was even more compressed.

The Westlake junior had just finished playing a basketball game for the Warriors, but had to jump in his car and take the almost 50-mile drive from Saugus High to Westlake to sing in a holiday show as a member of the school's choral and music department.

``Tyler would drive to the game, play our game, and then leave and drive cautiously back to Westlake and make his turn,'' Westlake basketball coach Gary Grayson said.

The Warriors were playing a 5:30 p.m. game, which traditionally lasts less than an hour and a half. One of the lead baritone singers in the choir, Adamczyk's performance on stage was scheduled to begin at approximately 7:50.

With 10 seconds left in a game the Warriors were going to lose, Grayson pulled Adamczyk, Westlake's top player, from the court and allowed his center to leave for the concert a few precious seconds early.

Unlike Adamczyk, a fierce competitor who is also a standout baseball player, Grayson was keeping his eyes on the clock to ensure he wouldn't be late.

``He's running through the parking lot with his tuxedo in one hand and his basketball bag in the other hand in his uniform,'' Grayson said. ``He gets backstage, he changes really quick and made it on stage with a few minutes to spare.''

Adamczyk admits it's hard to change from game face to recital face with so little time. But he finds in singing and dancing a nice release from the intensity required to excel in sports.

``In choir if you learn something about music you learn something about life,'' Adamczyk said. ``Music can do so many things for you. It can calm you down, it can get you psyched up for something and it can put you to sleep.''

With such a busy schedule, Adamczyk has little time to sleep while juggling his sports and his singing and maintaining a near-perfect grade-point average.

Adamczyk's mom, Nancy, said her son has always been interested in music and in Westlake's highly regarded program. But she joked he got involved in the choir, ``Because there were a lot of girls in it.''

``He really enjoys life. And he's a great kid. He gets good grades, too (3.8 GPA last quarter). The choir is a nice balance for his athletics,'' Nancy Adamczyk said.

His major choir commitments are now done, giving Adamczyk more time to focus on basketball with the improving Warriors, who open Marmonte League play Wednesday night at Moorpark.

A 6-foot-6 center, Adamczyk was a varsity starter as a sophomore while serving as primarily a role player.

As one of just three Warriors with any significant varsity experience, Westlake is depending heavily on him being a scorer and, more importantly, a leader.

``He's a vocal leader. He gives it his all every time he goes onto the court. He's kind of a role model that way,'' Grayson said. ``He doesn't say `Let's play hard' and dogs it. He says `Let's play hard' and he shows it.''

While Grayson has encountered players that need to be told to change some facet of their game three or more times, Adamczyk usually never needs to be informed more than once.

He's averaging close to 20 points and seven rebounds for a team that had already matched last year's 10-win total prior to the start of league play.

Adamczyk's improvement on the basketball court has garnered some attention from colleges, but baseball appears to be Adamczyk's ticket to a scholarship. Fifteen schools have shown interest in the pitcher, whose fastball topped 91 mph last season and competed in prestigious camps such as the Area Code Games.

But the way he's improved on the basketball court, playing both sports in college isn't so far-fetched anymore.

``It'd be an honor to go somewhere for college and play two sports,'' Adamczyk said. ``Last year in basketball I really didn't start coming around until the end of the season. But in the baseball season I proved myself from day one so I have a lot more attention. And being 6-6, if you want to go somewhere in basketball it's not that big.''

But Adamczyk has held his own thus far, and that's not a surprise to Grayson, who has watched his junior keep his focus in all the practices and games that presented a conflict with his choir performances.

``He's very success-oriented,'' Grayson said. ``He heard me last year on the varsity that you don't want to go off the court and then come home . . . and say `Did I give the best I can?' You cheat yourselves. He just saw a lot of guys last year cheat themselves because they did not go all out.''

ADAMCZYK FILE

--School: Westlake

--Year: Junior

--Vitals: 6-6 Center

--Quote: ``We have three people at school fighting over him: the choir director Mr. Rose, myself, and coach (Chuck) Berrington the baseball coach.'' - Westlake coach Gary Grayson, on Adamczyk's partcipation in baseball, basketball and the school choir.

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Box: ADAMCZYK FILE (see text)