WYNALDA TO BE HAPPY CAMPER : WESTLAKE'S SOCCER SENSATION HOPES TO HELP OTHERS.

Byline: Alan Springer Special to the Daily News

Eric Wynalda is known all around the world for his accomplishments in soccer.

But for one of America's greatest-ever players what matters most is how he is perceived in his own community.

Wynalda and other luminaries in soccer will host the third annual Eric Wynalda Holiday Soccer Camp from Friday through Monday at Westlake High School.

The camp, which is open to boys and girls ages 5 to 15, is run once again by camp directors Scott Murray and Alberto Bru. Murray and Bru have a vast knowledge of the game.

Murray is licensed as a national youth coach and has guided local teams in the area for years, as has Bru. Bru also played professional soccer for the California Emperors.

``It is great to run this camp for the kids, the coaches, and the parents,'' said Bru. ``The kids get two things out of it. They get a chance to play against a real star in Eric (Wynalda). They also get a chance to be coached by some great people who really know the sport.''

For Wynalda, coming back to coach means coming back to where it all began.

Wynalda, 27, graduated from Westlake High School in 1987. His career at Westlake saw him named to the all-state team three times and selected as Southern Section player of the year in 1986.

After a brilliant high school career, Wynalda went on to play soccer for San Diego State University, where he was named the best freshman athlete at the school. He currently is playing for the San Jose Clash, for which he scored Major League Soccer's historic first goal.

But for Wynalda, his biggest accomplishments have been his two appearances in the World Cup in 1990 and 1994. He scored the first goal for the U.S. National Team, in 1994.

``I always wanted to do this, come back and coach,'' said Wynalda. ``I always wanted to be able to come back and give something back to the community.

``And now I'm in the position to do it. Now with the growth of soccer in this country we can get a chance to come back to our roots and teach the sport that we love,'' he said.

This will be Wynalda's third season with the camp.

``I know what it is like to be a kid and needing someone to look up to in the sport that you love,'' he said. ``I didn't have that when I was their age. Soccer wasn't that big in this country. I try to teach them about more than just soccer. I try to get inside their heads and really try to understand them.''

Wynalda will not be the only coach there with a wealth of experience.

Bru and Murray have invited Jim Millinder (women's soccer coach at USC), Tim Ward (women's assistant coach at Pepperdine), Cindy Daws (an All-American player from Notre Dame) and many more.

``I grew up playing in camps like this,'' said Daws, who recently was named as the best women's collegiate soccer player while leading her team to a national championship this past season. Daws began her soccer career at Louisville High in Woodland Hills.

``I know what it's like to have a role model and I am glad that I could be one. These kids need someone to look up to and we need to be there to guide them,'' she said.

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Photo: (ran in CONEJO and SAC editions only) For San Jose Clash star Eric Wynalda, the thrill of assisting young athletes in camp is the thrill of getting back to where it all began for the 27-year-old soccer standout.

Evan Yee/Daily News