Killian's duel sides

Senior middle blocker knows how to win and have fun at the same time

By VALERIE ZWEIG
Staff Writer

Senior transfer Donny Killian handles things in his life with dualityhalf with a devil-may-care attitude, and the other half with an if-the-job-is-going-to-get-done-it-better-get-done-right attitude. Half laid back and half perfectionist make up one interesting whole.
With a maturity that exceeds his 21 years, Killian has two personalities in one body. Half of him is the carefree college boyone with a rock-Œn'-roll-all-night-and-party-every-day mentalityand the other is a mature man who is able to focus on things that he truly appreciates.
Success is practically his middle name, although it may not be on his birth certificate. Middle blocker Killian has a drive for success that rivals any professionalon the court, in family relationships or in any of the many ventures he goes into. Success, both on the court and off, is important to Killian.
He has an extraordinary honesty policy. He does not seem to have any qualms about speaking of his father's bout with a rare form of cancer or about losing a big game or an injury or letting it all hang out.
Relating embarrassing stories is not a problem for Killian, who says that they don't faze him.
"Not too much embarrasses me," he said. "I just take it for what it is worth. Funny things happen, stupid things happenthey're part of life. You just have to own up to everything."
He goes on tell the story of some die-hard fans he acquired in Hawaii.
"We wore really short shorts (at Pepperdine, his old school), and I'm not a big underwear fan, so we're stretching at Hawaii and there are four older ladies that always sit in the front row. And I'm getting stretched and I'm not even thinking, and they get more of a show than they expected.
"They were clapping and cheering, and these are like 60- and 70-year-old women! I was their favorite player ever. The next night they brought me cookies and a lei and it was a big joke."
Never one for the spotlight, Killian manages to bring his carefree attitude into any topic he's discussingbe it family, one of his many ventures or volleyball.
Once upon a time, Killian had interest in being on the Olympic team. However, as he grew up, this changed.
"I'm not sure I want to play indoors anymore," he said. "I might want to focus on beach volleyball. I love it. It's real fun as a sport; it's completely different than the indoor game."
One of Killian's many ventures is a clothing company, Trims, which he started himself.
"It's something to keep me busy," he said. "When I'm not busy, I get real bored real quick."
Having always enjoyed doodling and graphic design, Killian loved the idea that he could make clothes for his friends to wear.
"I just like the idea of being able to see your clothing on your buddies, to sport your buddies," he said. "I don't think I'd ever send it to the stores, but just outfit my friends."
Having freelanced for such companies like Porn*, Red Sand and Side Out (a volleyball company), Killian has actually seen one of his designs in the stores.
"The first time I ever saw my stuff in a store, I was floored," he said. "You send in images all the time, and I've gotten one thing they turned into a girl's shirt. I was like, Œthanks, whatever.'"
Although he doesn't have the copyright to make it a full-fledged business, he has six or seven designs ready to go.
Killian has a love of coaching to add to his list of ventures.
For the last three summers, he has spent time in Florida, coaching volleyball at a girls camp at Florida Southern, and acting as an assistant coach for his club team.
"I love coaching, and if there were any money to be made, I'd think about it as a full-time job," Killian said. "I think I'll always in some way coach. There's no better feeling in life than trying to teach somebody something and then to actually have them perform it. It's fun to watch."
Coaching is one hobby that feeds his drive for success, a drive so intense that he went to Pepperdine instead of USC because of the team's winning potential.
But even putting on Pepperdine colors couldn't stop the cardinal and gold coursing through his veins.
"I love this place," Killian said. "I've always been a Trojan fan; I came to my first game when I was a year and a half old and I'd still come to the games when I was at Pepp, and still cheer for them."
Ultimate Trojan family
Growing up in Hancock Park and going to Loyola High, there never seemed to be any question as to where he would continue his higher educationUSC. So how did he end up at Pepperdine?
"I went to Pepperdine my first year because I thought I could win there," Killian said. "I was bound for 'SC, and things happened, and I just decided Pepp was the place for me and we came close (to winning) twice."
The Killians have been coming to USC for a long time. Several family members, from his great-grandfather to assorted cousins to his sister Lauren, who currently attends USC and is a member of the women's volleyball team, are Trojans.
"I think there are like two other cousins that didn't come to 'SC. I mean, my bio is like three lines of me, and the rest of everyone else, Œyeah, he has 58 cousins.'"
Killian says his family was nothing but supportive of his decision to break from the Trojan family, although it was also glad when he chose to transfer to USC.
"I was so excited," said his sister sophomore Lauren Killian. "I think that he belongs here. It was a great move. I was excited to get the ability to go to school with him againŠIt was a great opportunity for him."
Although their father, Don Killian, had come to USC and won a ring here in volleyball, Killian said his father never pushed him to get involved in volleyball. Instead, it was something he picked up on the beach as a kid and wanted to continue.
"I wanted to be like him, and win a ring," Killian said. "But it wasn't like, Œoh he played so I have got to play,' no pressure like that. It was funŠFor so long I've looked at my dad's ring and though Œgod damn'...I'd put it on as a little kid, and it almost fell off. I could almost fit it around my waist."
Killian's father is his biggest fan.
"He's the kind of young guy who is a real good example of all the things that are good with the youth todayworks hard, loves friends and family, understands the difference between right and wrong," said the elder Killian. "I'm excited for his vigor. His life has been a lot of fun to date and I know it's going to get a lot better."
But not all of volleyball has been fun and games for the 6-foot-5 Killian. Battling an injury his sophomore year, he entertained thoughts of quitting, but not for long.
"There is a difference between wanting to quit and quitting and I can't quit, although the thought has crossed my mind," Killian said.
His worst injury came in his sophomore year at Pepperdine, playing UCLA at Pauley Pavilion. In the fifth game, rally score and after someone had notched four points, he landed at an odd angle.
It was like a hole punch went through his knee, he said, but he wanted to stay in the game so badly that he played it off as if he was fine.
"At this point, it's pretty clear that I'm in bad shape," he said about the end of the game. "I got absolutely clamped out of the gym, blocked straight down the next set we won and I was in such pain, and my buddies came and jumped on me. They were so ecstatic they forgot that I had injured myself.
"I remember sitting in the locker room; I couldn't move. I was so emotionally drainedthat's my proudest memory. I can still see it like it happened yesterday."
And now, he hopes to make winning memories at USC in his last season with his eyes set on a ring.

Copyright 2001 by the Daily Trojan. All rights reserved.
This article was published in Vol. 142, No. 32 (Tuesday, February 27, 2001), beginning on page 20 and ending on page 18.