By Kirby Lee
      Ebony Collins has run to two state 300-meter hurdles titles at Long Beach Wilson High but patching a tumultuous relationship with Wilson coach Terry Kennedy was one barrier that the senior said that she could not overcome.

      The 2005 and 2006 Press-Telegram Dream Team Athlete of the Year checked out of Wilson High on Tuesday and has enrolled at Locke High in Los Angeles. Collins lives in the Locke attendance district and plans to compete for the City Section school this spring.

      Collins is the national freshman, sophomore and junior national record-holder in the 300 hurdles and holds two of the top three times in U.S. high school history at 40.10 and 40.13.

      As a sophomore, Collins was named the 2005 USATF Youth Athlete of the Year after winning the IAAF World Youth title in the 400 hurdles in a national sophomore and meet record 55.96.

      Collins accompanied Wilson to the Simplot Indoor Games in Idaho two weeks ago but quit the team last week. Collins said that the differences with Kennedy had progressed to the point that she would not have run for the school if she had stayed.

      “There was too much stress and once I left, I felt so good and much better,” Collins said. “Over time, it got to the point where it kept getting worse. I want to have a good senior year where I can be happy.’’

      Collins told her Wilson teammates about her impending transfer. Kennedy, however, said he heard it through the “grapevine.’’

    . “No one can figure it out,” Kennedy said. “It’s no fault of ours. The school has been good to her and we did everything we could to help her in life and make her one of the country’s most recognizable athletes. The choice is hers and she has to be accountable for her actions.’’

       Collins replied sternly to Kennedy’s comments saying “Everybody is accountable for their actions. It’s his turn to be accountable for his. Nobody knows what’s going on with me but me.’’

       Collins, who represented the U.S. in the IAAF World Junior Championships in China last summer, said that she began thinking about leaving Wilson before her junior season.

      This summer, Collins considered transferring to Poly or Inglewood St. Mary’s but didn’t want to run at a Southern Section school where she could be face with the prospect of racing her former Wilson teammates.

     “They are still my friends and my family,” said Collins, who still plans to attend the Wilson prom. “I have been helping them out for the three years. Now, it’s time to do something for my own sake.’’

     At Locke, Collins will be coached by Chewuakii Knighten, the 1983 state 100 hurdles champion for Locke and member of UCLA’s 1988 NCAA champion 4 x 400 relay. Collins, who has narrowed her college choices to USC or LSU, said Knighten has pledged to help her have a productive season by getting her into high profile meets such as the Arcadia Invitational and Mt. San Antonio College Relays.

     The departure of Collins figures to be a big blow to Wilson’s hopes of defending it’s Southern Section Division I and state team titles. Collins had a hand in 36 of Wilson’s 37 points in the state meet last June and was a member of the Wilson’s nation-leading 400 and 1,600 relays.

     “I feel sorry for her. She’s a sweet kid but she’s confused and misguided,” Kennedy said. “I love her like my daughter and wish her all the luck. She made the choice and I am not going to speculate about her feelings. It’s not a good move.’’