Jun. 11—Alex Halevy was prepared for anything when he heard his phone go off at 6 a.m. Friday.
Halevy, a soccer star who just completed a record-setting career at Garces Memorial High School, took the call from Garces Sports Information Director Trevor Horn, who had a very direct message.
“He told me go wake up my dad because he had to tell him something,” Halevy said.
Startling and abrupt as it came in, Horn’s call brought about some very welcome news. With the phone on speaker, he shared with the Halevys that Alex had been named the Gatorade Boys Soccer Player of the Year in the state of California.
The recognition was well-deserved, as Halevy was dominant during his senior year, tying the program single-season record of 43 goals while adding 19 assists from the striker position, leading the Rams to a 14-1 record and a third consecutive Central Section championship.
And though Halevy says he “had a sense of what (Horn) was going to say” during the call, that didn’t stop his emotions from pouring out.
“I was honestly speechless,” said Halevy, whose 80 career goals were a program record. “I literally cried I was so happy. I’m honestly just buzzing.”
The award-winning season came at an odd time for Halevy, as conflicts created by COVID-19 limited his chances to get college looks. And though he says he did have multiple Division I opportunities, he’s going another route.
While playing at a D-I program in still the goal, Halevy plans to spend next season at the South Kent Prep School in Connecticut. On its website, the decorated post-graduate program lists eight professionals and more than 70 Division I players to come through its ranks since 2006, a list Halevy hopes to join.
“It wasn’t the first choice in my head before visiting,” Halevy said. “But when I visited and learned more, it was the best fit. The coach (Owen Finberg) at this school knows every single Division I coach in America. It also gave me a chance to boost my GPA and get the college experience of living away from home.”
Before he leaves home, Halevy was thrilled to receive one last accolade for his accomplishments at Garces.
“I view this award as the best thing I’ve ever achieved,” he said. “I’ve worked really hard since I was 3 to achieve this. I think it’s the beginning of a lot of things happening.”