Halpern receives Brent Woodall Memorial Award

07-01-2004

By Tom Shanahan, San Diego Hall of Champions

The 2006 recipient of the Brent Woodall Award has recently graduated from La Jolla High and is sitting in the stands at his school’s football stadium on a lazy, sunny afternoon.

“I’m going to miss this place,” Travis “Moose” Halpern says with sweeping stroke of his arm toward midfield.

“I’m going to miss working out with that guy,” he says as he spots football teammate Michael Maracle, a Colorado State-bound defensive end stepping on to the track for a workout Halperin will join in a few moments.

“And I’m going to miss coaches like him,” he adds, motioning to assistant coach Ernie Watson, taking care of a prank perpetrated by a rival school with a flag run up the stadium’s flagpole.

Halpern, a three-sport athlete in football, soccer and baseball, is moving on to college at Claremont McKenna College in the Los Angeles area, but not before he secured a place in La Jolla’s history. He did so with his own athletic and academic success that led to him being named the fifth recipient of the Brent Woodall Memorial Award.

Of the five winners, Halpern is the first football and baseball player to receive the honor named for Woodall, a three-sport La Jolla athlete in football, basketball and baseball who later played football and baseball at Cal and pitched in the Chicago Cubs’ minor league system. Woodall was among the victims killed in the 9/11 terrorists attack on the World Trade Center in 2001.

“The award is a big honor around our school,” Halpern said. “He’s a very respected figure. The coaches tell us a lot of stories about his feats.”

The Woodall Award includes a $1,500 scholarship and is presented to the junior or senior who represents Woodall’s record in academics, multi-sport athleticism, community involvement and citizenship. A plaque for the award with each recipient is on display in the school’s main office.

“After I got the award, I looked up on the Internet to learn more about him,” Halpern said. “He was an admirable person to look up to. I also learned his wife has started a charity.”

Tracy Woodall, whose background is in working with autistic children and their families, established the Brent Woodall Foundation for Exceptional Children.

Halpern will continue his baseball career at Claremont McKenna, but he hasn’t ruled out playing football again once he establishes himself in college as a freshman.

He was recruited in baseball as a catcher, but he’s versatile enough that he played seven positions for the Vikings – all but second and first bases. He hit .302 for the year with 11 RBI, 10 runs scored and six stolen bases.

In football, he was an All-Western League linebacker who led the Vikings in tackles and finished his career sixth in all-time tackles at the school. He was honored as a Scholar-Athlete by the San Diego Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.

“I’m the first person to win the award for the sports he played, and that makes it an honor for me,” Halpern said. “I hope I’m perceived to have some of the same qualities as Brent Woodall.”

Brent Woodall Memorial Award

Past winners from La Jolla High

2002 -- Katie Burgess, volleyball, basketball, softball, Claremont McKenna.

2003 -- Jessica Kondrick, volleyball, basketball, track, Brown.

2004 -- Paul Coover, cross country, track, Indiana.

2005 -- Kiki Kalkstein, cross country, soccer, lacrosse, Cal.

2006 – Travis “Moose” Halpern, football, soccer, baseball, Claremont McKenna.