Elgin's Larkin High School Names New Stadium Field for Legendary Coach Ray Haley

Larkin High School in Elgin will open a new sports stadium this fall with a name that reflects the school's deepest athletic roots. The District U-46 School Board endorsed naming the facility the Ray Haley Field at Royals Athletic Complex, honoring the school's first football coach and longtime athletic director.

The board is expected to formally approve the name on June 1.

A Name Chosen by the Community

The school district received 327 name suggestions from the public for Larkin's first-ever sports stadium. Ray Haley received 148 nominations, making him the clear favorite. The next most popular choice, Royals Stadium or Royals Athletic Complex, received 71 nominations.

Haley also topped the vote at a town hall meeting held May 6, according to the district.

"We feel this name honors the full scope of Larkin High School's athletic program and the pride and tradition of the community that surrounds it, while also recognizing Mr. Haley's transformational impact," Brian Lindholm, chief of staff for District U-46, told the board.

A Coach Who Built a Tradition

Ray Haley died in 2021 at age 92. He was hired by Larkin when the school opened in 1962 and stayed for nearly three decades.

He served as the school's football coach for 28 years and athletic director for 21 years. He also coached baseball before retiring in 1990.

His football teams earned five Upstate Eight Conference Championships, two undefeated regular seasons and three state playoff appearances. The 1979 squad finished the regular season 9-0 before falling in the state semifinals to East St. Louis, which went on to win the Class 5A championship.

Haley was inducted into the Illinois Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1986. He helped establish the Elgin Sports Hall of Fame in 1980 and was elected to it 12 years later.

More Than Wins

Those who knew Haley said his impact went far beyond the scoreboard.

"Ray Haley was a good man," said Fred Didier, who played on Larkin's 1979 football team and later served as an assistant coach under Haley in 1985. "He was consistent, reliable, dedicated, steady, hardworking, humble, fair, knowledgeable and a decent man and role model in every way."

Didier said Haley never talked about his own athletic accomplishments. Haley was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals at age 16 and played minor league baseball for both the Cardinals and the New York Yankees organizations. He graduated from Southwest Missouri State University, where he played football and was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 1977. His jersey was retired there in 2010.

"During that undefeated season, Ray lost his father but he never missed a game," said Terry Whipple, who played football and baseball for Haley and was part of the 1967 undefeated squad. "He showed us kids how to handle stress, sadness and responsibilities. He was also a good teacher and leader of this relatively new school — a pioneer."

Rich Renner, who knew Haley since the 1960s through his involvement in Larkin sports, said Haley grew the athletic program from eight sports to 23 with 56 coaches.

"Ray recognized that the measure of high school sports was more than the wins," Renner said. "He valued sports for the opportunities they provided young people to build character and lifelong friendships. Sixty years later, my closest friends remain teammates from Larkin."

Renner also noted Haley's support for Title IX, which expanded athletic opportunities for female students, including Haley's own daughters.

A New Era for Larkin Athletics

The Ray Haley Field will be part of Larkin's first dedicated sports stadium. The facility is scheduled to open this fall, giving the Royals a permanent home for football, track and other outdoor sports.

In a 2012 video interview shown at the board meeting, Haley offered a simple philosophy that resonated with the community's choice.

"You play hard for your teammates because some of them are going to end up being your lifelong friends," Haley said in the recording.

The naming resolution will go before the full school board for formal approval on June 1.

By Daniel Hayes, Illinois State News