June 1, 2026

ELGIN - When Larkin High School hosts its first-ever home football game this fall, the action will take place at the Royals Athletic Complex on Ray Haley Field — honoring the legacy of the school’s first athletic director and football coach.

The U-46 Board of Education approved the names for the complex and the field on Monday night following a process that included more than 320 nominations submitted by the community, a town hall, and open feedback period. Nominations had to follow Board Policy 4:150.

“We feel this name honors the full scope of Larkin High School’s athletic program and the pride, the tradition, and the community that surround it while also recognizing Mr. Haleys’ s transformational impact in establishing the athletic programs at Larkin High School,” said Chief of Staff Brian Lindholm, who oversaw the naming process. 

Larkin High School was built in 1962 but has never had its own athletic complex. The new facility, scheduled to open this fall, will allow the Royals to host their home football and soccer games at Larkin, following decades of playing at other sites. It will feature a turf field, a running track, and seating for more than 2,000 spectators. 

Haley, who passed away in 2021 at the age of 92, was Larkin’s longtime athletic director and served as its football coach from 1962 to 1990, leading the team to five Upstate Eight Conference Championships, two undefeated regular seasons, and three state playoff appearances. 

Growing up, Haley was a star high school athlete in Missouri who played minor league baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Yankees organizations. He played football at Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University), which retired his jersey number and inducted him into its Athletics Hall of Fame. An Army veteran, he was also inducted into the Illinois Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1986.