Former student-athletes support naming Newport Harbor track after late coach Bob Hailey

Former student-athletes are urging the Newport-Mesa Unified School District to name Newport Harbor High School’s track facility after the late Bob Hailey, a former coach and biology teacher known around campus as “Uncle Bob.”

The district is seeking community input on the possibility of naming the facility the Bob Hailey Memorial Track and Field. The idea was submitted by Roger Carlson, a former Costa Mesa resident and Daily Pilot sports editor who covered Hailey and his teams.

The public can weigh in until Wednesday through an online survey at surveymonkey.com/r/NHHSTrack. A committee will review the input and make a recommendation to the board of trustees June 27.

Carlson’s submission included a list of Hailey’s accomplishments along with comments of support from former students and coaches.

In an interview, Carlson described Hailey as a “classic coach” who “manicured the field day in and day out” before it was changed to turf. And with renovations being made to Davidson Field, it’s an “opportune time” to name the track facility after him, Carlson said.

Hailey began his career at Newport Harbor in 1960 and was the track and field coach until 1979. During that time, Hailey produced six Sunset League titles, including five between 1973 and 1979. The Sailors also reeled off dual-meet winning streaks of 26 and 29 during that stretch.

In addition to coaching, Hailey was a biology teacher until his retirement in 1996.

Last week he was posthumously inducted into the Newport Harbor High School Hall of Fame.

In 2013, Hailey was honored by an alumnus who donated a new record board chronicling track and field achievements. At the bottom left corner is a small plaque honoring Hailey.

The same year, he was inducted into the CIF Southern Section Hall of Fame, receiving a lifetime membership pass to any sporting event in the section. Hailey missed the ceremony because he couldn’t get around as well as he used to because of a right leg injury he suffered in a car accident in 1979.

He died in November 2013 at age 78 from complications resulting from the crash.

In letters Carlson submitted, former athletes mentored by Hailey shared memories of how he molded them into stars and became a father-like figure during their time in high school.

Robert J. Shaw, Class of 1965, wrote how Hailey helped Newport Harbor establish a reputation in sports for more than swimming and water polo.

“Newport kids were seen as spoiled rich kids who couldn’t really cut it in the other sports,” Shaw wrote. “Coach Hailey was very instrumental in changing all that, not only by honing his own teams but acting as a strong influence to bring other top-notch coaches into the school’s program.”

Success in football, baseball and volleyball soon followed, Shaw wrote.

Priscella.Vega@latimes.com

Twitter: @vegapriscella