Petition to rename track at Carver Park gaining steam
Originator of effort seeks to honor longtime coach Walter McCloud
A petition to rename the track at Carver Park after Walter McCloud, a fixture of the Yuma community and former track coach at Yuma and Yuma Catholic High Schools and coach of the Yuma Valley Flyers track team, has been picking up steam in recent weeks, with nearly 1,400 people signing as of Saturday.
The originator of the petition, Philip Aitken, said he started it because he wanted to give McCloud recognition for all that he has done for young athletes.
“I feel, you know, athletes have the ESPYS where they get acknowledged, and musicians have the Grammys and actors (have the) Tonys… but there’s not ever anything, I feel, for a local legend or somebody that I feel is impacting the community,” said Aitken.
After looking around online, settling on a petition and writing up a “synopsis” of what McCloud has done for him, he put it out on his social media.
Over the next few weeks, the petition caught fire, generating hundreds of signatures from athletes who were coached by McCloud and other members of the Yuma community who were moved by Aitken’s testimonial.
“I feel like he’s been a staple in the community for the past 30-something years,” said Aitken. “For my family, he’s (had) a big impact.”
Aitken said that when he first moved to Yuma in 1995 when his dad got stationed at MCAS, he hadn’t taken part in any extracurricular sports. But after meeting McCloud, he got drawn into track, and Aitken said “the rest is history.”
“He’s just an altogether well-rounded individual, very good coach,” Aitken said. “But at the end of the day, it wasn’t always just about track. He pushed education ... the studentathlete was his thing.
“He also made (it) so we
gained exposure to different things, like various track meets we went to — regionals and nationals.”
McCloud said that seeing students’ hard work pay off with an athletic scholarship was “amazing.”
“My encouragement, whatever I did, hopefully that inspired them to keep going and get that scholarship and maintain that scholarship,” he said.
McCloud also took his athletes all over the country. Aitken said he got to see the Space Needle in Seattle, Bourbon Street in New Orleans and Niagara Falls, all because McCloud pushed him and others to compete at a national level.
“So it wasn’t always just about track,” Aitken said. “I feel like that was just his platform to reach out to the youth.”
Plenty of others have shared their thoughts about McCloud, too. In comments below the online petition, dozens have echoed Aitkens feelings about the coach.
“He pushed me to perform to the best of my ability the two years I did track and will never forget what a great influential coach he is!” wrote Lindsay Martin.
Kevin McLean, Cibola High School’s long-time track coach, also left a message below the petition, saying that in his time coaching he has seen the “dedication, sacrifice, and expertise Walt McCloud has given the youth of Yuma for decades.”
“His work with the Yuma Valley Flyers in particular molded young peoples lives,” he wrote, adding that it would be an “appropriate honor for a great man.”
The track at Carver Park is where many former athletes in the Yuma Valley Flyers and the Yuma High School track team practiced with McCloud.
The now-retired coach said that he feels “blessed” to have so many people rally around to dedicate the track in his honor.
Aitken said that he plans to present the petition and make his case for naming Carver Park’s track after McCloud during Yuma Union High School District’s monthly meeting on August 14.