“Two Claps Ready Ready”: that was the motto of Coach John Beam, the Oakland legend who was shot and killed on November 14th on the grounds of Laney College. An iconic figure in the community, Beam was known for his role as a high school and college football coach and for the personal connection he made with his players. He gained a reputation for mentoring young men, teaching them the importance of vulnerability, and offering a pathway out of the difficult circumstances many of them faced.
Beam was the head coach for Skyline High School for 16 years before moving to Laney College, where he coached their football team for 12 years before becoming the Athletics Director in 2024. In 2019, Beam starred in the hit Netflix series Last Chance U based on his Laney College football team.
In the aftermath of Beam’s death, his players and the Bay Area community mourned and reflected on his impact. Warriors Head Coach, Steve Kerr wore a shirt in memory of Beam at a press conference and Damian Lillard, an Oakland native and Portland Trailblazers star, featured his impact in an Instagram post. Fellow Oakland native and NFL legend Marshawn Lynch joined Beam’s family in court during the first appearance of the suspect in Beam’s murder.
Beam was an incredibly successful coach; at Skyline, he led his team to 15 league titles and four undefeated seasons, being named California State Coach of the Year in 1997. At Laney College, he led the team to four conference wins and one national title in 2018. Despite his teams’ consistently impressive performances, Beam’s main motivation was developing the character and future of his players. He once told ESPN reporter Tim Keown, “The hell with sports, I just want to see these kids go to college.”
Reflecting on Beam’s impact, Nahshon Wright, a former Laney player now playing for the Chicago Bears, said, “When my dad was killed, he came to my house and got me out of the bed. He was someone I could confide in, someone that I just love dearly. We talk once a week, easily… He did a lot for me and my brother and my family. He been there. He’s been there every step of the way, and it won’t stop. I gained an angel.”
Coach Beam lived on my street. I often saw him walking around my neighborhood with his wife and smiling at his neighbors through his scruffy moustache. Sometimes, Beam took his grandchildren in a stroller with him. I remember him cheerfully waving to my mom and me in the car. He was a neighborhood celebrity, someone who cared for the young men he coached, and encouraged them to be vulnerable in a community that often promoted the opposite. His impact will continue to affect the men he personally coached and the many others who admired him.