Coach Beam.

It’s tragic and heartbreaking what happened to him on Thursday. I was stunned when I saw the headline.

I didn’t know about him until Last Chance U. I watched a bit of that season, but now I’ll have to finish it.

I never formally met him, but we were on the same flight home from JFK to SFO back in 2024. I had to do a double take. He was rocking his green, so I knew it was him!! He was on the phone. I wish I would’ve said hello and shook his hand, but that’s okay.

JUCO football is still fairly new to me because I didn’t pay much attention to it before I transferred to UC Davis. But now, I fully support it!!! I’ve got a friend on the Laney football team who is about to transfer to a D1 school. We’re bay rivals, but I still support him. 😂

It’s hard to wrap my head around everything at the moment. Coach Beam gave so much to Oakland. He was a pillar for the East Bay, the Bay Area, and beyond. Football lost a great one.

His final year of coaching was the 2024 season. I was fortunate enough to see a game at Laney last October. I saw him on the sidelines.

RIP Coach Beam. You’ve touched so many lives!

Photo credit: John Beam

2 claps, ready ready. 🦅💚

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