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John Beam
Beam (right) coaching Skyline in 1986
Biographical details
BornJanuary 1959
San Diego, California, U.S.
DiedNovember 14, 2025(2025-11-14) (aged 66)
Oakland, California, U.S.
Alma materCal State East Bay
Playing career
1977–1978San Diego Mesa
PositionTackle
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1979–1980Serra HS (CA) (OL)
1982–1986Skyline HS (CA) (DC)
1987–2003Skyline HS (CA)
2004Laney (RB)
2005–2011Laney (OC)
2012–2024Laney
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
2006–2025Laney
Head coaching record
Overall80–52 (junior college)
160–33–3 (high school)
Bowls2–3
Tournaments2–2 (CCCAA playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
CCCAA (2018)
Golden Gate Conference (2012)
National Valley League (2017)
National Bay 6 League (2022)

John Edward Beam (January 1959 – November 14, 2025) was an American football coach and faculty athletics director.[1] He served as the head football coach at Laney College in Oakland, California, from 2012 to 2024. Beam starred in the fifth season of the Netflix documentary series Last Chance U, which was released in 2020.[2] Away from the playing field, Beam was a beloved figure in the Oakland area and served as a mentor to thousands of youth.[3] More than 30 of his former student athletes played in the National Football League (NFL).[4]

Early life and education

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Beam was born in San Diego, California, in January 1959, to a white American father and Korean mother.[5][6] His parents met when Beam's father, who was in the Navy, was stationed in South Korea. Neither of his parents graduated from high school.[6]

Beam went to preschool in Japan before the family moved back to San Diego.[6] He played varsity football at Kearny High School in 1975 and 1976[7] and at San Diego Mesa College in 1977 and 1978.[8] Following his wife, Cindi, to the San Francisco Bay Area for school, Beam transferred to Cal State East Bay (then known as Cal State Hayward) where he earned a bachelor's degree.[4][6]

Career

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High school coaching

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Beam began his coaching career in 1979 as an offensive line coach at Serra High School in San Diego.[9] In 1982, Beam took the defensive coordinator position at Skyline High School in Oakland.[10] He became the head football coach at Skyline High School in 1987,[9] where he led the Titans to a 160–33–3 record, 15 Oakland Athletic League championships, and 11 Oakland Section titles.[11] The Titans also had four undefeated seasons under Beam's leadership.[12] In 1997, he was named the California State Coach of the Year.[13]

Over 100 students went on to play Division 1 football under Beam's leadership and guidance.[14]

Laney College (2004–2025)

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Beam joined the Laney College football program in 2004 as the running backs coach and became the offensive coordinator in 2005.[2][13] He became the head coach in 2012 and led the Eagles to a California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) championship in 2018.[2][9][15] He also was named the CCCAA Coach of the Year in 2018.[10] Throughout Beam's tenure, Laney had .600 winning percentage and participated in four bowl games.[13] Over 90% of Beam's players graduated or transferred to four-year schools, including several who played in the NFL.[12]

In 2020, Laney College was featured in the Netflix series Last Chance U, which followed the 2019 football season.[15]

Beam retired from coaching in 2024 but stayed on as the athletics director.[2]

Personal life

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Beam was a notable figure in the Oakland area, known for his bushy mustache and for mentoring local youth.[3][5] He typically ended speeches with his trademark sign off, "Two claps, ready, ready."[3][5] Beam was inducted into the Kearny High School athletics hall of fame.[5]

Beam met his wife, Cynthia "Cindi" Rivera, when she was a student at University of California, San Diego.[10] The couple had two daughters, Monica and Sonjha.[5]

Death

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Beam was shot at Laney College on November 13, 2025. Authorities reviewed surveillance footage to determine the circumstances of the shooting.[16] A suspect was arrested by the Oakland Police the next day in connection with the shooting of Beam.[17] Beam died from the gunshot wound to the head on the same day as the arrest.[5][18] The day before he was shot, Beam had expressed concerns about public safety on the campus of Laney College, and specifically the field house, after the Peralta Community College District in 2020 terminated its contract with the Alameda County Sheriff's Office, which provided armed deputies to protect the school, and replaced them with six unarmed private contractors.[19]

Head coaching record

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Junior college

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs CCCAA#
Laney Eagles (Golden Gate Conference) (2012–2013)
2012 Laney 5–6 3–1 T–1st L East Bay Bowl 14
2013 Laney 8–3 3–1 2nd W Bay Bowl 9
2014 Laney 6–5 4–1 T–1st L Bulldog Bowl 10
Laney Eagles (National Valley League) (2015–2017)
2015 Laney 4–6 1–4 5th
2016 Laney 9–2 4–1 2nd W San Francisco Community College Bowl
2017 Laney 9–2 5–0 1st L NCFC semifinal 6
Laney Eagles (National Bay 6 League) (2018–2024)
2018 Laney 11–2 4–1 2nd W CCCAA championship
2019 Laney 6–5 4–1 2nd 19
2020–21 No team—COVID-19
2021 Laney 6–5 2–3 4th 19
2022 Laney 8–3 4–1 T–1st L NCFC semifinal 5
2023 Laney 4–6 3–2 3rd
2024 Laney 4–7 1–4 5th
Laney: 80–52 38–20
Total: 80–52
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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  1. ^ "Faculty Senate". Laney College. Archived from the original on November 16, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d Catalin, Mike; Daley, Haven (November 14, 2025). "College football coach John Beam from 'Last Chance U' has died after being shot, Oakland police say". Associated Press. Retrieved November 14, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c Kamrani, Christopher (November 19, 2025). "The Legacy of Last Chance U coach John Beam: A father to many in the Bay Area". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 19, 2025.
  4. ^ a b Bales, Romi (November 14, 2025). "Laney College Athletic Director John Beam, dead at 66". The Citizen. Retrieved November 19, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Mukherjee, Shomik (November 14, 2025). "Coach John Beam, beloved staple of Oakland sports, dies from gunshot wound". The Mercury News. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d Sanders, David Lee (July 24, 2023). "Interview with John Beam". HalfKorean.com. Retrieved November 18, 2025.
  7. ^ "1977 Kearny High School Yearbook". Classmates.com. 1977. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
  8. ^ Shumaker, Ryan (November 14, 2025). "Statement on Coach John Beam". San Diego Mesa College. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
  9. ^ a b c Heck, Jordan (September 18, 2021). "Who is John Beam? 5 facts to know about the new 'Last Chance U' coach". Sporting News. Retrieved November 14, 2025.
  10. ^ a b c "John Beam, legendary Oakland football coach shot at Laney College, has died". Oaklandside. November 14, 2025. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
  11. ^ Becker, Jon (August 9, 2019). "Why Laney's football coach is pushing back on premise of 'Last Chance U'". The Mercury News. Retrieved November 14, 2025.
  12. ^ a b "John Beam, "Last Chance U" coach, dies after shooting at Laney College in Oakland, California - CBS San Francisco". www.cbsnews.com. November 14, 2025. Retrieved November 19, 2025.
  13. ^ a b c "What to know about Laney College Athletic Director John Beam who was shot on Oakland campus". ABC7 San Francisco. November 13, 2025. Retrieved November 19, 2025.
  14. ^ Dotson, Nijzel (November 15, 2025). "Sacramento-area coaches speak on impact of John Beam after he was shot, killed at Laney College". KCRA. Retrieved November 19, 2025.
  15. ^ a b Langmann, Brady (July 30, 2020). "Laney Coach John Beam Wants Everyone to Know the One Thing Last Chance U Got Wrong". Esquire. Retrieved November 14, 2025.
  16. ^ Helsel, Phil; Dallman, Angela (November 13, 2025). "John Beam, who appeared on Netflix's 'Last Chance U,' is shot". NBC News. Retrieved November 14, 2025.
  17. ^ "Arrest made in fatal shooting of John Beam, football coach featured in Netflix's 'Last Chance U'". NBC News. November 15, 2025. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
  18. ^ Phan, Suzanne (November 14, 2025). "John Beam shooting: Legendary Oakland coach John Beam dies after Laney College shooting; Suspect arrested". ABC 7 Bay Area. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
  19. ^ "John Beam voiced concerns about Laney College safety day before killing". sfstandard.com. November 14, 2025. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  20. ^
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  • Media related to John Beam at Wikimedia Commons
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