Netflix has created great documentaries that shine a light on a part of the world that many might not otherwise be aware of. They can also make many people celebrities of a kind. It’s because of that that more people know about the work of Coach John Beam and why so many are heartbroken at his recent loss.
On November 13, John Beam, the coach featured in the final season of the Netflix series Last Chance U, was shot, and the next morning, he died of his wounds. This terrible act has resulted in numerous former players speaking out about what Beam meant to them. Speaking with NBC News, former player Damon Owens said…
Most young people, all they need is a chance, and they also need a support structure around it, around the potential. He saw potential in me that I didn’t see myself, but he also surrounded us with the necessary support in order to galvanize that potential and grow it.
Last Chance U, available with a Netflix subscription, focused on the often underrepresented area of Junior College football programs. The series ran for three seasons. A basketball-focused spinoff, Last Chance U: Basketball, ran for two seasons.
Each season of the docuseries was located at a different college. While some of the players would have the biggest stories, the coaches were key as the series was ultimately about how the coaches helped their players through difficult times. The final season, back in 2020, was set at Laney College in Oakland, CA, where Beam had been the coach since 2012. He retired after last season. Former player Bryce Grandison told NBC…
I just think about the fact that he truly was there for everybody in a different way. And if he can call somebody, if he can make a phone call for you, if he can reach out to someone for you, that’s what he was willing to do.
Beam kept in contact with many of his former players even after they left Laney College. Clarence Hawkins, now 53, told NBC that a few years after graduating, he lost two friends, including his best friend, a former teammate, within 24 hours. This led to an emotional spiral that ended after Beam called and offered him a job coaching. Hawkins explained…
I tell my kids all the time, Coach Beam saved my life. When I lost Mo, I was lost because he was like a brother to me. And I started drinking real heavy. I started smoking a lot of weed. At that time in my life, and he knew I needed somebody.
Some of Beam’s former players would find their way to the NFL. Chicago Bears cornerback Nashton Wright and his brother Rejzohn both played under Beam. Rejzohn appeared on Last Chance U. On Twitter, the elder brother spoke about how Beam was there for both of them following the death of their father, saying…
My heart aches so much right now. Beam is the most down to earth person I’ve ever meet when my father was shot and killed he came and knocked on my door and got me and my younger brother out of bed and the rest is history. I’m glad I was able to speak with you one last time before this happened. I’ll miss sitting in that office and talking about life,football and finances, walking around that track. I could write a book about you. I’ll love and miss you Forever. Love you Beam💔
John Beam clearly had a very positive impact on many people, and his loss will be all the more strongly felt for that. 27-year-ol Cedric Irving Jr. has been arrested for the shooting. It’s being reported that the two men knew each other, but were not close, so the motive for the attack is still unclear.