Time and time again, local athletes have shown that the journey from Long Beach to the NFL is a round-trip, not a one-way voyage.
Jordan High School alum John Timu is the latest example of a former NFL player returning to his hometown to offer a football camp to aspiring young athletes. This year’s edition, run by the Timu Foundation, was the 3rd annual camp, and it was offered in its third different location in Long Beach.
After debuting at his alma mater, the event moved to Cabrillo High last year and was held at Long Beach Poly High School this past Saturday. Having the camp at its third different location offered campers from different neighborhoods an easier opportunity to participate.
“The whole idea behind it is to shed light on the best part of Long Beach. And for me growing up, this was my sanctuary,” said Timu, while standing on the sidelines at Poly’s Burcham Field. “I’m a Jordan alumni through and through, but Long Beach is my home … And hosting these events here, having the coaches be involved, allowing parents to come meet the coaches who are in it, that allows our coaches to build a relationship with the community … That’s what this camp is, but our foundation is bigger than that. It’s about serving Long Beach and giving back to our community in the best way we can.”
Kids all the way from Kindergarten age through high school were offered the chance to participate in the free camp, where more than a dozen coaches ran them through drills and skill work on the field. The campers were divided into three separate sessions–K-5th grade, 6th-8th grade, and high school–offering them drills catered to their skill level.
Timu thanked new Poly head coach Justin Utupo for sharing the Poly facilities, and he remembered back to his high school days when they went head-to-head in the Moore League. Both were members of the Class of 2010, with Timu a standout quarterback and defensive back at Jordan, and Utupo wreaking havoc as a defensive lineman/linebacker at Lakewood High.
“There’s always a deeper connection when there’s a Polynesian pipeline, and like you said, we were the same year, so there’s always been a competitive dislike for one another,” said Timu with a grin and plenty of respect, calling Utupo a superb player. “And part of our connection was having the same message: trying to uplift the best thing about the city, and that’s the people in it. We want to serve them through the sport that we both did well in, so that was kind of our connection there.”
In the NFL, Timu played three seasons for the Chicago Bears from 2015-17, and then began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Washington in 2019. After a brief stint at his alma mater, he made the jump back to the NFL, spending three seasons as an assistant with the Los Angeles Chargers. This past season, Timu was a defensive assistant with the Atlanta Falcons, where he remains on staff.
As he pursues the next stage of his football career, Timu and his foundation have shown their deep commitment to Long Beach, showcasing what local schools and coaches can offer to young athletes in the community. But more importantly, football is just a vessel, and Timu hopes to make meaningful connections beyond what the kids learn between the lines.
“We just want to make an impact in any way we can,” Timu said. “Coming out here to get a workout is one thing, but making an impact is another. I think we’re bigger than just the sport of football. We’re trying to uplift our community as much as we can through community service, and through events like this.”
For more information on the Timu Foundation and to stay informed on future camps and other events, visit TimuFoundation.com or follow them on Instagram at @timufoundation.
