Joseph Billingsley’s connection to Compton High ran deep.
Long before he was a fixture on the Tarbabes’ sideline, Billingsley grew up around the program. He started as a water boy, later wore the Compton uniform as a player and eventually returned as a coach – beginning a relationship with the school and its football program that spanned decades.
Billingsley passed away at the end of August, leaving behind family, friends, former players and coaches throughout the Compton community mourning his loss.
“He’s a Compton guy through and through,” Compton football head coach and athletic director Calvin Bryant said. “He knew all the history and all the historical moments at Compton High School.”
Billingsley didn’t simply know that history. He was part of it.
“He knew it all,” Bryant said. “He could tell you about all the kids, the championships and the experiences that he had growing up. He was a water boy and then played at Compton High. He was just a part of this culture.”
That connection eventually allowed Billingsley to help shape the next generation.
Bryant first met him when he was hired to lead the football team at Compton High, when Billingsley was already coaching. Their relationship continued and went from a friendship to a brotherhood that lasted decades.
“He was part of my introduction to Compton football,” Bryant said. “We became friends and he became like a brother.”
The two later coached together at Dominguez and eventually worked alongside each other again while Compton operated out of the Roosevelt Middle School campus during construction of its new campus.
But Billingsley’s impact extended far beyond what happened on the football field.
He became the type of coach players could depend on away from practice, whether that meant giving them a ride, taking them to training or simply making himself available when they needed someone.
“He was a guy that really loved the kids,” Bryant said. “He would pick them up and take them somewhere, take them to training and do all kinds of things.”
That same loyalty carried into Billingsley’s relationships away from football.
He was a groomsman in Bryant’s wedding and became so close with the family that Bryant’s children knew him simply as “Uncle Joe.”
“He was part of our family more than anything,” Bryant said.
Billingsley is survived by his family, including his daughters Kimberly, Kalaya and Kamiko.
According to a GoFundMe organized for the family, Billingsley was a devoted Christian whose faith influenced the way he treated and served others. The fundraiser described him as a compassionate man who made a lasting impact on young people through his work as a football coach.
The family is raising money to help cover burial and celebration-of-life expenses following his unexpected death.
For the players and coaches who knew him, Billingsley’s absence will be felt throughout the upcoming season. Many members of Compton’s current roster knew him personally and experienced the same generosity that made him such a lasting presence around the program.
Bryant hopes their season can become a tribute to the man who spent so much of his life giving back to Compton football.
“Hopefully, with the team, we can honor him throughout the season,” Bryant said. “A lot of my players who are on this team knew him, so I just want to dedicate a great season to him.”
