Elijhaa Penny is a former American football fullback. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals after going undrafted in the 2016 NFL Draft. He played college football at Idaho and Cerritos College. He has also played for the New York Giants and now he is teaching our football hopefuls at John Glenn High School in Norwalk.
“It’s a great opportunity because I really get to instruct the kids in this community. I have mentored many of these kids during my time with the NFL with all the free camps.” Penny said. “To see the same kids that were showing up to my camps now show up for our team is an awesome feeling.”
Penny, 29, is a 2011 graduate of Norwalk High School, where he was the Suburban League MVP, earned All-CIF honors and was selected to the Press-Telegram Dream Team.
“This all began when I was in high school; I played mostly baseball and basketball. The football coach bribed me to come and try out for the football team. I was in love with football,” said Penny. “With my age in play, I knew that my time would be short on the NFL. I loved the game, but it can really mess your body up. The injuries that I received, you have to be willing to take a hit every game. So I decided to come home.”
“From high school I received numerous offers at the conference, but I wasn’t prepared for that. After Cerritos College I received more invitations and decided on Idaho. The university offered all the right perks.”
Penny’s goal is to be the best coach that JGHS has ever had. He and his brother have a charitable foundation called Two Cent Family Foundation. Founded in 2018, The Two Cent Family Foundation is a family-run non-profit organization that provides recreational experiences and educational resources to children. The Foundation also offers a football camp, the free football clinic, teaches young players about sportsmanship, teamwork, and hard work while incorporating mentorship from the two NFL brothers, Rashaad and Elijaah Penny.
When asked how Penny plans to pull his NFL training, the Foundation and his new Coaching career together, he was honest and remarked “Sometimes I don’t know! I have a plan mapped out and in twenty years I plan to be on the sideline watching my sons carry on the football tradition.”
Outside of football, Penny says his biggest passion is fostering young football minds, he writes, produces and sings his own music “ I produce my own beats and rap a little bit, I’m Jay-Z baby and love to entertain with my own sounds. I’m a decent golfer and love video games.”
“I think that the District hired me, because I am young and can relate better to the kids. Being someone from this community, I know the school and the history and I feel I was the perfect candidate to take on this challenge. I knew I would also coach and coming home was the best transition for me,” added Penny.
“I have accomplished everything I have set out to do – I am very proud of my accomplishments. Molding a winning football team out of these young men would be the best thing I have ever accomplished.”
Penny said he went through a lot in high school, “My path wasn’t easy, but there was one man that encouraged me; he didn’t quit on me; didn’t give up on me. I just knew how important that was for me and I know there are other kids out here…in this community; kids everywhere that just are need of someone’s help. And if you are going to doing something do it right, because it will translate in everything you do. How you do anything is how you do everything. With all that you got.”
