| School: Franklin | Graduation Year: 1990 |
Year Inducted: 2020
Rufus Dean-El (Franklin, 1989)
Sports Played: Football, Wrestling
High School Honors: 3 Football and 4 Wrestling Letters. 1st team All-PIL running back, Honorable Mention All-State as a Senior, scored 20 touchdowns, gained 1432 yards (150 yards per game, 6.9 yards per cary). Co-Offensive MVP as a Junior and Senior; all-time leading rusher at Franklin through 1990. PIL Wrestling 3rd Place (189lbs) as a Junior; #4 seed in State as a Senior.
Post High School Career: Collegiate studies at College of the Redwoods, Santa Rosa Junior College, Portland State, and American Intercontinental University. Launched special event planning company Concepts Unlimited; helped implement Oregon’s Amber Alert program. Appointed by Portland Mayor Vera Katz to Urban Renewal Transportation Working Group; launched New Options Property Investment and Acquisition LLC in 2014.
Commentary:
A big inspiration for me during my tenure at Franklin High as it relates to athletics would be in the area of wrestling. A wrestler learns to focus, build mental toughness while developing physical toughness, and finally adopting the persona to never give up and to always win.
In regards to encouragement, Jim (The Doctor) Doolittle, Rod Chace, Joe Gollati, Kris “Mooney” Tellegan, Chuck Calhoun, Asst. Coach Jim Rodriquez and Rick Fazzolari encouraged me to always apply a high level of effort in academics, as I did with sports, and step into the fullest expression of what I am to become.