Devon Pearce

To borrow from Jackie Robinson: “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”

I try to apply this quote anytime the potential to think too highly of oneself is present. So, if anything I’ve done is to be remembered, let it be because it uplifted someone, inspired, or encouraged them to see what they are capable of.

I’m humbled and honored to be inducted into the PIL Hall of Fame—alongside Portland legends I admired from the bleachers, friends I had the privilege of playing with and against (y’all know who you are), and these newer legends continuing to showcase the incredible talent we have in our city and state.

For me, sports have always been more than a game; more than just competition. Sports have been a powerful teacher of discipline, resilience, and teamwork. Athletics has a way of revealing who we are — and who we can become — through effort, attitude, and adversity. That’s why I’ve stayed involved, coaching girls basketball for over five years and guiding my kids through their own athletic journeys. Because I believe sports don’t just build athletes—they build leaders.

In my own life, excelling in sports opened doors I didn’t even know existed. A football scholarship gave me access to college — an opportunity I wasn’t seeking and likely couldn’t have afforded. That opportunity led to higher education, which became the foundation for everything that followed. With my wife, Valarie, we established a family standard of academic excellence— where legacy isn’t just something you leave behind, it’s something you build forward.

Today, that legacy lives on in our children — Dexter, Iman, and Raven — who’ve turned those early lessons into extraordinary paths: from Lewis & Clark and Duke Law, Spelman College and Yale Divinity, and Portland State University Architecture … That’s the power of opportunity and legacy. 

To my mom and family — thank you for cheering on a young Devon, without knowing what could be.

To the coaches and alumni at Madison -- thank you for paving the way for this recognition.

To Valarie, my life partner in every sense — thank you for being my co-teacher in life’s natural and spiritual lessons to our legacy — and for nursing me back to health after every knee surgery from rec league basketball!

And thank you to the incredible men and women in Portland wh oserve our community every day. You are my “Now” inspiration. And as Arthur Ashe once said:

“True heroism is not the urge to surpass others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.”

Godspeed to all who work to make our community better.

And above all, I thank my Lord and Savior, who makes all things possible for those who believe.