a bit about john
John Pearce (born January 13, 1947) is a former American football coach. John was a Texas High School coach for 19 years before moving into the college ranks. He was an assistant coach at Texas A&M University before becoming the head football coach at Stephen F. Austin State Univeristy from 1992-98. At SFA, he was the only coach, during that time period in 1-AA football (now FCS), to have his team nationally ranked every single week for five consecutive years. After leaving his position at Stephen F. Austin, he was an assistant coach at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Assistant Head Coach at Rice University.
After retirement, he and his wife Jaime returned to Texas from California and built a home in Sugar Land. In retirement, he had noted he wanted to be a "soccer mom" for his grandchildren. He accomplished this goal as his four granddaughters grew up.
In 2014, he became a published author with "Ever Remember the Days of 1913-1914" followed by "A Private in the Texas Army" in 2022. He and THE LOVE of his life, Jaime, have been married 56 years and enjoy spending every moment together 24/7.
1963-1964
Pearce played high school football for his hometown the Sulphur Springs Wildcats. His junior year, 1963, he played in a never to be forgotten game on November 22, 1963. The Wildcats faced Paris High School, a team they hadn't beaten in 27 consecutive attempts.
Later Pearce wrote a historical short story on "We Played the Game" concerning this contest on the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Sulphur Springs won 44-6, but the meaning of the accomplishment, due to the horrific circumstanes, was lost.
In his high school senior season of 1964 for the Wildcats, Pearce was selected , along with his life-long friend Que Brittain, by their teammates as co-captains. The same season he was an all-district and honorable mention all-state linebacker selection.
In 2011, the Sulphur Springs New-Telegram celebrated 100 years of Wildcat football by picking the All-Century team for Sulphur Springs High School. Pearce was a member of that elite team as the best in Sulphur Springs football history after earlier being honored as a player on the Wildcat Hall of Honor in 1996.
1965 - 1969
In 1965, Pearce received a football scholarship to Texas A&M University. He attended Texas A&M for two years, lettering as a linebacker on the freshman team, before transferring and finishing his playing career at East Texas State University. He graduated in 1970 from ETSU and in 1992 was honored as an Ambassador for the ETSU Alumni Association.
He married Jaime McKinney on June 29, 1968, in Sulphur Springs, Texas, and they had two children, Amy Elizabeth born on November 8, 1969, in Sulphur Springs and Michael Frank born on January 29, 1973, in Waco, Texas.
1970 - 1974
In his first coaching job, from 1970 through 1973, Pearce served as an assistant football coach and defensive coordinator, JV basketball coach, JV baseball coach, and head track coach at Waco Connally High School under Don Hanks. In 1974, he joined the Kilgore High School staff as assistant track coach and the defensive coordinator for former NFL quarterback Buddy Humphrey.
1975 - 1981
For the next 14 years, Pearce was the head coach at Allen (1975-81), Sherman (1982-83) and Ft. Bend Willowridge (1984-88).
At Allen High School, Pearce was the district coach of the year three-times and produced four state rank teams. In the 20th century, his winning percentage was the highest of any Allen coach, and in 1980, an 11-wins season was the most for any Allen 11-man football team. It was not until 23 seasons later, 2003, that an Allen team won more.
1982 – 1983
For two years, Pearce was the Head Football Coach and Athletic Director at Sherman High School. After the 1983 season, Pearce received the head football coach position at Ft. Bend Willowridge High School.