John Kent Pearson (known as Kent Pearson) was born on 8 October 1943 in Christchurch, New Zealand. He attended school in Shirley, Christchurch, and high school at Christ's College. He began his studies in education and sociology at the University of Canterbury, later earning a Bachelor of Arts, followed by a Master's degree in sociology with honours at the same university. In 1968 he joined the University of New England in Australia as a researcher, where he studied agricultural colleges before pursuing a PhD in sociology, focusing on sport.

In 1974, Kent became a lecturer in the Human Movement Studies Department of the University of Queensland, where he gained international recognition for his work on sporting subcultures. He published extensively, with his doctoral thesis forming the basis of Surfing subcultures of Australia and New Zealand, making him the only person in Australia and New Zealand at the time to receive a PhD in sociology for a sport-related topic. Pearson's research was enriched by his firsthand participation, particularly in surfing. He died on 21 July 1983 from a heart attack.