After 1,119 games, 694 victories, and having coached over 500 UH Hilo student-athletes, Vulcan head softball coach Callen Perreira is retiring today after 25 years as the leader of the highly successful UH Hilo program.

The Hilo native will now reside full-time in Henderson, Nev. and work as the softball instructor for Z Cages.

Perreira leaves the Big Island as the winningest coach in any sport in UH Hilo history. He compiled a 694-422-3 record in 25 years over two different stops in Hilo. He began his Vulcan career in 1990 and continued through 2009. He left and coached at College of Southern Nevada and Silverado High School before returning to UH Hilo in 2017. 

"When I was asked to come back in 2017, I told athletic director Patrick Guillen that I would stay just three years," Perreira laughed. "That turned into five. I was grateful to be asked back and thankful to coach this bunch of players."

Perreira's last two seasons included working through COVID shortened seasons and all the challenges that came with that. Just last week, the Vulcans wrapped up 2021 with one of their most successful campaigns, advancing to the NCAA West Regional tournament and upsetting the No. 1 and 4 seeds in Concordia and Western Washington. 

In his first season (1990), the Vulcans went 13-15. But that would be one of only two losing seasons that the Vulcans would suffer through in his 25 years (the other was in 2008 when the season was cut short because of budget reasons). In 1991 they went 38-9 and reeled off 17 consecutive winning campaigns. Most recently, in his return to Hilo, Perreira's teams just missed the NCAA postseason with a 31-15 record in 2018 and a 31-17 mark in 2019. Their 2021 finish at the NCAA tournament (2-2) equals their best-ever postseason at the NCAA level, along with their 2-2 mark at the 2007 NCAA West Regional.

The Vulcans won two Pacific West Conference titles under his leadership (2004 and 2005) and made four NCAA postseason appearances. His 1992 team (34-11) won the NAIA District title and finished fourth at the NAIA World Series. 

"Coming off a historical season, being just one game away from playing in the West Region Championship, played into the decision," he added. "We all went through a lot with no Fall practice (players worked out on their own) and were tested as COVID protocol over 30 times. The girls played their hearts out. 

"Factored in with the amount of annual travel and having a great situation to step into (Z Cages) made it the right time."

At Z Cages, Perreira will give lessons to individuals, groups and teams. Those students will receive instruction from a coach that has won over 1,000 games at the Division II, junior college and high school levels. In addition to his 694 wins at UH Hilo, he went 136-104 in four seasons at Southern Nevada. He was also the Hilo High School coach from 1978 to 1987 with a splashy mark of 161-32, eight BIIF titles and Hilo High's only state championship in softball. He also coached the one year at Silverado (record unknown).

"I had great players from Year One to Year 25," he said. "I am still touch with so many of them. It is very gratifying to see them become successful in the work place and to start raising families.  

"When I started in 1990, I had no idea how long I would be here. But I am proud that we built a program that the community can be proud of. We have been consistent and respected in the west region as a Top 10 team almost every year. I am hopefully leaving the program as an attractive place for another coach to continue the tradition."

Vulcan Athletic Director Guillen added his thanks.

"To say I am grateful to Coach Perreira is an understatement," he said. "When our previous coach resigned to take on a D1 position in Texas, Coach Perreira agreed to come back out of retirement and take the reins of our program that he basically built from the ground up beginning in 1990.

"Coach Perreira has used the sport of softball to develop student-athletes to become the best that they can be as a person.  He has impacted thousands of lives and made an indelible mark on the Hawai`i softball landscape.  He is very well-respected in our State and Big Island community and I couldn't have been more proud to be able to work with him the past five years."

Perreira will miss a lot about his unique experience in Hilo, but topping the list will be his players and the community support.

"I will miss the day-to-day interactions of having players come by my office, seeing them grow through four years and then leaving with one or two degrees," he said. "It is so gratifying to see their growth on and off the field.

"Additionally, the community support in Hilo is unmatched anywhere. The people are generous and supportive all the time, win or lose. They donate their time, their money and their Aloha spirit through feeding the players and supporting them. That will be something I miss greatly."

A member of the Easton 800 Victory Club (wins at the collegiate and junior college level), Perreira will also miss his assistant coaches. 

"Mahalo to my assistant coaches for commitment and dedication to the program," he emphasized. "Together we made it into a successful and respected program. Our program has always been only as good as our assistant coaches."

When Perreira began at UH HIlo in 1990, he didn't know if he would be the softball program's coach for one year, two years or maybe even longer. But 25? No way.

"You never know how long you will be in one place, it depends on so many factors," the former US Navy veteran explained. "But I certainly didn't expect to stay 25 years. It has been a great run."

The search for a new head coach will begin in the coming weeks.