For the Love of Baseball: Islander Alumna Valerie Perez ’14 Breaks Barriers in the World of Baseball

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Feeling the heat is nothing new for Valerie Perez ’14. Whether it’s swinging for the fences as a softball player on the scorching hot diamonds of South Texas or fighting flames as a Corpus Christi firefighter, when the heat is on, Perez appears to perform at her best. Now her two passions have come together in a new role — baseball manager.

In October 2023, the Savannah Bananas, an exhibition team which can best be described as the Harlem Globetrotters of baseball, announced a third team to their Banana Ball World Tour. They were given the moniker “The Firefighters,” and they named Perez their first manager.

Banana Ball is known for its unique rules, choreographed dancing, and showmanship. Along with record-breaking attendance numbers, the team has over 15 million followers on their various social media platforms.

The team toured May through July 2024, including stops in Nashville, Las Vegas, and at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., their first trip inside a Major League Baseball stadium. Perez used vacation time and the help of her fellow firefighters to turn her baseball dream into a reality.

“Being selected as the manager has been an incredible honor in so many ways,” Perez said. “While the walk-ups and celebrations are planned, the action on the field is the real deal. We create special moments with fans any opportunity we can get.”

For Perez, this new role was years in the making. It all began at the age of three when the Calallen native was introduced to baseball by her brothers. She played in the Oil Belt Little League for many years, and once in high school, she played softball for the Calallen Wildcats. There, she was a four-year letterwinner, a firstteam All-State shortstop, and was named First Team All-District her sophomore, junior, and senior years.

From there, it was a short trip to the Island University where she had to earn her way onto the field.

“I initially had a scholarship to play for TAMU-CC. Then I broke my tibia the last game of my senior year in high school,” Perez recounted. “I took a year off to recover, and when I came back, I had to walk on for a new coach. It was a humbling experience, but I found a way to prove I belonged there.”

Belong she did. She was named captain of the team her last two seasons at the Island University, and the softball team renamed their defensive player of the year award to “The Valerie Perez Award.” She also earned her scholarship back.

When she wasn’t excelling on the softball diamond, she was busy excelling in the classroom. She majored in health sciences with the goal of eventually becoming a firefighter for her community.

“I have always had a calling to help people, it was just a matter of how,” Perez said. “I believe being in high-pressure situations as an athlete translates very well to the fire service. I welcome the intense
pressure and take honor in the fact that I, along with my crew, are the ones that arrive on the scene to serve, rescue, and protect our community.”

Managing a baseball team, a firefighting career, and a personal life can be overwhelming, to say the least. But like her work out on the field or in the firehouse, it takes a good team. Perez credits her wife with allowing her to pursue her dreams.

“My wife has been an absolute rockstar. She has taken on all the responsibility of raising three kids, managing our household, and she has her own career,” Perez marveled. “Each decision I have made has been 100% made with consideration and protection of my family. My children have also accompanied me to different training sessions. The support from my family and friends has been incredible. I couldn’t do any of this without them.”

Perez’s most recent opportunity in the world of baseball had her facing off against some of the world’s best. She was selected to the USA Women’s Baseball team that competed in the IX World Cup in August 2024. As one of five rookies on the team, and the only player from Texas, she helped the national team take home the silver medal. It was the team’s first World Cup medal since 2014.

“Having the opportunity to put on the USA jersey and represent our country was one of the biggest honors of my life,” Perez said. “Playing baseball at this level is a big accomplishment, but to do it while representing our country is something I have dreamed of since I was a little girl.”

It’s been quite the journey for that little girl that first picked up a bat just so she could play with her brothers. What started as just a game has turned into a lifetime of opportunities for Perez.

“Baseball and softball have brought incredible opportunities to me and my family,” Perez said. “I will forever be indebted to the game.”