Edinburg Vela head coach John Campbell announced his retirement from coaching on Wednesday morning after an impressive 20-year career.

Campbell posted a record of 171-54 with stops at San Antonio Jay, Katy Taylor, San Antonio Brandeis, San Antonio Madison and most recently Vela, where he’s led the Sabercats program since 2017. 

He began his head coaching career at San Antonio Jay in 2004 where, after going 5-5 in Year 1, he posted back-to-back nine win seasons, including an area round playoff appearance in 2006. At the end of the season, Campbell took over at Katy Taylor where he spent one season posting a 4-6 mark.

Much of Campbell’s success as a head coach came at Brandeis where he started the Broncos program in 2008. He led them to a regional final appearance three times in Class 6A posting 12-2 records in 2009, 2012 and 2014. He also notched 10 wins in 2011 and 2013. Campbell’s only losing season at Brandeis came in the schools first varsity season in 2008 when Brandeis posted a competitive 4-6 record. 

After spending one season on staff at Texas A&M-Commerce in 2015, Campbell returned to San Antonio where he led San Antonio Madison to a 4-7 mark in 2016. Campbell then transitioned to the Rio Grande Valley where he took over at Edinburg Vela for the 2017 season. 

Campbell kept Vela at the top of the heap in the Valley leading Vela to the regional finals four times, including three 12-1 seasons in 2017, 2018 and 2021. Campbell’s most impressive season may have been in 2020 when despite very strict restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic in the Valley, Campbell’s squad posted a 6-1 record and advanced to the area playoffs. 

There’s no question Edinburg Vela is the best open job in the Valley at the moment. It will be interesting to see what direction new Edinburg CISD athletic director Oscar Salinas takes the search as Vela is a program that has been successful since their inception.