Capuchino football coach Ben White steps down

In addition to his three years at Capuchino, White coached at South City from 1994-2001, at Carlmont from 2002-04 and Exeter High School in Exeter, California from 2005-13.

“I just want to get back to the valley, back to where football is king, where it’s a lot cheaper to raise a family,” White said. “I like Cap but, just for my family, this is a better situation.”

White was hired at Orosi within days of the varsity head coaching position opening up. Frank Manquero, who served as the Cardinals’ head coach for the previous two years, was recruited as an assistant coach at College of the Sequoias, according to Orosi principal Roberto Vaca.

The job was officially posted last Wednesday, with White among nine candidates to interview for the position. After interviewing with two panels, White was a unanimous selection, according to Vaca.

“All I heard was he was the first choice,” Vaca said. “They really appreciated his level of energy, they love his openness … and then his track record, everywhere he’s been, he’s been successful”

White took over at Cap in 2014 after the Mustangs, the previous year, posted a 1-9 overall record, including a winless mark and a last-place finish in the Peninsula Athletic League Ocean Division. Cap moved to the lower PAL Lake Division in 2014 where, in three seasons, White led the team to a 19-12 overall record, including a 13-2 mark in league play and a PAL Lake championship in 2015.

“I’ve always left my teams in much better condition that when I took over,” White said. “Whenever I leave, that’s what I’m most proud of, that my teams are 100 percent better than when I found them.”

With enrollment at approximately 1,100 students, Orosi plays in the East Sierra League, where the team finished a flat .500 across the board in 2016 at 5-5 overall and 2-2 in league. The Cardinals haven’t finished above the .500 mark since 2012 and last won a league title in 2004, when Manquero played there. Manquero, who went on to play at Fresno State, was also Orosi’s last Division I recruit, according to Vaca.

White said the cultural difference of the area — Orosi is located in Tulare County — is there are no issues with players transferring to other schools, something that is epidemic in San Mateo County.

“You don’t have to worry about guys transferring here or there, going to private school or anything like that,” White said. “There’s no place for them to go.”

White is optimistic Cap will be in a good place next season. White said Capuchino has yet to name a new coach. Capuchino athletic director Matt Wilson could not be reached for comment.

“They’re going to be good,” White said. “I’m handing over my program on a silver platter. This is like a CCS or bust team.”

A Belmont native and 1986 graduate of Carlmont, White currently resides in Belmont with his wife Frances and his two children Kaitlyn, 11, and Michael, 9. They will relocate in the summer, when White’s contract is up at Capuchino.

According to Vaca, White’s acumen as a teacher was another point in his favor. He will teach social studies full time in addition to running the varsity team at Orosi.

“I know we interviewed for a football head coach but, in the process, we were interviewing for a teacher, and even there he rose to the top,” Vaca said. “So I got a whole package deal.”