Hyndman out as Cap football coach

The 15-year Mustang man confirmed to the Daily Journal last night that he has been relieved of his coaching duties effective immediately following two years as the Capuchino head coach. Hyndman had returned to his high school alma mater after a four-season hiatus in which Chris Chaika and Jordan Seiden were at the helm.

"It's just a shocking day for me,” Hyndman said. "I've been at the school for 15 years. I came to Capuchino as an alumni and I'm just in shock. And to go through that evaluation totally not agreeing with what took place was a shock to me.”

A phone call to Capuchino principal Shamar Shanks went unanswered as of press time.

Hyndman said he met with Shanks and Capuchino athletic director Matt Wilson on Tuesday at which time he was informed of the school's decision.

"The reasons, of course, all of them I disagreed with,” Hyndman said, adding he could not go into specific detail. "I can say, one of the reasons were there were parent complaints over the year. I was only aware throughout the year of one parent complaint. That's unfortunate.”

Since returning to Capuchino two season ago, Hyndman had led the Mustangs to a 12-9 overall record including a 9-1 mark in Peninsula Athletic League Lake Division play — that mark was good for two league championships (co-championship in 2011).

Dating back to 2001, the Mustangs have enjoyed just four winning seasons, all of which had come under Hyndman's control. The 2012 season also marked a Mustang return to the Central Coast Section playoffs — a first since 2001.

"And that's why it's also shocking,” Hyndman said. "And I know the kids are going to be shocked as they find out as well. And again, I'm just in shock that this took place.”

Hyndman, a former Capuchino athletic director, first left the program in 2007. Records dating back to 2001 have the Mustangs with a 28-34 mark under his helm.

But the Capuchino football program had a rebirth of sorts upon his return in 2011. Riding the legs of Mustang legend Justin Ewing, Capuchino went 4-1 in Lake Division play in 2011, capturing a share of the league title but missing out on the CCS playoffs.

Then in 2012, Ewing's CCS-record 2,956 yards on 396 carries catapulted the Mustangs to an outright Lake title — their first of that sort since 1958. Capuchino went on to play as the No. 8 seed in the CCS Division IV bracket where they'd lose to No. 1 Seaside.

Hydnman's firing marks the second Capuchino head coach at the helm of a major team to be let go within the last year. Last February, former Mustangs basketball coach Doug Fountain, now the head man at Woodside High School, was fired for allegedly not playing a player who, according to Fountain, repeatedly violated team rules.