Capello was successful as a high school varsity quarterback as well, leading Edcouch-Elsa to a 10-0 record during his senior season. He was honored as an all-state player and the Yellowjackets were ranked in the top ten in the state rankings. He attended Texas A&I University on a football scholarship and graduated in 1965.

He started his coaching career at Mission High School at all levels and all sports. He coached there only briefly and left the Valley for four other jobs before returning to the Valley in 1980 at Edcouch-Elsa.

He has been at his alma mater ever since, and has racked up one of the most impressive records of any coach at any level coaching basketball. He has now coached 37 years in high school. Although he coached football and other sports for 18 years, he now devotes his time to coaching only boys’ high school basketball. His basketball teams have made the state playoffs 16 of the last 17 years. Over the last eight years, his teams have been district champs seven times and co-champion once. He has compiled a career record of 816 victories against 340 losses.

He and his wife, Gloria, have four children and 10 grandchildren.