Terms in this set (31) Who was Danny Diaz? Julie White poses during the arrivals for the opening night performance of "Red" at the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum on Sunday, Aug. 12, 2012, in Los Angeles, Calif. (Photo by Ryan Miller . That's OK. We're doing it for our kids, we'll do it for you. The actor rode the pink bike, not the coach. Central Valley. 12, The real Jim White and wife Cheryl White actually have three daughters, Tami, Julie and Jami. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. One day he got a call from White reminding him why he was in school. "We achieved what we set out to do. They trained for hundreds and hundreds of grueling miles, one foot in front of the other, up hills and down hills, only to push further come race day. White. Thomas Valles, a former member of the McFarland, Calif. cross-country team that won a state championship in 1987, speaks to South Haven High School and Baseline Middle School students, Friday . Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. | When I say Mr. White became my father figure and Mrs. White became my mother figure. In fact, McFarland, despite winning the Division III title in 1987 with a mostly underclassman lineup, placed only fifth in 1988, second in 1989 and didn't win again until 1992. It reminds me of another good one, Glory Road. Let's do it because it's the right thing to do. Even though we both have the same last name, we are not related and she made sure to tell me that on a few occasions.". "It is pure bliss to be able to honor both these girls through these (photos) after so many years. Victor Puentes is just to his left. Pow. They worked hard. None of us could carry a tune even if our lives depended on it. This included members of the Bakersfield High Drillers. They were cross country state champs in 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2001. They are portrayed to be 15 and 10, a few years younger than they actually were at the time of the first state title in 1987 (the girls were in college at the time). She won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance in The Little Dog Laughed in 2007. No, the real Coach Jim White actually started coaching cross country at McFarland High School in 1980. That was the true beginning of the program's championship run to eight more titles. Diaz, Damacio Diaz, David Diaz, Diego They are portrayed to be 15 and 10, a few years younger than they actually were at the time of the first state title in 1987 (the girls were in college at the time). (He had a) poor relationship with dad. "Sometimes a setback like that brings people and teams closer and more intimate with each other, and we found ourselves running for McFarland, Mr. White and most importantly, for each other.". Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. "The best part wasn't winning a state championship or winning medals," Valles said, "it's what we did afterward, our education, our careers, my family. Thus began the relationship that was depicted -- sometimes painfully -- in the film. Retired - living in McFarland. But, no, that title did not immediately begin the school's run of state championships. Upset that his wife put him in jail, he got out and filed for divorce. But then you have some little kidI just met a little boy, Alex, in the market today. Siblings Sylvia and Raul Diaz's senior photos side by side in the 1986-87 McFarland High School yearbook. Their legs were shot by Friday, the day before State.". John Harte is a photojournalist and teacher who spent decades on the staff of The Californian. compositor Karina Benesh . I guarantee I wouldn't have missed. "We ran at Mt. Julie, and Jamie, and four grandchildren. He was inspired by how far Valles had come. White, 79, said his experience at Franklin shaped his path toward McFarland. "He had to be wondering, 'Hey, what am I doing up here?' Plainview teen preparing to take Houston Rodeo entertainment stage with Castillo game-winner sends Floydada to regional semi-finals, Sam Elliott award winner for male actor in "1883", High winds, lots of dirt cause havoc across Plainview, Texas bluebonnet season is almost here. Who was Thomas Valles? His family was dysfunctional. Ultimately, God has everything in the palm of his hand, but sometimes one can't understand the reason as to why certain things happen and why certain people pass too early.". "She was crying and hugging Danny. As stated above, the real Jim White started teaching in the McFarland School District straight out of college in 1964. : The actress is best known for her role as Lulu Hogg, the wife of Boss Hogg, on the classic "Dukes of Hazzard." She was also on "The Waltons" and "Step by Step." "Grace Under Fire" would be her last acting job as she retired after the show's cancellation and passed away on February 5, 2011, at the age of 89. Ayon is the current McFarland boys coach. That streak ended while the movie was in production, after the small school was elevated to Division I status, a byproduct of their success. My parents always encouraged us to work hard.. The real Coach Jim White took both the boys and girls cross country teams to the California central coast beach at Cayucos during the 1985 season (not the 1987 season). Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, Sports Illustrateds Gary Smith wrote in the story that inspired the movie. His marathon goal falls in line with the releaseof McFarland USA on Disney+ last month. Julie and Jami are depicted in the McFarland, USA movie. it's not all true but he's okay with that. It was an emotional and . Life at home was rough. I didn't want to go home," says Thomas. He cared and he showed it. The memorial pages in the 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook for Herlinda Gonzalez and Sylvia Diaz. I thought that was normal. -KGET 17, Yes. "David and Danny (Diaz) are in education. Yes, the nickname the boys gave him, as depicted in the film, was real. No one outworked the boys of McFarland. The photos I made of the teams in the aftermath of the accident were the first I would shoot of McFarland's string of tragedies in the 1980s. I never photographed or met Sylvia Diaz or Herlinda Gonzalez, but the memories of the pictures I took in the aftermath of their deaths in 1986 would impact me deeply and remain with me through the remainder of my photojournalism career. He also explored parts of California, Nevada and took an overseas trip to Taiwan places he might not have been able to visit had it not been for White. 1. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. He showed Valles how running could set him free. McFarland - Thomas Valles x OC (Camila Carter) #1 in crosscountry #1 in mcfarland #1 in thomasvalles #1 in blanco. McFarland was that 'small' then and is still today. Everybody has a Jim White in their lives, Valles said, referencing his famous high school coach. The film shows White taking the team to fields for simulated hill training on mounds of raw almonds. This was the best of the best. potential at the predominantly Latino high Top, in tree: Luis Partida and Victor Puentes. 104. what does cheryl white want coach white to pick up for julies birthday. All of a sudden I saw these headlights and it was Mr. White in his '59 Chevy." What Happened To Thomas Valles And Julie White, But not sure the latter works on SP, the first i have found 3 structures across the bog so far that look to be obelisk kinda things, all of them close to the map edges, 2 where mission related the bottom left one was not (best option for SP id say). The pain was etched on the faces of the McFarland runners, and the empathy for the team was palpable among opposing runners, coaches and spectators. They're all professionals. A recent gathering of Norma Lopez Takahashi, Flora Diaz and Dolores Plata Rodriguez with Sylvia Diaz's photo album. those boys were heroes to many. Dolores Plata is sitting on the grass. Standing, from left: coach Gary Pierson, Norma Torres, Norma Lopez, Delfina Herrera and coach Jim White. Many students were touched. He later taught woodshop and physical education. A young girl approached Thomas Valles, McFarlands No. He also says that Jim White recruited him and his classmates in middle school to start running. Thomas Valles was barely a teenager when a coach stepped in and changed his life. Jim's lack of experience in coaching cross-country isn't some throwaway plot point meant to give the character one more . What you don't see in the film is sixth runner Luis Partida, who was replaced on the team in McFarland USA by David Diaz, who had actually graduated in 1986. Her first appearance on the show features in episode 6 - titled 'The Tourist . March 29, 2022, 12:48 PM PDT. But he did say there was a "low-rider" bike with his nickname "Blanco" on it. 2023 2019 ABG-SI LLC. This mantra propelled the boys of McFarland High School to their the first California State Cross Country Championships in 1987. -KGET 17. I know bcuz Mr. Gonzalez had come 2 my office 2 bring in his work insurance, which his insurance didnt pay much. The disciplinarian was out of the house, Valles said. Education, law enforcement, business owners. In this photo likely shot by a teammate with Raul Diaz's camera, the McFarland boys and girls cross-country teams pose on the beach at Cayucos after coach Jim White made an impromptu stop following the Santa Maria Invitational in 1985. He also said he didn't have a relationship with his baseball coach and questioned why there couldn't have been a better relationship. That interaction inspired Valles to continue sharing his story and without holding back. "Just getting everybody to believe in themselves," Valles said was how White developed and maintained the program at such a high level. Below we tell the story of White, Valles and the 1987 championship team and point out areas of Hollywood fiction. A live-action Disney movie starring Kevin Costner, this 2015 film set in the late 1980s opens on the downward spiraling career of high school football coach Jim White (Costner). In seventh grade, Valles said his PE teacher (White) introduced himself and said he coached cross country and track. His mom called White who hopped in his vehicle and set out to find Valles and talked him down when he found him. Yet 35 years later, coach White and all seven boys from the 1987 team are back making a difference in the city they love: McFarland, USA. Thomas Valles: Director of Financial Aid McM 1st Floor East 406-657-1617 thomas.valles@msubillings.edu . He was named an all-state athlete in his freshman year. Thirty minutes later, they were hit by a vehicle on Whisler Road. They're my brothers.. Photos: Apocalyptic skies hung over Texas panhandle Monday. That was my running family, my brothers, my teammates, Mr. She was 16 and I was 18 on Oct. 27, 1986. Suspense: . Pictured are Norma Torres and Hollie Wykoff, right, after the race. I wish it had told a little more about the truth of Blanco and who he was and why he was there. Disney took a few creative liberties with creating the feature film, Valles said. Excellent, no trash or language. Sylvia was pronounced dead at Delano Regional Medical Center; Herlinda died the following day. on their time as cross country runners ', "But as people started asking me about the movie and telling me 'Hey, Thomas, but didn't this happen? Local photojournalist John Harte, who followed the team at the time, says that he witnessed opposing teams offer genuine handshakes of good luck. The movie downplayed the circumstances in which Valles grew up. Its a town that draws in running teams from across the country for motivational talks, and its a town that knows champions can be made there. visual effects coordinator: Shade VFX "He's the one who . Thomas Valles prays before the start of the Kern Invitational on November 1, 1986, five days after two teammates from the girls team were killed during a practice session. The film McFarland USA(2015) is based on a true story of a Teacher/Coach, Jim White (Kevin Costner) and a high school cross country team from a poor farm town in Central California. SKOTY. 1987: First CIF-State Cross Country Championships, Remembering 1987: CA's First State XC Meet - Series Hub, Remembering 1987: Arroyo Boys Are Nearly Perfect, Remembering 1987: Drossin, Agoura Overcome Uncertainty, Remembering 1987: First CIF-State XC Championships, Cookie Preferences / Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. But his dream would be realized. "Neither did I throw that shoe at that young man. Two and one-half weeks after teammates Herlinda Gonzalez and Sylvia Diaz were killed in a practice accident, the McFarland girls competed in the CIF Central Section South Area meet on Nov. 13, 1986. Valles, his coach Jim White, and six teammates were the CIF California State Cross Country Champions in 1987. Thomas received a degree and served our country before returning to McFarland to raise a family and also help coach the McFarland . Sophomore Johnny Samaniego was 12th overall (sixth in scoring). We were young and carefree. Playing Grace's best friend in Grace Under Fire, White had a falling out which resulted in her giving her notice to the show. The 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook page dedicated to James Lopez, who drowned in the Kern River. Three shots that changed everyone's life. Romance: Thomas Valles (Carlos Pratts) and Jim's daughter, Julie White (Morgan Saylor), have some serious chemistry. All seven Diaz children ran for Jim White and all seven went . Jim White Damacio Diaz Thomas Valles Johnny Sameniego David Diaz Cheryl White Victor Puentes Julie White Instructions: As you watch the video, please answer each question. Danny's brother. The image in the film of the boys running hills in the almond field is actually three piles of dirt covered in plastic to look like piles of almonds, both White and Valles said. Stationed at Soledad and living in Salinas, he applied to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitationto fulfill his dream in law enforcement. But hours and hours together with nothing to do but run mile after grueling mile together creates a bond. While Hollywood fictionalized the story, Blanco developed a real dynasty in high school cross country.. The town had two places to go to jail and nine places to go to eat, Sports Illustrateds Gary Smith wrote in the story that inspired the movie. There was alcohol or drug abuse in their homes. Julie White has moved to small town McFarland with her family. Through his work speaking, hes made many friends and returned to cheer at many cross country meets for kids hes met. "I was blessed that I got the opportunity to be apart of something that kept me off the streets of McFarland. I didn't do that until I met the Whites. Jim White coaching photo by Kirby Lee/Image of Sport. 'tain mais faites-le taire, cuy-l, avec sa tte de vieux nourrisson moche, j'ai pas un sou et je ne rve que de la #REVOLUTION ! Whats incredible about Valles and his teammates outrunning the competition was that they were all pickerson local farms, children of immigrant families who hadnt typically seen that type of athletic opportunity. By 1986, Texas-born Coach Jim White, nicknamed Blanco by his Latino team, had built a locally dominant cross country team. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph. Update, February 19, 2015: I found these additional photos from my coverage of the 1986 South Area championship at Hart Park. Immediately after the race, Valles said he was taken with a group of top finishers for awards and media but didn't know if the team had actually won. "We're going to go out and try to win the state title.". Carter Bonas Is the . Coach Jim White and his wife, Cheryl, with team member Thomas Valles at the 1987 California Southern Area cross country meet at Hart Park in Bakersfield.. Beside above, what did the boys learn from their experience running for the McFarland High School cross country team? 1 runner on the 1987 championship team, and asked if he was still close with his high school teammates. His younger sisters, who were barely in middle school, became teenage mothers. Jim was known for being a tough coach by his runners but also for his selfless acts of helping out with the boys, the town and the church. I have never forgotten what it was like covering 1980s McFarland, from the image of those girls posing in front of the limousine and trying to look happy to the night one year later when Ernesto Bravo saw me photographing his 14-year-old son, Mario, in his casket, the town's sixth cancer victim. It was simply overwhelming for me.". Read about and view photos of McFarland USAs forgotten inspiration, team members Sylvia Diaz and Herlinda Gonzalez, who died in a practice accident in 1986. "I would not have been surprised if she had ended up becoming a doctor or some top-notch lawyer," says Plata Rodriguez. ", "Some of the boys had never been to the ocean," White said. Two weeks later, at the CIF Central Section south area meet, both McFarland teams arrived by limousine, rented by one of the parents as a gesture of sympathy. However, I believe the Diaz family did go 2 court & the school paid them an undisclosed amount. All seven Diaz interview. It features a bridge with silhouettes of runners, and a water tower with a running mural. Tulare County Sheriffs deputies are investigating an early morning Memorial Day home-invasion robbery in Earlimart, Former Philippines, Earlimart, St. Marys Catholic School and Delano Union School District teacher Remedios E. Ubay passes away at 95, Mary Ann Ruiz Mateo-Laeno, 75 passed away on June 19, a Memorial Service is set for July 23 in Delano, Nick Ruiz, owner of Delanos San Joaquin Paint and Glass Co, passed away April 24, services set for Saturday, May 14, Former Delano Public Works director, community leader Eddie Ahumada, 81, passed away March 14, services set for April 29. Thomas gives her a bracelet that his grandmother made. He never saw the money he made as it went to support his family. Read about and view photos of "McFarland USA's" forgotten inspiration, team members Sylvia Diaz and Herlinda Gonzalez, who died in a practice accident in 1986. He encouraged the kids to find their own mentor. "We were a very good team in 86," White said. Oh, how that stung me for a long time. They're men of color. However, when he finished the California race, he didnt want to run another marathon. Likewise, The Christian Post reported an "'outpouring of the Lord' in campus revival" at Cedarville. In the least, such scenes seem to have been exaggerated by the filmmakers. Inspired by the irony of his last name, "Blanco" was one of the nicknames that the kids and their families gave Jim White. The Whites had three daughters. Desperate for work, he moves his wife (Maria Bello) and daughters (Morgan Saylor . "But we'd try to run in the shade in the almonds," he said. Photo courtesy of Flora Diaz and Raul Diaz. I love it so muchthese are people we need the HARD WORKING MEXICANS in this country! They took him home and knocked on his front door. Valles' story was featured in the Disney movie "McFarland USA.". If he wasnt at school, Valles was expected to be at home or in the fields helping his dad. Durning the season, the boys are not supposed to play basketball. While still being interviewed, Valles said he noticed his teammates hugging and crying. McFarland had four in (31 points) before Stevenson's No. Growing up, we had to work to keep a roof over our heads, Valles said. He now speaks at schools across the country, working with students living in low-income neighborhoods to put on engagements for low cost or free when hes in town. Juanita Diaz. Tu cuenta de Descarga previa (EZA) se mantendr vigente durante un ao. The answers are in chronological order. "I looked over at the reporter and I said 'We won. At about 3:30 p.m. during warm-ups for practice, Herlinda asked if Sylvia and I would invite her to church that Sunday. Thomas didn't say anything but she knew that he was listening, and that was enough. Victor Puentes is just to his left. I was an outsider, an observer trained to record emotion without much feeling of my own and then move on to the next assignment. . -23ABC News. Sophomores Victor Puentes was 16th overall (10th) and Damacio Diaz was 22nd overall (13th). E-7Sergeant First Class - United States Army. He offers the kids a chance Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. "(White) told me he thought I had some potential (that if) I applied myself and ran during the summer that I could be pretty good.". went on to college. GREAT GREAT GREAT MOVIE! While a course at Griffith Park has been used for meets in the past -- meets White said that included McFarland -- it was never used for the CIF-State Meet. Nothing shows that sense of unity better than images lovingly preserved in Sylvia's photo album of a visit to the beach depicted in the film. '59 Chevy. at about 3:30 p.m. during warm-ups for practice, Herlinda asked Sylvia! After the race then you have some little kidI just met a little boy,,... An icon to log in, or sign up for julies birthday to. Boys of McFarland 's photo album then and is still today hill training on of. By the filmmakers the market today hit by a vehicle on Whisler Road he did say was... Of Blanco and who he was inspired by how far Valles had come 2 my office bring... 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