"I didn't ride the Barbie bike," White said. Jeffrey Parenti, jeffrey.parenti@flosports.tv, Contact Us Update, February 18, 2015: I have located my original images from the 1986 Kern County Invitational, the first race the McFarland girls and boys ran following the tragic . DMCA NoticesNewspaper web site content management software and services. "She wanted to meet Danny Diaz," White said. Diaz, and father and mother Paul and This race occurred two and one-half weeks after two teammates on the girls team, Silvia Diaz and Herlinda Gonzalez, were struck by a car and killed while practicing. She has also received three other Tony Award nominations for her performances in Airline Highway in 2013, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus in 2019 and POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive . Hollie Wykoff and Alicia Herrera, right, raced in the CIF Central Section South Area meet at Hart Park on Nov. 13, 1986. The boys of McFarland, like all in their community, had more than their fair share of lines to break through. It was rare to stay in one place longer than a year. His father is a picker who leaves for long stretches of time, coming home to drink and cause trouble within the family. ", Q: Whats the latest on Bakersfield Police Department Detective Damacio Diaz, who is facing multiple federal charges after FBI investigators a, Positive Cases Among Kern Residents: 309,529, Recovered and Presumed Recovered Residents: 304,455, Percentage of all cases that are unvaccinated:71.13, Percentage of all hospitalizations that are unvaccinated:83.13, Source: Kern County Public Health Services Department. Siblings Sylvia and Raul Diaz's senior photos side by side in the 1986-87 McFarland High School yearbook. As Valles wrapped his speech to the kids, he encouraged them to take steps toward reaching their goals by getting an education, going into a trade or joining the military. Top, from left: Johnny Samaniego, Luis Partida, Damacio Diaz and Coach Jim White. The 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook page dedicated to James Lopez, who drowned in the Kern River. Was enlisted in the armed services. He promised to take him places away from McFarland, California. By Carlo Vellandi Nov 22, 2022. 'Danny made a big difference in my life.' what happened to thomas valles and julie white Sylvia had just made her first communion a week before and that got Herlinda all excited. "He's the one who . on their time as cross country runners They're men of color. He tried to keep to a straight and narrow path for his moms sake, for Whites sake and for the sake of not becoming like his father. McFarland had four in (31 points) before Stevenson's No. All seven Diaz children went to college and all seven returned to McFarland where they live today. His household walked on eggshells around his dad. White said training would be scheduled to avoid the extreme heat, as well as obligations the boys had to work in the field, and Wednesday church. As stated above, the real Jim White started teaching in the McFarland School District straight out of college in 1964. His response, "Well, they're not just my friends. In reality, Valles and his family moved to McFarland in 1974, and he grew up working in the fields with his parents. Below we tell the story of White, Valles and the 1987 championship team and point out areas of Hollywood fiction. Following in father's footsteps working in the agricultural business. On occasion, he said, the boys would have to work in the fields on a Saturday morning before going off to a meet that afternoon. His family struggles to fit into the low-income Hispanic culture, and White struggles to reach the . "She was nerdy, funny and wanting to please. The 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook contains a heartbreaking number of "in memorial" pages, way too many for a tiny country school. "I looked over at the reporter and I said 'We won. White said he started the McFarland track club in 1973 and launched the cross country program at McFarland in 1980. Desperate for work, he moves his wife (Maria Bello) and daughters (Morgan Saylor . -23ABC News. 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 . I thought that was normal. We still run the same roads, along the same fields, just with different kids. Clockwise from top center is Dolores Plata, Herlinda Gonzalez, Gabby Perez, Alicia Herrera, Delfina Herrera and Magda Saragoza. They said we won! Sylvia had just made her first communion a week before and that got Herlinda all excited. thomas valles. Members of McFarland's Diaz family reflect Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. A solemnity and eerie quiet hung over Hart Park for the Kern Invitational the afternoon of Nov. 1, 1986, just five days after the accident. danny diaz. In actuality, Thomas was the number one runner for the 1987 State Championship Cross Country team for McFarland. Yes, McFarland is an inspirational story. Danny Diaz was not overweight, but he was the seventh runner on the team. White used to tell Valles that he wanted to see him join the cross country team in high school, Valles recalled. Change). Little did I know that was our goodbye. They're not going to let kids run all over them. I loved my sister very much. "Julie felt it was time to move on and do other things." But network and production execs revealed that White had . But, no, that title did not immediately begin the school's run of state championships. Coach Jim White challenged him and his peers to run. Herlinda Gonzalez's sophomore photo in the 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook. That interaction inspired Valles to continue sharing his story and without holding back. Primary filming took place in McFarland, California in 2013. 1. As part of our series looking back at that first CIF-State Cross Country Championships in 1987, we also wanted to provide some clarity between Hollywood's version of the story, depicted in the popular McFarland USA, and the McFarland High boys cross country team coached by Jim White. White coached almost every sport McFarland High School had to offer in his time, all with the same persevering student pool, yet there is no Disney movie about McFarlands football or basketball team. Many of White's former runners credit him with inspiring them to achieve personal and career goals they would have otherwise deemed impossible (People.com). Also check out the incredibly moving real photos from the beach scene depicted in McFarland USA from the personal album of Silvia Diaz. Yes, the nickname the boys gave him, as depicted in the film, was real. ", "That was Hollywood," Valles said. What about this one? "We're going to go out and try to win the state title.". Although he retired, Jim is still a pillar of the . While a lot of what the movie said about his life was true, his parents were divorced when he reached high school. His older brothers started getting mixed in the wrong crowds and experimenting with drugs. She called the cops it wasnt the first time and they took him to jail. Top, in tree: Luis Partida and Victor Puentes. In fact, it is memorialized at the 12-acre Jim White "Blanco" Park in McFarland. His father was an abusive alcoholic, he said. He got drunk one day with some senior teammates after practice. "I grew up in a broken home," Valles said. We didnt win overnight. White said there are hills around orange groves about six miles outside of town where the team goes for true hill training. Similarly, Carlos' life was changed by his teacher, Mr. Wood. ', "But as people started asking me about the movie and telling me 'Hey, Thomas, but didn't this happen? Mostly cloudy skies. "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.". She wanted us to go together. He admittedly partied too much during his sophomore year and became ineligible. They would have graduated together. She was a smart young lady and she tutored me in math because I could not pass math. "She might hate me now. They met at my house for practice. He got into the truck and began to talk with Coach White about his difficulties at home. Thirty-five years ago, the unlikely squad of seven children of Latino fieldworkers, short in stature but strong in character, won the first of McFarland High Schools nine State Championships and 23-straight championship appearances, establishing an untouchable dynasty. It was simply overwhelming for me.". However, he had been a teacher in the McFarland School District since 1964, following his graduation from Pepperdine University. At the Kern Invitational on Nov. 1, 1986, five days after the accident that took the lives of Herlinda Gonzalez and Sylvia Diaz, the boys team lines up for the start of their race. He showed Valles how running could set him free. He occasionally hit more than just the wall. I actually realized what true love was. He let us know that those were opportunities that kids and families should have an opportunity to do. The McFarland girls cross-country team ran in the California Interscholastic Federation South Area meet at Hart Park on Nov. 13, 1986, two and a half weeks after the accident that claimed teammates Sylvia Diaz and Herlinda Gonzalez. 12, The real Jim White and wife Cheryl White actually have three daughters, Tami, Julie and Jami. Yes, McFarland is an inspirational story. "Danny, he passed up Jose out there somewhere," White recalled. Thomas Valles es una leyenda de McFarland que estuvo al frente del equipo campen de 1987 y ahora entrena al equipo femenino de campo a travs en la escuela secundaria McFarland y participar en el 50 Maratn anual de la ciudad de Nueva York. At about 3:30 p.m. during warm-ups for practice, Herlinda asked if Sylvia and I would invite her to church that Sunday. Julie White. Now more than 30 years later, he knows he disappointed her and White. The Hate U Give, written by Angie Thomas and Published by Balzer and Bray, is realistic fiction. Victor Puentes is just to his left. All three girls graduated with degrees in education from Lubbock Christian University in Lubbock, Texas; Tami in 1985, Julie in 1988, and Jami in 1991. Life went on.. He also says that Jim White recruited him and his classmates in middle school to start running. "Sylvia and Herlinda became good friends during cross country, and they would often run together. I want all of my. Carter Bonas Is the . Hey were in a Gifted class and were doing a Documentary in National History Day and wed like to interview you for a primary source for McFarland, USA. They grew up in broken homes. Bravo told me, "Show the world what has happened to my son.". They still live in McFarland and still want to make a difference in the community.". Starring Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, Carlos Pratts, Hector Duran, Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media, Coach Jim White Interview & the Diaz Family Looks Back, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. He never saw the money he made as it went to support his family. Thomas gives her a bracelet that his grandmother made. The McFarland, USA true story reveals that, unlike the movie, he didn't come to McFarland on his last leg after being fired several times for losing his temper with players, superintendents, etc. What the movie does get right is the life-changing team atmosphere and support that Valles and his teammates received. So, White relocates his family to a new town taking on a lowly post teaching science and P.E., a last resort job, in a poor agricultural community that's largely made up of Mexican American farmers and produce . He and his wife Cheryl met at Magic Valley Christian College in Idaho. Teammate updates and McFarland photos courtesy of Thomas Valles. But the real McFarland, USA is much more layered, and darker, than the film depicts. My wife reminds me who I am when I get home.. Victor Puentes is just to his left. These photos, by the way, are from the California Southern Area meet held at Hart Park in Bakersfield, probably November 1987, and if I remember correctly, it is the meet before the California Interscholastic Federation section championship and the California state championship, which the team went on to win, and is a focus of the film. My most memorable moments with her were the bus rides to away races. The McFarland high school team was fast, and Valles was at the forefront of the 87 championship team. We treated them just like our kids. " 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 Valles, one of the real-life runners featured in the Disney film 'McFarland, USA,' is taking part in his first New York City Marathon. It was a domestic violence situation, Valles told The Herald prior to his address to the kids on Tuesday. Thomas Valles went on to become a prison guard (LA Times). 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. Sylvia was pronounced dead at Delano Regional Medical Center; Herlinda died the following day. Sylvia Diaz at work in the agricultural fields of McFarland in 1985. "My parents divorced. "I abruptly stopped the interview and took off," he said about joining his teammates. " She was my number one fan, she talked to everybody at school how her big brother would someday be a Catholic priest. During the 1987 season, White took his McFarland team south to compete at Mt. David Diaz says the memory of the accident that took Sylvia and Herlinda more than 28 years ago "feels like it happened last cross-country season. He was the one who introduced us to bowling, to miniature golfing, to going to the beach for the first time. 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. 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. Plainview Herald. "Some had never had a sit-down dinner with forks.". Valles grew up in a migrant family. They're my brothers.. who is the anchor of the cross country team. Raul Diaz is now Father Raul Diaz, pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Dinuba. This photo . Now, nearly 30 years later, Norma Lopez Takahashi gives a little taste of what they were like: "The movie made the boys look so tough. He encouraged the kids to find their own mentor. Valles held him to that promise. In McFarland, cross-country coach, Jim White, changes the course of Thomas' life when he introduces him to running. Cookie Preferences / Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Generated by 10.1.2.159 from cache (3498 ttl) in 11 milliseconds. WABC 11/5/2021. 'You're actually doing things for us that our mom and dad don't do. ", White said of the seven Diaz siblings (six boys and a girl), "five of them have their masters and six of them are in education. The team with coach Jim White on the day of the impromptu trip to the beach. He came over, introduced himself, and said, I'm running. Julie and Jami are depicted in the McFarland, USA movie. McFarland, USA (also known as McFarland) is a 2015 American sports drama film directed by Niki Caro, produced by Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray, written by Christopher Cleveland, Bettina Gilois and Grant Thompson with music composed by Antnio Pinto.The film was co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Mayhem Pictures. Thus began the relationship that was depicted -- sometimes painfully -- in the film. katherine noelle wyman; cape breton post obituaries 2022. location symbol text in word; list of female jockeys australia; mike conley house columbus ohio address His mother answered and immediately saw the signs. White House Farm: Julie tells the police about Marcus. Thomas Valles, a cross country runner highlighted in the film, "McFarland USA," spoke at JJAEP on Tuesday (March 23). The Delano teens killed in the same accident were Ralph Escalante, 18 and Sonnan Silva, 16. The 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook page dedicated to football coach Gerald Pitts, who died of a heart attack. E-7Sergeant First Class - United States Army. Google ' McFarland USA fact vs. fiction' and you get quite a few options that separate the true story of the upstart cross country program at the rural Central California high school and Hollywood's spin on it in the 2015 film starring Kevin Costner as coach Jim White. those boys were heroes to many. When I say Mr. White became my father figure and Mrs. White became my mother figure. Sylvia Diaz's senior portrait in the 1986-87 McFarland High School yearbook. Without these two beautiful young ladies, there would be no McFarland USA. Click here. 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. We grew up not having a whole lot, every single person on our team. 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. The disciplinarian was out of the house, Valles said. That day at Woodward Park, McFarland's top four were dominant. He recalled one trip up to Oregon in which White took Valles and his teammates to watch a leg of the Olympic torch relay. Read rest of the answer.In this regard, who is Thomas Valles married to? Very good moviegringos better stop descriminating the Latinosjust like john Lennon saidthe world should live as one. A single car crash, on Valentine's Day 1987, claimed the lives of four teens from McFarland and two from neighboring Delano. 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). I don't know if anybody outside McFarland ever asked. The final episode of White House Farm aired in February 2020 on ITV and the entire series is streaming on Netflix now. It was tough growing up in McFarland.". They took him home and knocked on his front door. Jim White is to Thomas' right and Gary Adams is to White's right. Eventually sophomore Danny Diaz crossed in 91st (68th) to close out the scoring. 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). . -LCU.edu, Yes. Disney took a few creative liberties with creating the feature film, Valles said. I had positive people in my life through sport, Valles said. Now. I realized, you know what, this could have been me had somebody not been on me. The principal shook his head. Excellent movie. At one of our races, Sylvia was trying to teach us this dance move. He stressed the importance of Whites impact. Her hand drawn prints are instantly recognisable. johnny sameniego. 'What's going on?' children ran for Jim White and all seven Thomas didn't say anything but she knew that he was listening, and that was enough. But he never truly felt he made amends for that with his mom. What is it about distance running that not only allowed seven kids to dominate, but brought a whole community together? We were recruited young. visual effects editor: shade vfx Charles Baden . Feel free to email jeffrey.parenti@flosports.tv. Jim White coaching photo by Kirby Lee/Image of Sport. "Just getting everybody to believe in themselves," Valles said was how White developed and maintained the program at such a high level. Its the last six miles that get you., We always think back and wish we could have done this or that, Valles said. Tu cuenta de Descarga previa (EZA) se mantendr vigente durante un ao. "That's how we developed that. At the Kern Invitational on Nov. 1, 1986, five days after the accident that took the lives of Herlinda Gonzalez and Sylvia Diaz, Thomas Valles prays before the start of the boys race. Bottom row, from left: Herlinda Gonzalez, Delfina Herrera, Sylvia Diaz, Gabby Perez, Dolores Plata, Magda Saragoza, Norma Lopez and Raul Diaz. "Sylvia was so sweet, kind, and naturally stunning," says her friend and 1985 teammate Dolores Plata Rodriguez, now an assistant principal at Cesar E. Chavez High School in Delano. 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. Sophomore Johnny Samaniego was 12th overall (sixth in scoring). Norma and Dolores were two of Sylvia and Herlinda Gonzalez's teammates and close friends. An avid runner, to say the least, Valles accepted . Perhaps one of the most endearing parts of Valles is his humility. 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. 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). Taff Jones initially suspected that Sheila Caffell had killed her family before taking her own life (Photo: ITV) They became my kids, proclaims White. Public speaker. . As he settled into his new home, he maintained the life of a homebody. ". Every year we remind the team of the tragedy of that painful afternoon, so it's always in my short-term memory.". White echoed those sentiments, saying what impressed him so much "is their development as people in the community that make a difference. In fact, when the studio gave Valles and his teammates a special sneak preview of the film, he left the theater unimpressed. Romance: Thomas Valles (Carlos Pratts) and Jim's daughter, Julie White (Morgan Saylor), have some serious chemistry. November 06, 2021. Its a subject he was shy to address when he rather reluctantly got into the speaker circuit in 2017. 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. Pow. I told them I was but our goal is to win as a team.". He and his wife Cheryl met at Magic Valley Christian College in Idaho. Thank you for reading! . Thomas Valles, runner featured in Disney film 'McFarland, USA,' set for 1st NYC Marathon. Terms in this set (31) Who was Danny Diaz? Gemma Rowlands, 25, and husband Daren More, 31, got . 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. A few days later as the team traveled home from a meet, White stopped the bus at a gas station and mentioned to Valles that he was going in to get a bouquet for his wife. went on to college. "Sylvia and I were seniors because my parents placed us in the same grade when we were in fourth grade because they wanted me to walk with her to school. Coach White is a graduate of Pepperdine University, . The film does an excellent job of capturing the essence of the challenges of the small migrant farming community but not everything on the big screen is quite like it happened in real life. No. 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 . In this photo by Raul Diaz the day the teams went to the beach, the girls form a cheer pose. They want to make a difference. Their legs were shot by Friday, the day before State.". Victor Puentes is just to his left. Girls XC coach at McFarland. The McFarland High yearbook page dedicated to the four students killed in the Valentine's Day, 1987, car accident. However, similar to the film, Jim White had never been a runner himself and used the bike to follow the team during their workouts. White would take his teams to train in Yosemite at elevation. Did that happen? "You saw the hills at the end of the movie.". But Valles had running, thanks to White, who was well aware of the situation. Everybody has a Mr. White, Valles said. There is much excitement and anticipation in McFarland about the film, which stars Kevin Costner as coach Jim White, and as I mentioned in my previous posts that dealt with the enormous heartache this town endured in the 1980s Show the world what has happened to my son, Prom night, a crash and six teens lost and McFarlands never-ending heartache this close-knit town deserves some good will and national love. 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