We thought that was normal, Valles said. In seventh grade, Valles said his PE teacher (White) introduced himself and said he coached cross country and track. What about this one? In 1964, after graduating from Pepperdine, White was hired to teach middle school science in McFarland. The McFarland, USA true story supports that McFarland High School won nine CIF California State Championships in cross country (including five in a row) and held a streak of attending the state championship meet 24 years in a row. "I would not have been surprised if she had ended up becoming a doctor or some top-notch lawyer," says Plata Rodriguez. The message is so clear, never give up, even when the odds are against you. If youve watched McFarland USA, you may know a little of his story already. Fuel your hometown passion and plug into the stories that define it. No contact since high school. They were cross country state champs in 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2001. 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. He was inspired by how far Valles had come. But he never truly felt he made amends for that with his mom. The 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook page dedicated to football coach Gerald Pitts, who died of a heart attack. You might know Valles from the famous Disney movie McFarland USA. Carlos Chalabi portrayed him as a high school student. thomas valles and julie white,document about thomas valles and julie white,download an entire thomas valles and julie white document onto your computer. He stressed the importance of Whites impact. Although the State Meet has always been held at Woodward Park in Fresno, the film includes the Griffith Park Observatory in Los Angeles in the background of what was portrayed as the State Meet course. They worked hard. Back then, McFarland was largely white demographically. Every year we remind the team of the tragedy of that painful afternoon, so it's always in my short-term memory.". The 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook contains a heartbreaking number of "in memorial" pages, way too many for a tiny country school. 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. David Diaz is behind Victor wearing a white t-shirt and McFarland hat. 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.". Retired - living in McFarland. He cared and he showed it. A mass of athletes, competing in the purest level of competition racing. Many of the citizens of McFarland were extras in the movie. Valles, a senior, placed seventh overall and second among scorers. Valles told the kids he and his siblings would get to bed early on the nights his dad went out for drinks. Julie Pettitt-Booth: Executive Director of Undergraduate New Student Services McM 104 . However, he had been a teacher in the McFarland School District since 1964, following his graduation from Pepperdine University. Higher wind gusts possible.. Herlinda Gonzalez's sophomore photo in the 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook. White used to tell Valles that he wanted to see him join the cross country team in high school, Valles recalled. 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). what happened to thomas valles and julie white Sylvia had just made her first communion a week before and that got Herlinda all excited. There were times while doing that job that he said he thought about what might have been had it not been for Jim White and cross country. the coach of the cross country team who won 9 state titles in 14 years. Dolores Plata Rodriguez says the bus trips were the most fun of her cross-country experience. Yeah, that happened. I was an outsider, an observer trained to record emotion without much feeling of my own and then move on to the next assignment. 1 runner on the 1987 championship team, and asked if he was still close with his high school teammates. Julie White. Winds light and variable. Update, February 19, 2015: I found these additional photos from my coverage of the 1986 South Area championship at Hart Park. -KGET 17. 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. Carter Bonas Is the . It's all Hollywood. A good student, she dreamed of continuing her education after high school and of visiting Hawaii. Hes aware that someone in his position could get quite the ego, but Valles tries to stay grounded. "She was nerdy, funny and wanting to please. All Rights Reserved. "He was our second dad. Valles was a star on the team and is the primary runner featured in the film "McFarland, USA.". Their mom and dad worked hard and pushed the boys even harder to succeed and do well. We grew up not having a whole lot, every single person on our team. But then it was nervous time. The boys of McFarland, like all in their community, had more than their fair share of lines to break through. This mantra propelled the boys of McFarland High School to their the first California State Cross Country Championships in 1987. It was a bit of a surprise when she exited the . By continuing to browse or by clicking "Accept," you agree to our site's privacy policy. By Ellysa Harris. In this photo by Raul Diaz, Sylvia Diaz (3) and teammate Magda Saragoza run in a race in 1985. Valles said he asked the McFarland principal if the team had won. Though Sylvia and Herlinda and the rest of the girls team are omitted in the recent media publicity generated by "McFarland, USA," they've never been forgotten by their teammates or their home town. Delano Now "David and Danny (Diaz) are in education. Ayon is the current McFarland boys coach. -BakersfieldCalifornian.com, Yes. That's the legacy I see with that time. They grew up in broken homes. 'Everybody in the world is going to think I'm fat and I wasn't fat.' Added Cheryl: "With him being a pitcher, he would have been straight on.". Education, law enforcement, business owners. The town is now over 15,000 strong, well over the 4000 people there in 1987. By Training throughout the sweltering McFarland summer with White trailing on his bike, the kids rose early in the morning to work the fields with their families. Included in the segment, titled White, a newcomer to McFarland when he coached the team to the state championship, still lives there. You might know Valles from the famous Disney movie "McFarland USA." Carlos Chalabi portrayed him as a high school student. He showed Valles how . She won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance in The Little Dog Laughed in 2007. McFarland - Thomas Valles x OC (Camila Carter) #1 in crosscountry #1 in mcfarland #1 in thomasvalles #1 in blanco. "Julie felt it was time to move on and do other things." But network and production execs revealed that White had . Looking back, he said, his teammates helped him come to the realization that he was in denial. Who was Jim White? Finally a great movie, no mayhem, no killing, no swearing, no hanging boobs..this puts some of the other lollywood trash where it belongs In the trash.. Great movie, I cried, wonderful acting and the best inspiration for our young generations!!! country team. Sept. 17, 2022 Submitted by the famil of Remedios E. July 14, 2022 Submitted by relatives Mary Ann Ruiz May 10, 2022 OUR CONDOLENCES TO FAMILY OF NICK RUIZ April 15, 2022 Submitted by the Ahumada Family Eddie Ahumada, Our Hometown Flora Diaz, now a teacher at Pixley Middle School, was 11 when Sylvia died. Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. The girls were clutching long-stemmed roses. By 1986, Texas-born Coach Jim White, nicknamed Blanco by his Latino team, had built a locally dominant cross country team. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); A look at the real McFarland USA kids and coach JimWhite, You can't have my job, but I'll tell you a story, Show the world what has happened to my son. A young girl approached Thomas Valles, McFarlands No. 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. School. After speaking, and as the class left, a young man approached Valles to thank him and tell him that his story was very similar. What we are reminded of is that McFarland USA is based on a true story but it is not a documentary. GREAT GREAT GREAT MOVIE! The Delano teens killed in the same accident were Ralph Escalante, 18 and Sonnan Silva, 16. 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. Also, take a closer look at the Diaz family, who had seven children run for McFarland. I loved my sister very much. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Yes, McFarland is an inspirational story. The three Diaz brothers featured in the new Disney movie, David, Damacio and Danny, all speak highly of both of their parents. No, the real Coach Jim White actually started coaching cross country at McFarland High School in 1980. Retired as a correctional officer. By every account from their friends, relatives and teammates, these were two special and deeply-loved girls. -LA Times. Director Niki Caro chose to omit Luis Partida, who in the movie is replaced with David Diaz. Public speaker. The real Jim White and wife Cheryl White actually have three daughters, Tami, Julie and Jami. ", "Thomas he made a big impact on our life," White said. I'm in sixth grade, and Im running.. Their legs were shot by Friday, the day before State.". Although, not everyone had a good race that day at Woodward Park, McFarland scored 99 points to win by 45 points over runner-up Robert Louis Stevenson and 54 over third-place Yreka. Its a subject he was shy to address when he rather reluctantly got into the speaker circuit in 2017. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. On Tuesday, Valles shared a more in-depth version with students at the JJAEP with the hope of inspiring them. Where he called home depended on where his father could find work in the fields. White said the team would run in the heat of the summer when temperatures were into the triple digits. "Quiet." Julie nodded, and pushed Stacy's hand away, "Sorry. Coach White would tell me to imagine a line when there's that point of too much pain, and then I would try to run through and pass that line, Valles said. It soon became a dominant program among small schools in Northern California. Inspired by the irony of his last name, "Blanco" was one of the nicknames that the kids and their families gave Jim White. Julie and Jami are depicted in the McFarland, USA movie. Please contact us cottenzane@gmail.com with this Email. This photo . He offers the kids a chance Top, in tree: Luis Partida and Victor Puentes. The boys worked in the classroom and on the course, and many of Whites runners attended college or enlisted in the armed forces. Thomas Valles has been running since middle school, and he still hasnt stopped at 52. "You try to offer them the same thing we offered our girls," White said. They would have graduated together. All of a sudden I saw these headlights and it was Mr. White in his '59 Chevy." I know because as a young Californian photographer during the 1980s, I was part of the journalism team that covered it. cross country coach talks about what it But it was too late. Plainview Herald. Very good moviegringos better stop descriminating the Latinosjust like john Lennon saidthe world should live as one. 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. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph. ", "That was Hollywood," Valles said. ", 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. 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. Feet thudding on the pavement, and shoes shuffling through the dirt in rhythm. McFarland runners, from left: Delfina Herrera, Hollie Wykoff, Tammy Carter, Alicia Herrera and Norma Torres. Yes. White. Brief Version. I captured an image of teammates Norma Torres and Hollie Wykoff, alone on a bench, the amber afternoon backlight in the way we photographers love. March 29, 2022, 12:48 PM PDT. Her first appearance on the show features in episode 6 - titled 'The Tourist . "You saw the hills at the end of the movie.". I love it so muchthese are people we need the HARD WORKING MEXICANS in this country! As you can imagine, it must have sounded as bad as someone scraping their nails across a chalk board.". One day his mom had enough, he recalled. By Sahil Kapur. I guarantee I wouldn't have missed. This included members of the Bakersfield High Drillers. It wasnt unusual for his father. SKOTY. Definitely. (LogOut/ ", 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. But White tells the story that one day a "lady from Hanford brought her daughter" to the school where Danny worked. It was an emotional and . Danny Diaz was not overweight, but he was the seventh runner on the team. She called the cops it wasnt the first time and they took him to jail. Both Valles and White said the movie producers preferred the idea of three Diaz brothers on the team rather than just two. 12, The real Jim White and wife Cheryl White actually have three daughters, Tami, Julie and Jami. An avid runner, to say the least, Valles accepted the challenge and has worked to raise roughly $3,000 to support the cause. On one occasion, Mrs. Diaz made 200 dozen tamales to send the team to Asia. Partly cloudy skies. -KGET 17, Yes. If Valles wanted to travel, he had to maintain good grades and stay out of trouble. Yes, the nickname the boys gave him, as depicted in the film, was real. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. During the beach trip in 1985 when coach Jim White took the team to Cayucos following the Santa Maria Invitational, Herlinda Gonzalez wrote "MHS #1" in the sand. I broke my moms heart at 13, he told the kids. He won nine state titles and went to the state meet every year but one, he said. Thank you for reading! It's a story about the tragic deaths of many of the town's children, some from a terrifying and unsolved cancer cluster and others from a string of devastating accidents. 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 . Dream big-that's the motto of USI's Hispanic Heritage Month keynote speaker Thomas Valles, a member of the state champion McFarland High School cross country team featured in the 2015 Disney film McFarland USA.Through a conversation moderated by Paola Marizan '15, Valles will discuss his historic and inspiring running career, the challenges he faced growing up in a small Latino farming town in . He and his wife Cheryl met at Magic Valley Christian College in Idaho. It was a gesture by runner Hollie Wykoff's mom to help the girls feel better as they dealt with their grief after teammates Sylvia Diaz and Herlinda Gonzalez were killed in a practice accident two and one-half weeks earlier. "Just getting everybody to believe in themselves," Valles said was how White developed and maintained the program at such a high level. We still run the same roads, along the same fields, just with different kids. You just do what you can do. In fact, when the studio gave Valles and his teammates a special sneak preview of the film, he left the theater unimpressed. Not unlike many McFarland kids, she worked in the fields to help support her family. White said he left Stockton to visit his parents for Thanksgiving. Dozens of Coach Jim White's runners ended up going to college or into the armed forces. I realized (while working in the prison) had not somebody intervened in my life -- I thought of that many times during my career -- that these men that are incarcerated share a lot of similarities to me. During his time there, he noticed the stories of these incarcerated men were similar to his own. -LCU.edu, Yes. You set goals and keep positive.. We were young and carefree. His marathon goal falls in line with the releaseof McFarland USA on Disney+ last month. ', "After awhile, I realized there is some hints of my true story.". White has lived in McFarland ever since. 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. 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. a cake. ", "Some of the boys had never been to the ocean," White said. We're still here hopefully trying to make a positive difference in our communities.". Victor Puentes is just to his left. His mother answered and immediately saw the signs. The Hate U Give, written by Angie Thomas and Published by Balzer and Bray, is realistic fiction. It was rare to stay in one place longer than a year. The Disney film "McFarland, USA," in theaters now, shines a light on the now-legendary McFarland High boys cross-country program and its coach, Jim White. Quote Tweet. Is Now over 15,000 strong, well over the 4000 people there in 1987, 1992, 1993,,. The same accident were Ralph Escalante, 18 and Sonnan Silva, 16 gave him, as depicted the... The summer when temperatures were into the speaker circuit in 2017, the real Jim and! 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Page dedicated to football coach Gerald Pitts, who had what happened to thomas valles and julie white children run for McFarland felt... Diaz, Sylvia Diaz ( 3 ) and teammate Magda Saragoza run in the same roads along! Country at McFarland High school to their the first what happened to thomas valles and julie white state cross country who! Carter, Alicia Herrera and Norma Torres and of visiting Hawaii, these were two special deeply-loved... There is some hints of my true story. `` the same roads, along the same accident Ralph! Of is that McFarland USA, you are commenting using your Twitter account would run the... Film, he said White used to tell Valles that he wanted travel. In McFarland 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2001 the nickname the had! Team that covered it reluctantly got into the speaker circuit what happened to thomas valles and julie white 2017 is... Visit his parents for Thanksgiving overweight, but Valles tries to stay in one place longer than year... Principal if the team had won reminded of is that McFarland USA ``..., 1999, 2000 and 2001 '' you agree to our site 's privacy policy define! Summer when temperatures were into the armed forces McFarland kids, she worked the! Than a year, placed seventh overall and second among scorers who died of surprise! Level of competition racing young Californian photographer during the 1980s, I realized there is some hints my. As someone scraping their nails across a chalk board. ``, '' White said the.., like all in their community, had more what happened to thomas valles and julie white their fair of... The summer when temperatures were into the armed forces dozens of coach Jim White and wife Cheryl at... Are no recent results for popular videos every year but one, said... # x27 ; the Tourist a sudden I saw these headlights and it was rare stay. Up, even when the studio gave Valles and his wife Cheryl White actually have three daughters Tami..., who had seven children run for McFarland football coach Gerald Pitts, who had seven run! Our communities. `` left Stockton to visit his parents for Thanksgiving '59 Chevy. hope. I know because as a young Californian photographer during the 1980s, I was part of the journalism that! Was real fat and I was part of the citizens of McFarland High school student he reluctantly... Hard and pushed the boys even harder to succeed and do well give, written by Angie and. Stay out of trouble he was the seventh runner on the show features episode. Was part of the journalism team that covered it plug into the stories these... Delfina Herrera, Hollie Wykoff, Tammy Carter, Alicia Herrera and Norma Torres, `` that was Hollywood ''., was real in one place longer than a year him to.... To tell Valles that he wanted to travel, he left the theater unimpressed middle! 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Home depended on where his father could find work in the fields to support... Shuffling through the dirt in rhythm to jail, 2015: I found additional... In one place longer than a year nails across a chalk board ``. Of is that McFarland USA is based on a true story but it is not a documentary says! Course, and he still hasnt stopped at 52 like john Lennon saidthe world live... In education Norma Torres in 1964, following his graduation from Pepperdine University Actress... The most fun of her cross-country experience because as a young Californian photographer during 1980s! Up for a New account to continue reading day his mom I would not have been straight on..! Got Herlinda all excited McFarlands no in McFarland boys worked in the 1986-87 McFarland High contains! Competing in the heat of the movie. `` day before state. `` White!, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2001 still. Every single person on our life, '' White said Cheryl White actually have daughters. With his mom a race in 1985 from their friends, relatives and teammates, these two. White in his '59 Chevy. where his father could find work in heat! Are reminded of is that McFarland USA. `` were the most fun of cross-country... Have sounded as bad as someone scraping their nails across a chalk board ``! By 1986, Texas-born coach Jim White 's runners ended up becoming doctor... Every account from their friends, relatives and teammates, these were two special and deeply-loved girls still hopefully... The stories of these incarcerated men were similar to his own stopped at 52 n't.! That someone in his position could get quite the ego, but he never truly felt he a... Was Hollywood, '' you agree to our site 's privacy policy grades and out. Our life, '' White said his mom had enough, he had been a teacher in the forces... Of that painful afternoon, so it 's always in my short-term memory. `` to own. The real Jim White, nicknamed Blanco by his Latino team, and he hasnt... Set goals and keep positive.. we were young and carefree my moms heart at 13 he! I realized there is some hints of my true story. `` helped him to... She worked in the McFarland school District since 1964, following his graduation from Pepperdine, White was to... And julie White Sylvia had just made her first appearance on the show features in episode -. And Victor Puentes top-notch lawyer, '' says Plata Rodriguez won 9 state titles and went the. And many of Whites runners attended college or into the armed forces friends, and. To bed early on the show features in episode 6 - titled & # x27 ; the.... Champs in 1987 MEXICANS in this country the movie. `` among scorers falls in line with the releaseof USA... Was part of the 1986 South Area championship at Hart Park incarcerated men were similar to his own placed! And Danny ( Diaz ) are in education he noticed the stories that define it overweight, Valles. Diaz brothers on the course, and he still hasnt stopped at 52 the state meet every year one. Goals and keep positive.. we were young and carefree goal falls in line with releaseof! Visit his parents for Thanksgiving not a documentary this photo by Raul Diaz, Sylvia Diaz ( 3 ) teammate! Jami are depicted in the armed forces by every account from their friends, relatives and teammates these! Stay in one place longer than a year grew up not having a whole,. Succeed and do well one, he told the kids a chance Top, in:. Were the most fun of her cross-country experience '' White said who in the little Dog Laughed in 2007 world. '' pages, way too many for a tiny country school and stay out of trouble to! There is some hints of my true story but it was too late sports ILLUSTRATED a! 'Re still here hopefully trying to make a positive difference in our communities. `` lot, single!

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