The memorial pages in the 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook for Herlinda Gonzalez and Sylvia Diaz. 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 was standing there. Valles told the kids he and his siblings would get to bed early on the nights his dad went out for drinks. And that pain would come back. "He just had high expectations of us. "All my teammates are still here. Privacy Policy 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. 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). "As soon as Mr. White left," Valles said, that he's heard from Samaniego, "they started playing basketball. Many of the citizens of McFarland were extras in the movie. She was 16 and I was 18 on Oct. 27, 1986. Thanks, He showed Valles how running could set him free. However, he did rebuild the boys and girls cross country programs from the ground up. Kalynn White: ASC Operations Coordinator . Likely not. A young girl approached Thomas Valles, McFarlands No. Samaniego was 17th, Puentes 26th, Cardenas 37th, Damacio Diaz 43rd and Danny Diaz was 85th. I loved my sister very much. "It is pure bliss to be able to honor both these girls through these (photos) after so many years. After learning about Valles, Subealdea and Albert Salinas, another administrator at the JJAEP campus, felt his story would resonate with the kids. They attack the group, while they push Julie out of harm's way. Local photojournalist John Harte, who followed the team at the time, says that he witnessed opposing teams offer genuine handshakes of good luck. He came over, introduced himself, and said, I'm running. They were requested by People Magazine. 'Danny made a big difference in my life.' Accidents also claimed the lives of the school's football coach, and several popular McFarland High students. "I would not have been surprised if she had ended up becoming a doctor or some top-notch lawyer," says Plata Rodriguez. However, he had been a teacher in the McFarland School District since 1964, following his graduation from Pepperdine University. November 06, 2021. Donald trump is right lets import the hard working immigrants and keep the bad ones out! However, I believe the Diaz family did go 2 court & the school paid them an undisclosed amount. 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. A good student, she dreamed of continuing her education after high school and of visiting Hawaii. To make up for the time they couldn't work in the fields due to cross country practice, Jim White would sometimes give his time to them by helping them pick in the fields. One day he got a call from White reminding him why he was in school. The photographs were taken primarily by her brother, Raul Diaz, on his 35-millimeter camera and shared by her younger sister, Flora Diaz. In this photo by Raul Diaz, Sylvia Diaz (3) and teammate Magda Saragoza run in a race in 1985. Yes, the McFarland High boys did win a team title at the first CIF-State Cross . On one occasion, Mrs. Diaz made 200 dozen tamales to send the team to Asia. 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. He says that Diaz, now a vice principal at Kern Valley State Prison in Delano, says he regrets taking Herlinda's upbeat nature for granted. Though the girls team is absent from the film, runner Norma Lopez Takahashi, now a loan processor in Porterville, says that "we were one team." Retired - living in McFarland. 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!!! During the 1987 season, White took his McFarland team south to compete at Mt. He was a baseball player, a pitcher, in high school and in college. Standing, from left: coach Gary Pierson, Norma Torres, Norma Lopez, Delfina Herrera and coach Jim White. I was assigned to cover two of McFarland's races following the accident. 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. "You try to offer them the same thing we offered our girls," White said. She wanted us to go together. By Carlo Vellandi Nov 22, 2022. "You saw the hills at the end of the movie.". 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. A 1997 LA Times article described it as a rickety, worn bicycle, but did not state that it was a girl's bicycle like in the movie. Runner Thomas Valles and his family arrive at the world premiere of 'McFarland, USA' at the El Capitan Theatre on February 9, 2015 in Hollywood, California. John Harte is a photojournalist and teacher who spent decades on the staff of The Californian. 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. -LA Times. Thomas Valles, a cross country runner highlighted in the film, "McFarland USA," spoke at JJAEP on Tuesday (March 23). "I can't say I was going to jump, but I was thinking about my life and why some people would jump. "When I arrived at the emergency waiting room, we were told she (Sylvia) died on the road, and there was nothing the doctors could do. Ellysa Harris is the editor for the Plainview Herald. Send me an email at johnharte@att.net. : 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. At about 3:30 p.m. during warm-ups for practice, Herlinda asked if Sylvia and I would invite her to church that Sunday. Also, take a closer look at the Diaz family, who had seven children run for McFarland. 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. "But we'd try to run in the shade in the almonds," he said. White said he started the McFarland track club in 1973 and launched the cross country program at McFarland in 1980. 1 runner on the 1987 championship team, and asked if he was still close with his high school teammates. 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. White continues to be present in Valles life after high school and after the McFarland Cross Country teams historic run. . "Sylvia and Herlinda became good friends during cross country, and they would often run together. 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 . His household walked on eggshells around his dad. Also check out the incredibly moving real photos from the beach scene depicted in McFarland USA from the personal album of Silvia Diaz. "We achieved what we set out to do. Inspired by the irony of his last name, "Blanco" was one of the nicknames that the kids and their families gave Jim White. One of the more emotional scenes in the movie "McFarland USA," team member Dolores Plata Rodriguez said the real-life trip to the beach was one of the most exciting moments of their lives. White retired in 2002 but returned to coach the 2003 team. I guarantee I wouldn't have missed. Thomas Valles has been running since middle school, and he still hasn't stopped at 52. Similarly, Carlos' life was changed by his teacher, Mr. Wood. Just like that, the town's emerging bright light -- a cross-country program enjoying success even before 1987, the year depicted in the film -- was immersed in heartbreak. "We did that year after year to build bonds and to trust one another," he said. But the real McFarland, USA is much more layered, and darker, than the film depicts. Perhaps one of the most endearing parts of Valles is his humility. It was a bit of a surprise when she exited the . 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. Yes. Her first appearance on the show features in episode 6 - titled 'The Tourist . Its the last six miles that get you., We always think back and wish we could have done this or that, Valles said. Valles' friend Ernie Bueno, who introduced Valles to Killian, asked Valles to participate in a Run to End Duchenne at the 2021 New York Marathon. By every account from their friends, relatives and teammates, these were two special and deeply-loved girls. November 15, 2021 / Vanessa Villalvazo. All seven Diaz children ran for Jim White and all seven went . Nine boys state titles is tied with Jesuit (SJ) for the most boys team titles in state history. Partly cloudy skies. -KGET 17. But, no, that title did not immediately begin the school's run of state championships. Bottom, from left: Thomas Valles, Danny Diaz, Victor Puentes, Jose Cardenas. By Sahil Kapur. Every year we remind the team of the tragedy of that painful afternoon, so it's always in my short-term memory.". White's daughter." Thomas laughed, a strange bitter sound. who does coach white see sitting on the edge of the bridge. That streak ended while the movie was in production, after the small school was elevated to Division I status, a byproduct of their success. 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. While the Disney film "McFarland USA" depicts the inspirational story of the team and . 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. Thomas Valles: Director of Financial Aid McM 1st Floor East 406-657-1617 thomas.valles@msubillings.edu . When Valles entered third grade in 1979, his dad bought a home in McFarland. I grew up in a house with domestic violence, and I didnt feel compelled to share, he said. But Coach White led his boys to running and running beckoned them past the lines that lay before them. The girls were clutching long-stemmed roses. But White tells the story that one day a "lady from Hanford brought her daughter" to the school where Danny worked. (LogOut/ He said he told his mother that he wanted to go somewhere small, somewhere where he could have an impact. After that, the Cougars were the easy favorites to win the first small schools division (D-III) State Meet title. All of a sudden I saw these headlights and it was Mr. White in his '59 Chevy." I broke my moms heart at 13, he told the kids. I actually realized what true love was. Thomas Valles was barely a teenager when a coach stepped in and changed his life. Here's all you need to know about Taff Jones. Both Valles and White said the movie producers preferred the idea of three Diaz brothers on the team rather than just two. Norma and Dolores were two of Sylvia and Herlinda Gonzalez's teammates and close friends. 2023 2019 ABG-SI LLC. Looking back, we must have looked so ridiculous, but that didn't matter to us. They're men of color. Herlinda was bound for greatness and every year during cross-country season, when the hot summers start to dissipate and the leaves start to change colors, I am reminded of how sensitive life really is. 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. For 15 years, actress Pauley Perrette delighted fans as the surprisingly bubbly goth forensic scientist Abby Sciuto on the CBS crime procedural NCIS. Three shots was all it took and Starr's life changed forever. PrepCalTrack.com conducted this Jim White But enjoy the moment. He came out with two and handed one to Valles telling him he should give it to his mother and apologize. But Valles had running, thanks to White, who was well aware of the situation. There was alcohol or drug abuse in their homes. Occupation Actress Years active 1985-present Spouse(s). 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. Sophomore Johnny Samaniego was 12th overall (sixth in scoring). ", "That was Hollywood," Valles said. They said we won! 1. Truly, something unique happened at Cedarville last week. I received a nice surprise today when my pal, longtime Bakersfield Californian photographer Felix Adamo, found these photos I shot of the 1987 McFarland boys cross country team. If Valles wanted to travel, he had to maintain good grades and stay out of trouble. Completed. DMCA NoticesNewspaper web site content management software and services. Jose Cardenas, McFarland's expected No. Sylvia Diaz at work in the agricultural fields of McFarland in 1985. 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? Carter Bonas Is the . She was on the 1985 team and became a cheerleader in 1986, but her teammates wanted her in this photo. They still live in McFarland and still want to make a difference in the community.". GREAT GREAT GREAT MOVIE! Thomas gives her a bracelet that his grandmother made. They talk about being Victor Puentes is just to his left. By continuing to browse or by clicking "Accept," you agree to our site's privacy policy. See Julie White full list of movies and tv shows from their career. 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. We became a real family, and we're still family.. "(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.". Didn't you get into this fight? cross country coach talks about what it White House Farm: Julie tells the police about Marcus. "Both girls were certainly part of the early fabric McFarland cross country was trying to stitch together when tragedy struck," Diaz says. You might know Valles from the famous Disney movie "McFarland USA." Carlos Chalabi portrayed him as a high school student. Sometimes [our success is] a hindrance because the kids say, Well, I can't do that, or I can't be as good as this person or that person, coach White explains. Gemma Rowlands, 25, and husband Daren More, 31, got . We were young and carefree. What we are reminded of is that McFarland USA is based on a true story but it is not a documentary. What the movie does get right is the life-changing team atmosphere and support that Valles and his teammates received. Valles said he asked the McFarland principal if the team had won. Jim White coaching photo by Kirby Lee/Image of Sport. After the Disney film came out, Valles was asked to speak at McFarland Junior High and was nervous. How sad but the coach went on to do great things with the students so why put a negative on here inspirational movie .Sadly life is like that sometimes but you have just used this page to rubbish everything this movie set out to do aim high reach for the stars believe in yourself and have faith your be the best you can ever want to be. "Niki Caro wanted to show more family in the movie so they chose me," says the real David Diaz, who actually graduated during the school year before the first state title win. Jeffrey Parenti, jeffrey.parenti@flosports.tv, Contact Us In reality, Valles and his family moved to McFarland in 1974, and he grew up working in the fields with his parents. 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. They were cross country state champs in 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2001. I wept and wept, and did not go inside. Feel free to email jeffrey.parenti@flosports.tv. Public speaker. Because of running and thanks to White, Valles consistently came in at the top at every cross country meet and maintained good enough grades to get him in to college. Desperate for work, he moves his wife (Maria Bello) and daughters (Morgan Saylor . He admittedly partied too much during his sophomore year and became ineligible. Sylvia Diaz's cherished team photo from the day of the beach trip in 1985 shot with her brother Raul's camera likely by a coach. This mantra propelled the boys of McFarland High School to their the first California State Cross Country Championships in 1987. I don't know if anybody outside McFarland ever asked. McFarland runners, from left: Delfina Herrera, Hollie Wykoff, Tammy Carter, Alicia Herrera and Norma Torres. The program, which is run by Eddie Subealdea, chief juvenile probation officer for Hale County, is an alternative placement program. Romance: Thomas Valles (Carlos Pratts) and Jim's daughter, Julie White (Morgan Saylor), have some serious chemistry. Update, February 19, 2015: I found these additional photos from my coverage of the 1986 South Area championship at Hart Park. Bravo told me, "Show the world what has happened to my son.". "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. Ryan Andersen . Julie and Jami are depicted in the McFarland, USA movie. Sylvia Diaz is in the middle. Its not that they were tired, but it provided an excuse so they wouldnt have to face him. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. -LCU.edu, Yes. Life at home was rough. Looking back, he said, his teammates helped him come to the realization that he was in denial. Seated on bench from left: Eva Renteria, Sylvia Diaz, Alicia Herrera, Herlinda Gonzalez and Hollie Wykoff. 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. The 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook page dedicated to James Lopez, who drowned in the Kern River. "I started hanging around the wrong kids," Valles said. It was the first time their children and grandchildren had seen the movie. "We were a very good team in 86," White said. Dad didnt want us in the calles, in the streets, Valles said. His marathon goal falls in line with the releaseof McFarland USA on Disney+ last month. Without these two beautiful young ladies, there would be no McFarland USA. Click here. High 47F. 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. In White's time, the town's population has slowly grown from fewer than 4,000 to just over 15,000. What did Coach White throw at the football player inside the locker room? Their mom and dad worked hard and pushed the boys even harder to succeed and do well. That day at Woodward Park, McFarland's top four were dominant. 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. By Ellysa Harris. All seven Diaz children went to college and all seven returned to McFarland where they live today. Bottom row, from left: Herlinda Gonzalez, Delfina Herrera, Sylvia Diaz, Gabby Perez, Dolores Plata, Magda Saragoza, Norma Lopez and Raul Diaz. He got into the truck and began to talk with Coach White about his difficulties at home. My wife reminds me who I am when I get home.. 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. Public speaker. Valles admits he didnt quite understand at the time. It was gold to us, but complete torture for the guys and probably Coach White as well. Though it is very close, Jim White likely wouldn't have had a clear view of it from his classroom window, as a street of homes separates the school's athletic fields from the prison grounds. We spoke with the team's top runner that year, Thomas Valles, as well as the program's legendary coach, to help us better understand McFarland, Fact vs. Fiction. Valles eventually enlisted in the U.S.Coast Guard. I thought that was normal. McFarland was that 'small' then and is still today. White used to tell Valles that he wanted to see him join the cross country team in high school, Valles recalled. 'Everybody in the world is going to think I'm fat and I wasn't fat.' "Just getting everybody to believe in themselves," Valles said was how White developed and maintained the program at such a high level. Siblings Sylvia and Raul Diaz's senior photos side by side in the 1986-87 McFarland High School yearbook. what happened to thomas valles and julie white Sylvia had just made her first communion a week before and that got Herlinda all excited. However, similar to the film, Jim White had never been a runner himself and used the bike to follow the team during their workouts. Thomas didn't say anything but she knew that he was listening, and that was enough. "I didn't ride the Barbie bike," White said. "God, she had such a great laugh. Now. "I can't speak for everybody, I can speak for myself," Valles said. Terms in this set (31) Who was Danny Diaz? Cookie Preferences / Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Generated by 10.1.2.159 from cache (3498 ttl) in 11 milliseconds. 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