"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. It's all Hollywood. Dolores Plata Rodriguez says the bus trips were the most fun of her cross-country experience. 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. 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. His father is a picker who leaves for long stretches of time, coming home to drink and cause trouble within the family. 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. No. He then taught seventh and eighth grade woodshop and PE for 11 years at McFarland Middle School, and then switched to just teaching PE and coaching the high school cross country team. She often brought along a music magazine that had all of the current top hits' lyrics inside. Yes, McFarland is an inspirational story. 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. We all have opportunities to inspire every person we meet every day. A single car crash, on Valentine's Day 1987, claimed the lives of four teens from McFarland and two from neighboring Delano. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. . Yes, the McFarland High boys did win a team title at the first CIF-State Cross Country Championships held in 1987. Director Niki Caro chose to omit Luis Partida, who in the movie is replaced with David Diaz. (LogOut/ He might have been one of them had somebody who cared not intervened in his life. Stationed at Soledad and living in Salinas, he applied to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitationto fulfill his dream in law enforcement. Valles has run a marathon only once before, in the California International Marathon. The memorial pages in the 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook for Herlinda Gonzalez and Sylvia Diaz. "(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.". |
Samaniego was 17th, Puentes 26th, Cardenas 37th, Damacio Diaz 43rd and Danny Diaz was 85th. From left is Herlinda, Delfina Herrera, Sylvia Diaz and her brother, Raul Diaz. Included in the segment, titled "McFarland's Family of Champions," are Danny Diaz, daughter Delia Diaz, Gabriel Diaz, Damacio Diaz, David Diaz, Diego Diaz, and father and mother Paul and Juanita Diaz. What you need to know. Siblings Sylvia and Raul Diaz's senior photos side by side in the 1986-87 McFarland High School yearbook. We'd love to share your memories of that meet and that experience. Public speaker. 1. Her first appearance on the show features in episode 6 - titled 'The Tourist . We sang those songs at the top of our lungs. Here was the star runner, just a kid, bringing his hands to his face in prayer and keeping them there for what seemed an eternity before the start of his race. "We couldn't go out there and run those things," White said. The legendary former McFarland At about 3:30 p.m. during warm-ups for practice, Herlinda asked if Sylvia and I would invite her to church that Sunday. His first teaching position in the district was instructing fifth grade science, which he did for nine years. This is the team featured in the movie McFarland USA, which opens to general release on February 20. Valles went on to earn a criminal justice degree. -LCU.edu, Yes. (David Diaz and Amador Ayon were both seniors on the 1986 team and didn't get the chance to compete for a state championship. Here's all you need to know about Taff Jones. Who was Thomas Valles? "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. He admittedly partied too much during his sophomore year and became ineligible. danny diaz. The key to developing the program, White said, is a simple motto: "It's all in the attitude.". on their time as cross country runners "My parents divorced. "He had to be wondering, 'Hey, what am I doing up here?' I want all of my. 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. Brief Version. 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. Retired as a correctional officer. To see additional photos of the McFarland boys and girls teams competing in the 1986 Kern Invitational five days after the tragic accident that took the lives of their teammates, please visit the post McFarlands never-ending heartache.. Photo courtesy of Flora Diaz and Raul Diaz. 5. I love it so muchthese are people we need the HARD WORKING MEXICANS in this country! "I looked over at the reporter and I said 'We won. They still live in McFarland and still want to make a difference in the community.". Coach Jim White (Kevin Costner) is the new That was the true beginning of the program's championship run to eight more titles. . "God, she had such a great laugh. Read rest of the answer.In this regard, who is Thomas Valles married to? It was also the first time I would photograph teenage athletes competing for their school, their coaches and each other in the face of unspeakable heartache. "We're going to go out and try to win the state title.". I don't know if anybody outside McFarland ever asked. 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. He also said he didn't have a relationship with his baseball coach and questioned why there couldn't have been a better relationship. His household walked on eggshells around his dad. He encouraged the kids to find their own mentor. You might know Valles from the famous Disney movie McFarland USA. Carlos Chalabi portrayed him as a high school student. Did Coach White ride his bike as the boys ran? Yes. 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. Subject from McFarland USA shares life story, Rare endangered animal seen running across Texas road. Ask TBC: What's the latest on this indicted BPD officer? We still run the same roads, along the same fields, just with different kids. His father was an abusive alcoholic, he said. Raul went on to become a priest and is pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Dinuba. He was inspired by how far Valles had come. He also attended CSU Bakersfield and was the first person in his familyto get higher than a sixth-grade education. Romance: Thomas Valles (Carlos Pratts) and Jim's daughter, Julie White (Morgan Saylor), have some serious chemistry. Her hand drawn prints are instantly recognisable. White has lived in McFarland ever since. 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.". Life went on.. Later, Javi and Lupe offer to take Julie out for her own "parade", with Thomas accompanying them. This moment stands out in my mind the most because Sylvia sometimes seemed shy, so for her to come out with this crazy dance move in front of the boys was absolutely insane. One day his mom had enough, he recalled. "I can't speak for everybody, I can speak for myself," Valles said. Additionally, Coach White would be there for counseling and fulfilling needs beyond what their parents could afford. 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. The girls were clutching long-stemmed roses. Coach White said the genesis of the '87 championship team began in 1986 in conjunction with the approval by the CIF Federated Council of the first statewide championship meet for cross country. November 06, 2021. But enjoy the moment. -John Harte, Yes, and at times the White family paid for new shoes and clothing for the team out of their own pockets. When I say Mr. White became my father figure and Mrs. White became my mother figure. However, similar to the film, Jim White had never been a runner himself and used the bike to follow the team during their workouts. . Girls XC coach at McFarland. I photographed Thomas Valles, who is featured prominently in the film. We grew up not having a whole lot, every single person on our team. what happened to thomas valles and julie white Sylvia had just made her first communion a week before and that got Herlinda all excited. 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. In fact, it is memorialized at the 12-acre Jim White "Blanco" Park in McFarland. 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. Idk if people were aware that MHS, did not want 2 pay 4 Herlinda Gonzalez & Silvia Diaz hospital bills. My parents always encouraged us to work hard.. Oh, how that stung me for a long time. "When the movie came out, I was kind of in denial. But he never truly felt he made amends for that with his mom. By Sahil Kapur. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. White said there are hills around orange groves about six miles outside of town where the team goes for true hill training. He was no fan of homework and was diagnosed with dyslexia creating some additional learning challenges at school but he was motivated to run and to travel. But hours and hours together with nothing to do but run mile after grueling mile together creates a bond. Following McFarlands legendary championship, Valles went to College of the Sequoias in Visalia to study and run for their cross country team. 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