Durning the season, the boys are not supposed to play basketball. Thomas Valles has been running since middle school, and he still hasn't stopped at 52. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ", 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. Middle row, from left: David diaz, Thomas Valles, Amador Ayon and Christian Rodriguez. La historia de Valles apareci en la pelcula de Disney "McFarland USA". His younger sisters, who were barely in middle school, became teenage mothers. I grew up with domestic violence and that's what I knew. 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. In 1964, after graduating from Pepperdine, White was hired to teach middle school science in McFarland. WABC 11/5/2021. All seven Diaz Low near 35F. In 1964, after graduating from Pepperdine, White was hired to teach middle school science in McFarland. Didn't you get into this fight? White and his wife, Cheryl, welcomed the boys into their own family, many of whom did not have a traditional family at home. From left is Herlinda, Delfina Herrera, Sylvia Diaz and her brother, Raul Diaz. The 1986 McFarland High girls cross-country team. E-7Sergeant First Class - United States Army. Cookie Preferences / Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Generated by 10.1.2.159 from cache (3498 ttl) in 11 milliseconds. Like a scene from the movie, he found himself at a bridge on the highway one night when hed had enough. The aunt is a teacher and is brought in to babysit Alex and Julie. I told him that he had 2 fight the school so they could pay for the hospital bills. Herlinda said that was cool. (LogOut/ Find where to watch Julie White's latest movies and tv shows Photo courtesy of Flora Diaz and Raul Diaz. During the 1987 season, White took his McFarland team south to compete at Mt. Because Thomas Valles, McFarlands top runner in 1987, is the focal point of all these photos, this was most likely a profile I was assigned to shoot of him in advance of the state championship meet. 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.". That's OK. We're doing it for our kids, we'll do it for you. They came back. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Danny's brother. ', "After awhile, I realized there is some hints of my true story.". "We're going to go out and try to win the state title.". Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Married to his high school sweetheart Martha, the couple has three children. As he settled into his new home, he maintained the life of a homebody. Valles said he asked the McFarland principal if the team had won. 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. We all have opportunities to inspire every person we meet every day. Back then, McFarland was largely white demographically. 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. visual effects editor: shade vfx Charles Baden . Teammate updates and McFarland photos courtesy of Thomas Valles. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. 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. It was gold to us, but complete torture for the guys and probably Coach White as well. Bravo told me, "Show the world what has happened to my son.". HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 09: Runner Thomas Valles (5th from left) and his family arrive at the world premiere of 'McFarland, USA' at the El Capitan Theatre on February 9, 2015 in Hollywood, California. 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. We became a real family, and we're still family.. Three shots was all it took and Starr's life changed forever. 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. Dolores Plata is sitting on the grass. This is a carousel. Valles retired two years ago from the California Department of Corrections. It reminds me of another good one, Glory Road. If he wasnt at school, Valles was expected to be at home or in the fields helping his dad. What we are reminded of is that McFarland USA is based on a true story but it is not a documentary. Jim White attended Franklin High in Stockton and Magic Valley Christian community college in Idaho before completing his education at Pepperdine. Perhaps one of the most endearing parts of Valles is his humility. From left: Victor Puentes, Johnny Samaniego, Damacio Diaz, Thomas Valles and David Diaz. White. My wife reminds me who I am when I get home.. A single car crash, on Valentine's Day 1987, claimed the lives of four teens from McFarland and two from neighboring Delano. I think the school shouldve paid because it was during school practice. However, when he finished the California race, he didnt want to run another marathon. champions. ", "That was Hollywood," Valles said. Flora is Sylvia's younger sister. White coached for 23 years from 1980 through 2002 and he came back for one year in 2003. "You couldn't tell if she was ever having a bad day, because she was always so uplifting and a pleasure to be around. 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. Both Valles and White said the movie producers preferred the idea of three Diaz brothers on the team rather than just two. We treated them just like our kids. " Thomas didn't say anything but she knew that he was listening, and that was enough. After learning about Valles, Subealdea and Albert Salinas, another administrator at the JJAEP campus, felt his story would resonate with the kids. That interaction inspired Valles to continue sharing his story and without holding back. That streak ended while the movie was in production, after the small school was elevated to Division I status, a byproduct of their success. The anchor of the cross country team and the reason they won state. "We were a very good team in 86," White said. One day he got a call from White reminding him why he was in school. November 15, 2021 / Vanessa Villalvazo. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. Despite a strong group returning from the '87 championship team, McFarland only placed fifth in 1988. 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. 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. 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. school and decides to put together a cross 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. But enjoy the moment. That made us work harder. They asked me if I was happy with my place. children ran for Jim White and all seven "The nerves were still there because we were going to be part of something, not thinking it was history, but a part of something that we've never done," Valles said. Jim White restarted the program in 1980 after it had been dropped for a year. 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. 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. Thomas received a degree and served our country before returning to McFarland to raise a family and also help coach the McFarland . Feel free to email jeffrey.parenti@flosports.tv. Jeffrey Parenti, jeffrey.parenti@flosports.tv, Contact Us Excellent, no trash or language. You might know Valles from the famous Disney movie "McFarland USA." Carlos Chalabi portrayed him as a high school student. White's daughter." Thomas laughed, a strange bitter sound. I actually realized what true love was. Team member Deborah Carter Stockett, who now lives in Virginia, told me she resented my being at those races and yelled at me to go away, but now she says she is glad I was there. She was 16 and I was 18 on Oct. 27, 1986. His father is a picker who leaves for long stretches of time, coming home to drink and cause trouble within the family. . But he did say there was a "low-rider" bike with his nickname "Blanco" on it. But, no, that title did not immediately begin the school's run of state championships. "Danny, he passed up Jose out there somewhere," White recalled. Et que tu t'enfuies la queue entre les jambes aprs qu'on t'ait expropri pour rcuprer notre d, celui que ta classe exploiteuse nous a vol ! I'm getting goosebumps now. 1. 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. Where he called home depended on where his father could find work in the fields. I loved my sister very much. Also check out the incredibly moving real photos from the beach scene depicted in McFarland USA from the personal album of Silvia Diaz. Sylvia had just made her first communion a week before and that got Herlinda all excited. PE teacher at McFarland MS. McFarland HS varsity girls basketball coach. The real Jim White and wife Cheryl White actually have three daughters, Tami, Julie and Jami. This photo ran in The Californian the next day. . Like in the movie, Thomas Valles went to an overpass above Highway 99 one night after his parents got into a horrible fight. "When the movie came out, I was kind of in denial. They want to make a difference. He said the high school had 4,000 students and he "felt like a number." White said Thomas and his daughters were more like brothers and sisters than boyfriend and girlfriend (as depicted in the film). Retired from law enforcement. . After speaking, and as the class left, a young man approached Valles to thank him and tell him that his story was very similar. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. It wasnt unusual for his father. School. Primary filming took place in McFarland, California in 2013. He cared and he showed it. She was the real (team) mother hugging their sweaty bodies when they came in.". "Uh-" Julie scoffed, "It's totally a huge deal. "Things that Mrs. Diaz did (in the film), that's what Cheryl was doing. 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. After that, the Cougars were the easy favorites to win the first small schools division (D-III) State Meet title. Herlinda Gonzalez's sophomore photo in the 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook. She was on the 1985 team and became a cheerleader in 1986, but her teammates wanted her in this photo. David is represented in the McFarland, USA movie along with two of his brothers, Damacio and Danny. The photographs were taken primarily by her brother, Raul Diaz, on his 35-millimeter camera and shared by her younger sister, Flora Diaz. It soon became a dominant program among small schools in Northern California. However, it happened a little differently than in the movie. When I say Mr. White became my father figure and Mrs. White became my mother figure. His older brothers started getting mixed in the wrong crowds and experimenting with drugs. "We ran at Mt. "I would not have been surprised if she had ended up becoming a doctor or some top-notch lawyer," says Plata Rodriguez. 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. Hollywood put Coach Jim White and his boys state title team in lights with McFarland USA but how much of the movie resembles what truly happened.. College Progression Tracker 60m 100m 100H 110H 200m 300H 400m 400H 800m 1600m 3200m Discus Shotput Javelin High Jump Long Jump Triple Jump Not unlike many McFarland kids, she worked in the fields to help support her family. 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. 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. I wept and wept, and did not go inside. "She might hate me now. We were undefeated in '86 and now we had the opportunity to have a state championship team. Diaz, and father and mother Paul and Bottom, from left: Thomas Valles, Danny Diaz, Victor Puentes, Jose Cardenas. Its not part of the movie, but the team was, obviously, grieving and impacted deeply. "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.". His performance at the 1987 state meet did help McFarland lock up the title. All seven Diaz children went to college and all seven returned to McFarland where they live today. Sylvia Diaz at work in the agricultural fields of McFarland in 1985. Valles was a star on the team and is the primary runner featured in the film "McFarland, USA.". 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 . "All my teammates are still here. This was out of the ordinary.". His response, "Well, they're not just my friends. A young girl approached Thomas Valles, McFarland's No. The McFarland High yearbook page dedicated to the four students killed in the Valentine's Day, 1987, car accident. Julie, and Jamie, and four grandchildren. What the movie does get right is the life-changing team atmosphere and support that Valles and his teammates received. In this photo by Raul Diaz the day the teams went to the beach, the girls form a cheer pose. The 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook page dedicated to football coach Gerald Pitts, who died of a heart attack. 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. Bold, original and fun, her collection of silk scarves & specialty socks are collectable and timeless. Let's do it because it's the right thing to do. But the depiction of him in the film prompted him to make a t-shirt showing him as he actually was: "This is the real Danny Diaz.". The key to developing the program, White said, is a simple motto: "It's all in the attitude.". The circumstances brought Valles to a low point. While the idea for the motion picture was conceived in the 1990s, it was not made until Disney bought rights to the story and actor Kevin Costner, who played Mr . Victor Puentes is just to his left. White has lived in McFarland ever since. We still run the same roads, along the same fields, just with different kids. We'd love to share your memories of that meet and that experience. 'You're actually doing things for us that our mom and dad don't do. The film also shows a chubby runner named Danny Diaz rallying late to secure the team title. 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. His response, Well, they're not just my friends. "(It is) things like that that have touched our lives," White said. Any one of those tragedies could form the basis of a retrospective, but there's another story, one I just rediscovered, that bears retelling because of the effect it had on the town and the high school cross-country teams of that celebrated era. A young girl approached Thomas Valles, McFarlands No. Teach middle school, became teenage mothers a strange bitter sound heart attack leaves for long stretches of time coming... Totally a huge deal de Disney & quot ; Well, they 're not my. 1987 season, White was hired to teach middle school science in,! 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