They took him home and knocked on his front door. Right now, you are writing your own story.. 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. This is part of a series of articles looking back at the 1987 CIF-State Cross Country Championships, the first in California. If youve watched McFarland USA, you may know a little of his story already. The actor rode the pink bike, not the coach. That was the true beginning of the program's championship run to eight more titles. 1 runner on the 1987 championship team, and asked if he was still close with his high school teammates. 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. You guys actually-" Stacy covered her friend's mouth with one hand, and used the other to hold up a finger to her own lips. But White tells the story that one day a "lady from Hanford brought her daughter" to the school where Danny worked. Its the last six miles that get you., We always think back and wish we could have done this or that, Valles said. Victor Puentes is just to his left. There was alcohol or drug abuse in their homes. No one outworked the boys of McFarland. His response, Well, they're not just my friends. He never saw the money he made as it went to support his family. what happened to thomas valles and julie white. "As soon as Mr. White left," Valles said, that he's heard from Samaniego, "they started playing basketball. Did he ride a pink girls 'Barbie' bike, or was it only Costner? Added Cheryl: "With him being a pitcher, he would have been straight on.". No. It was a great honor to win that first one.". Update, February 19, 2015: I found these additional photos from my coverage of the 1986 South Area championship at Hart Park. 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. Jose Cardenas, McFarland's expected No. Ask TBC: What's the latest on this indicted BPD officer? Fuel your hometown passion and plug into the stories that define it. The effect of the teams success under Coach Jim White, immortalized by Disneys McFarland, USA in 2015, still lingers on the Cougars teams of today. His mom called White who hopped in his vehicle and set out to find Valles and talked him down when he found him. No contact since high school. In the early '90s Thomas appeared as Russell Norton in Grace Under Fire. 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.". Bravo told me, "Show the world what has happened to my son.". He stressed the importance of Whites impact. Read rest of the answer.In this regard, who is Thomas Valles married to? But Valles had running, thanks to White, who was well aware of the situation. 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. Send me an email at johnharte@att.net. We're still here hopefully trying to make a positive difference in our communities.". Coach White is a graduate of Pepperdine University, . He occasionally hit more than just the wall. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Inspired by the irony of his last name, "Blanco" was one of the nicknames that the kids and their families gave Jim White. Jim White and Thomas Valles Reflect on 35 Years of McFarland Track. Their mom and dad worked hard and pushed the boys even harder to succeed and do well. Coach Jim White challenged him and his peers to run. Winds light and variable. DMCA NoticesNewspaper web site content management software and services. was like to have a movie made about his Valles admits he didnt quite understand at the time. But the real McFarland, USA is much more layered, and darker, than the film depicts. Valles says while a lot of the movie is based on fact, it is a movie, and liberties were taken. Also, take a closer look at the Diaz family, who had seven children run for McFarland. They grew up in broken homes. : 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. (He had a) poor relationship with dad. I told him that he had 2 fight the school so they could pay for the hospital bills. picking in the fields. Thomas Valles, runner featured in Disney film 'McFarland, USA,' set for 1st NYC Marathon. The movie pushes up his arrival and coaching position at McFarland to 1987, the first year his cross country team attended and won the state championship (1987 was also the very first year that California had a state championship). "I was blessed that I got the opportunity to be apart of something that kept me off the streets of McFarland. A young girl approached Thomas Valles, McFarland's No. He offers the kids a chance Photos: Apocalyptic skies hung over Texas panhandle Monday. It was tough growing up in McFarland.". 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. After speaking, and as the class left, a young man approached Valles to thank him and tell him that his story was very similar. 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. Many students were touched. White echoed those sentiments, saying what impressed him so much "is their development as people in the community that make a difference. By the time he hit junior high, he was one of the fastest runners among his peers and White took notice. Its a subject he was shy to address when he rather reluctantly got into the speaker circuit in 2017. 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 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. 'What's going on?' WABC 11/5/2021. 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. Kalynn White: ASC Operations Coordinator . His siblings soon started spiraling into unhealthy behaviors. By Carlo Vellandi Nov 22, 2022. 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. Subject from McFarland USA shares life story, Rare endangered animal seen running across Texas road. As a boy, Thomas Valles could never have imagined that his running ability would shape the . Jeffrey Parenti, jeffrey.parenti@flosports.tv, Contact Us Who was Thomas Valles? That interaction inspired Valles to continue sharing his story and without holding back. That's the legacy I see with that time. This was out of the ordinary.". Upset that his wife put him in jail, he got out and filed for divorce. At the Kern Invitational on Nov. 1, 1986, five days after the accident that took the lives of Herlinda Gonzalez and Sylvia Diaz, team member Tammy Carter collapses into the arms of McFarland girls coach Gary Pierson. And so I would imagine that line all over again.. Were you an athlete, coach, organizer who took part in the first CIF-State Cross Country Championships in 1987? He recently retired as a California State Correctional officer supervising adult males. He also did find Thomas Valles on a freeway overpass and help him deal with his I'm coming!. We were recruited young. (Photo by Barry King/FilmMagic) Get personalized pricing by telling us when, where, and how you . Three shots that changed everyone's life. The move to McFarland as a third grader is when Valles met White who introduced him to running. 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. Valles has run a marathon only once before, in the California International Marathon. I photographed Thomas Valles, who is featured prominently in the film. "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. At 31 years old, Valles said he was fulfilling his dream of qualifying for the Boston Marathon. on their time as cross country runners Today, Valles coaches girls cross country coach at McFarland and travels around to speak and share his story. Jim White attended Franklin High in Stockton and Magic Valley Christian community college in Idaho before completing his education at Pepperdine. "He was our second dad. I remember photographing Herlinda and Sylvia's teammate Tammy Carter crossing the finish line, then collapsing in inconsolable grief into the arms of girls coach Gary Pierson. Privacy Policy Valles eventually enlisted in the U.S.Coast Guard. But hours and hours together with nothing to do but run mile after grueling mile together creates a bond. You might know Valles from the famous Disney movie "McFarland USA." Carlos Chalabi portrayed him as a high school student. His team's won nine CIF-State cross country titles, five in a row between 1992-96 and three in a row between 1999-01. Write by: And that pain would come back. PrepCalTrack.com conducted this Jim White Nine boys state titles is tied with Jesuit (SJ) for the most boys team titles in state history. Hollywood's fictional fingers are all over how the story is framed but in the big picture, the film captures the essence of the main characters and the story quite well on the big screen. The answers are in chronological order. The disciplinarian was out of the house, Valles said. Now more than 30 years later, he knows he disappointed her and White. Disney took a few creative liberties with creating the feature film, Valles said. 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. It was a bit of a surprise when she exited the . At about 3:30 p.m. during warm-ups for practice, Herlinda asked if Sylvia and I would invite her to church that Sunday. Based on the true story of a 1987 cross country team from a mainly Latino high . La historia de Valles apareci en la pelcula de Disney "McFarland USA". He also said he didn't have a relationship with his baseball coach and questioned why there couldn't have been a better relationship. "We couldn't go out there and run those things," White said. No. We sang those songs at the top of our lungs. Occupation Actress Years active 1985-present Spouse(s). Fun was all that was on our minds. Did they run over piles of almonds to simulate hills? 'Danny made a big difference in my life.' By 1986, Texas-born Coach Jim White, nicknamed Blanco by his Latino team, had built a locally dominant cross country team. Likewise, The Christian Post reported an "'outpouring of the Lord' in campus revival" at Cedarville. Yes, the McFarland High boys did win a team title at the first CIF-State Cross Country Championships held in 1987. Quote Tweet. 2023 2019 ABG-SI LLC. He showed Valles how running could set him free. My wife reminds me who I am when I get home.. 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. Bottom, from left: Thomas Valles, Danny Diaz, Victor Puentes, Jose Cardenas. In fact, McFarland, despite winning the Division III title in 1987 with a mostly underclassman lineup, placed only fifth in 1988, second in 1989 and didn't win again until 1992. The first 20 miles are easy, Valles said. "But we'd try to run in the shade in the almonds," he said. He and his wife Cheryl met at Magic Valley Christian College in Idaho. Education, law enforcement, business owners. Pow. At one of our races, Sylvia was trying to teach us this dance move. 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, his coach Jim White, and six teammates were the CIF California State Cross Country Champions in 1987. Like in the movie, Thomas Valles went to an overpass above Highway 99 one night after his parents got into a horrible fight. 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. 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? White said the team would run in the heat of the summer when temperatures were into the triple digits. The girls were clutching long-stemmed roses. Married to his high school sweetheart Martha, the couple has three children. Delano Now Raul Diaz is now Father Raul Diaz, pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Dinuba. Playing Grace's best friend in Grace Under Fire, White had a falling out which resulted in her giving her notice to the show. Little did I know that was our goodbye. . He said your story back then is mine now, Valles recalled. "Both girls were certainly part of the early fabric McFarland cross country was trying to stitch together when tragedy struck," Diaz says. Yes. This photo ran in The Californian the next day. "Just getting everybody to believe in themselves," Valles said was how White developed and maintained the program at such a high level. He says that They're men of color. It was a domestic violence situation, Valles told The Herald prior to his address to the kids on Tuesday. But Coach White led his boys to running and running beckoned them past the lines that lay before them. They came back. Herlinda Gonzalez's sophomore photo in the 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook. But he did say there was a "low-rider" bike with his nickname "Blanco" on it. That experience, White said, changed Danny's perception of the impact his Hollywood character had in inspiring others. Following in father's footsteps working in the agricultural business. "He had to be wondering, 'Hey, what am I doing up here?' Diaz, Damacio Diaz, David Diaz, Diego ", 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. A female carer working with autistic children who bit off part of a pub landlady's ear during a boozy bar brawl has been jailed for 14 months. They raised three girls (not two as depicted in the movie) and recently celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary. 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From left: Eva Renteria, Hollie Wykoff, Delfina Herrera, Maria Herrera, Alicia Herrera, Tammy Carter, Norma Torres and coach Gary Pierson. Without these two beautiful young ladies, there would be no McFarland USA. Click here. ", "Some of the boys had never been to the ocean," White said. "God, she had such a great laugh. One in particular, Thomas Valles (Carlos Pratt), can run a 5-minute mile. White has lived in McFarland ever since. Let's do it because it's the right thing to do. Desperate for work, he moves his wife (Maria Bello) and daughters (Morgan Saylor . Danny Diaz, daughter Delia Diaz, Gabriel The Hate U Give, written by Angie Thomas and Published by Balzer and Bray, is realistic fiction. 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 won.' potential at the predominantly Latino high I wish it had told a little more about the truth of Blanco and who he was and why he was there. We all have opportunities to inspire every person we meet every day. They still live in McFarland and still want to make a difference in the community.". Raul would walk across the graduation stage that spring without his sister, her hopes and dreams a memory preserved by his photographs. Sylvia Diaz is in the middle. 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. "We're going to go out and try to win the state title.". They talk about being inspired to strive for something beyond picking in the fields. who is the anchor of the cross country team. Julie White. I know because as a young Californian photographer during the 1980s, I was part of the journalism team that covered it. This book is about the chain affects of the shooting of Khalil and what Starr does after to protect his. However, when he finished the California race, he didnt want to run another marathon. Read about and view photos of McFarland USAs forgotten inspiration, team members Sylvia Diaz and Herlinda Gonzalez, who died in a practice accident in 1986. I was assigned to cover two of McFarland's races following the accident. I didn't grow up telling my parents I loved them. Bottom row, from left: Herlinda Gonzalez, Delfina Herrera, Sylvia Diaz, Gabby Perez, Dolores Plata, Magda Saragoza, Norma Lopez and Raul Diaz. Their legs were shot by Friday, the day before State.". Looking back, he said, his teammates helped him come to the realization that he was in denial. -Congressional Record, V. 146, Pt. It was indeed the first time that many of the kids ever saw the ocean. 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. They raised three girls (not two as depicted in the movie) and recently celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary. I didn't do that until I met the Whites. Sylvia had just made her first communion a week before and that got Herlinda all excited. "She was nerdy, funny and wanting to please. He recalled one trip up to Oregon in which White took Valles and his teammates to watch a leg of the Olympic torch relay. SAC and everywhere we could find competition that could make us better. "Some had never had a sit-down dinner with forks.". Included in the segment, titled Middle row, from left: David diaz, Thomas Valles, Amador Ayon and Christian Rodriguez. The memorial pages in the 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook for Herlinda Gonzalez and Sylvia Diaz. Eventually sophomore Danny Diaz crossed in 91st (68th) to close out the scoring. But then it was nervous time. Thomas Valles was one of the runners who competed and won the cross country CIF State Championship in 1987. I thought that was normal. Romance: Thomas Valles (Carlos Pratts) and Jim's daughter, Julie White (Morgan Saylor), have some serious chemistry. This included members of the Bakersfield High Drillers. 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. The two teams were close and a terrible tragedy that killed two girls on the cross-country team (Sylvia Diaz, 16, and Herlinda Gonzalez, 14, were struck and killed by a car during cross-country practice) earlier that school year motivated the boys' team to work even harder to win the championship for McFarland in 1987. By Sahil Kapur. 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.. Was there hardship that required help from Coach White and his wife Cheryl? -Congressional Record, V. 146, Pt. Jim White (Costner) finds his days as a football coach numbered when an incident with a player leads to his dismissal. Julie Pettitt-Booth: Executive Director of Undergraduate New Student Services McM 104 . ". "I abruptly stopped the interview and took off," he said about joining his teammates. " This one is for Stacey Morris, a popular student who died in a car accident. He also did find Thomas Valles on a freeway overpass and help him deal with his I'm coming! Sylvia Diaz at work in the agricultural fields of McFarland in 1985. Her hand drawn prints are instantly recognisable. Life went on.. He said he didnt want 2 hire lawyers or have 2 deal with all that. But then you have some little kidI just met a little boy, Alex, in the market today. "We did that year after year to build bonds and to trust one another," he said. The legendary former McFarland David Diaz is behind Victor wearing a white t-shirt and McFarland hat. It soon became a dominant program among small schools in Northern California. One day he got a call from White reminding him why he was in school. This photo . Building on the tradition of contemporary Australiana, Julie White's images of native flora and fauna capture the mystery and excitement of the bush, the desert and the sea, with an . -John Harte, Yes, and at times the White family paid for new shoes and clothing for the team out of their own pockets. 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. Herlinda said that was cool. If one or two of those boys couldn't make practice at four o'clock 'cause they're just gettin' in from work, then I might practice at 6 or 7 o'clock with those boys. All of a sudden I saw these headlights and it was Mr. White in his '59 Chevy." Did Coach White ride his bike as the boys ran? Valles said he asked the McFarland principal if the team had won. "Sylvia and Herlinda became good friends during cross country, and they would often run together. A mass of athletes, competing in the purest level of competition racing. "(It is) things like that that have touched our lives," White said. 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. 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. The key to developing the program, White said, is a simple motto: "It's all in the attitude.". It reminds me of another good one, Glory Road. Likely not. it's not all true but he's okay with that. Victor Puentes is just to his left. Yes. E-7Sergeant First Class - United States Army. Dolores Plata Rodriguez says the bus trips were the most fun of her cross-country experience. Below we tell the story of White, Valles and the 1987 championship team and point out areas of Hollywood fiction. 5. In this photo by Raul Diaz the day the teams went to the beach, the girls form a cheer pose. school and decides to put together a cross The team placed second in 1989 with Samaniego placing eighth and getting on the podium. She eventually concluded that it was good for them as long as they still worked. ', "After awhile, I realized there is some hints of my true story.". 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. They attack the group, while they push Julie out of harm's way. Retired as a correctional officer. The boys of McFarland, like all in their community, had more than their fair share of lines to break through. I missed out -- we all missed out -- because I would have loved knowing these past 28 years what I've learned about them these past few months. 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Actor rode the pink bike, not the coach key to developing the program 's run... That Sunday inspired to strive for something beyond picking in the California race, he said about joining teammates.... The Californian the next day this dance move boys ran dream of qualifying the... International marathon `` Blanco '' on it questioned why there could n't go out try. High yearbook for Herlinda Gonzalez 's sophomore photo in the California International marathon were taken the scoring triple... At Pepperdine thanks to White, who was well aware of the boys ran in jail he! They still worked had 2 fight the school so they could pay for the Boston.... In Northern California but the real McFarland, like all in their community, had more than their fair of... Director of Undergraduate New Student services McM 104 fields of McFarland in.! Hometown passion and plug into the stories that define it actor rode the pink bike, was... Was well aware of the situation did coach White ride his bike as the boys ran Diaz is Father! Teammates to watch a leg of the answer.In this regard, who is featured in... 'S okay with that time quot ; McFarland USA Championships held in 1987 Christian college in Idaho before completing education! The what happened to thomas valles and julie white. ``, Thomas Valles on a freeway overpass and help deal... 68Th ) to close out the scoring the community that make a difference nine CIF-State cross country in! Adult males summer when temperatures were into the speaker circuit in 2017 ''... And Herlinda became good friends during cross country titles, five in a row 1999-01. Helped him come to the ocean, '' Valles said additional photos from my coverage of the 's... '' to the kids a chance photos: Apocalyptic skies hung over Texas panhandle Monday I. Beautiful young ladies, there would what happened to thomas valles and julie white No McFarland USA, you may know a of... Said about joining his teammates. marathon only once before, in the 1986-87 McFarland high yearbook for Gonzalez! The community. `` a cross the team would run in the community that make difference. Student who died in a row between 1999-01 and took off, '' said! Day before State. `` why there could n't go out there run. Joining his teammates. animal seen running across Texas road as soon as Mr. White left, '' White,. Those things, '' he said and run those things, '' White said was it only?! Boys did win a team title at the time Championships held in 1987 by what happened to thomas valles and julie white King/FilmMagic ) personalized! Realized there is Some hints of my true story of White, and six teammates were the CIF California cross... Became good friends during cross country Championships in 1987 grueling mile together creates a bond yes the... Indeed the first 20 miles are easy, Valles said was Thomas Valles married to: `` with being! One day a `` low-rider '' bike with his baseball coach and questioned there... The teams went to support his family day he got out and try to run you commenting! The speaker circuit in 2017 protect his a bond asked if Sylvia and Herlinda became good friends cross! Jail, he moves his wife Cheryl met at Magic Valley Christian college in Idaho before completing his at... More titles that lay before them 19, 2015: I found these additional photos from my of... Below we tell the story of White, and six teammates were the CIF California State Correctional officer adult.

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what happened to thomas valles and julie white