Desperate for work, he moves his wife (Maria Bello) and daughters (Morgan Saylor . One day his mom had enough, he recalled. Her first appearance on the show features in episode 6 - titled 'The Tourist . Inspired by the irony of his last name, "Blanco" was one of the nicknames that the kids and their families gave Jim White. Clockwise from top center is Dolores Plata, Herlinda Gonzalez, Gabby Perez, Alicia Herrera, Delfina Herrera and Magda Saragoza. On occasion, he said, the boys would have to work in the fields on a Saturday morning before going off to a meet that afternoon. They talk about being inspired to strive for something beyond picking in the fields. He never saw the money he made as it went to support his family. When I say Mr. White became my father figure and Mrs. White became my mother figure. Ayon is the current McFarland boys coach. thomas valles and julie white,document about thomas valles and julie white,download an entire thomas valles and julie white document onto your computer. ", "That was Hollywood," Valles said. "But we'd try to run in the shade in the almonds," he said. It's all Hollywood. No. SKOTY. 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. Jim White is to Thomas' right and Gary Adams is to White's right. Jeffrey Parenti, jeffrey.parenti@flosports.tv, Contact Us Raul would walk across the graduation stage that spring without his sister, her hopes and dreams a memory preserved by his photographs. He later joined the U.S. Coast Guard. champions. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. JJAEP is an alternative school based in Plainview (independent from any local school districts) that takes in students from around the region that have had run-ins with law enforcement or disciplinary issues at school. 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. McFarland High School is actually just down the road from the Central Valley Correctional Facility, not across the street. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. No. Its the last six miles that get you., We always think back and wish we could have done this or that, Valles said. 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. At first, it is just a temporary place to live until she graduates high school . The message is so clear, never give up, even when the odds are against you. He also said he didn't have a relationship with his baseball coach and questioned why there couldn't have been a better relationship. Everybody is important. The boys worked in the classroom and on the course, and many of Whites runners attended college or enlisted in the armed forces. "David and Danny (Diaz) are in education. He offers the kids a chance The 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook page dedicated to football coach Gerald Pitts, who died of a heart attack. "We were a very good team in 86," White said. Pow. "Sylvia and Herlinda became good friends during cross country, and they would often run together. 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. There was alcohol or drug abuse in their homes. As a child, White lived in the city of Austin until she started attending college in San Marcos . Valles went on to earn a criminal justice degree. thomas valles. 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. His mother answered and immediately saw the signs. "The best part wasn't winning a state championship or winning medals," Valles said, "it's what we did afterward, our education, our careers, my family. 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. He admittedly partied too much during his sophomore year and became ineligible. Very good moviegringos better stop descriminating the Latinosjust like john Lennon saidthe world should live as one. He said he told his mother that he wanted to go somewhere small, somewhere where he could have an impact. Thank you for reading! experience coaching the team. -LA Times, No. I told them I was but our goal is to win as a team.". 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. Today, Valles coaches girls cross country coach at McFarland and travels around to speak and share his story. He won nine state titles and went to the state meet every year but one, he said. By Ellysa Harris. children ran for Jim White and all seven One can be here on earth one minute and gone the next. Valles admits he didnt quite understand at the time. He showed Valles how . Coach Jim White challenged him and his peers to run. In actuality, Thomas was the number one runner for the 1987 State Championship Cross Country team for McFarland. The anchor of the cross country team and the reason they won state. Retired - living in McFarland. potential at the predominantly Latino high And both CBN and Fox News announced that the "Asbury Revival" had spread to other schools, including Cedarville University. Thomas Valles has been running since middle school, and he still hasnt stopped at 52. Higher wind gusts possible.. March 29, 2022, 12:48 PM PDT. (LogOut/ The Hate U Give, written by Angie Thomas and Published by Balzer and Bray, is realistic fiction. An avid runner, to say the least, Valles accepted . The team placed second in 1989 with Samaniego placing eighth and getting on the podium. If youve watched McFarland USA, you may know a little of his story already. Additionally, Coach White would be there for counseling and fulfilling needs beyond what their parents could afford. White said he left Stockton to visit his parents for Thanksgiving. Ryan Andersen . His family was dysfunctional. They came back. 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. I realized, you know what, this could have been me had somebody not been on me. Its a town that draws in running teams from across the country for motivational talks, and its a town that knows champions can be made there. Danny Diaz, daughter Delia Diaz, Gabriel They became my kids, proclaims White. Find where to watch Julie White's latest movies and tv shows He let us know that those were opportunities that kids and families should have an opportunity to do. They asked me if I was happy with my place. Everybody has a Mr. White, Valles said. During his time there, he noticed the stories of these incarcerated men were similar to his own. White, 79, said his experience at Franklin shaped his path toward McFarland. White coached for 23 years from 1980 through 2002 and he came back for one year in 2003. All of a sudden I saw these headlights and it was Mr. White in his '59 Chevy." 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 household walked on eggshells around his dad. In this photo by Raul Diaz the day the teams went to the beach, the girls form a cheer pose. Yes. His first teaching position in the district was instructing fifth grade science, which he did for nine years. The program, which is run by Eddie Subealdea, chief juvenile probation officer for Hale County, is an alternative placement program. Brief Version. His performance at the 1987 state meet did help McFarland lock up the title. 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 ! 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.". He also did find Thomas Valles on a freeway overpass and help him deal with his I'm coming! They're my brothers.. Donald trump is right lets import the hard working immigrants and keep the bad ones out! Jim White and Thomas Valles Reflect on 35 Years of McFarland Track. Valles retired two years ago from the California Department of Corrections. 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 had positive people in my life through sport, Valles said. -LA Times. Upset that his wife put him in jail, he got out and filed for divorce. Did he ride a pink girls 'Barbie' bike, or was it only Costner? Let's do it because it's the right thing to do. Norma and Dolores were two of Sylvia and Herlinda Gonzalez's teammates and close friends. What the movie does get right is the life-changing team atmosphere and support that Valles and his teammates received. Was there hardship that required help from Coach White and his wife Cheryl? She eventually concluded that it was good for them as long as they still worked. Send me an email at johnharte@att.net. We didnt win overnight. 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. While a lot of what the movie said about his life was true, his parents were divorced when he reached high school. By A recent gathering of Norma Lopez Takahashi, Flora Diaz and Dolores Plata Rodriguez with Sylvia Diaz's photo album. This mantra propelled the boys of McFarland High School to their the first California State Cross Country Championships in 1987. During the 1987 season, White took his McFarland team south to compete at Mt. Julie K. White (born June 4, 1961) is an American actress. Yes. Learn more about the McFarland, USA true story by watching the Jim White interview below. Photo credit: ITV. In fact, when the studio gave Valles and his teammates a special sneak preview of the film, he left the theater unimpressed. That made us work harder. In this photo shot by Raul Diaz on Oct. 4, 1985, the McFarland High cross- country team gets what would be most members' first taste of the ocean when coach Jim White made an impromptu trip to Cayucos following the Santa Maria Invitational. While the Disney film "McFarland USA" depicts the inspirational story of the team and . The town is now over 15,000 strong, well over the 4000 people there in 1987. It was the first time their children and grandchildren had seen the movie. "As soon as Mr. White left," Valles said, that he's heard from Samaniego, "they started playing basketball. She wanted us to go together. One day he got a call from White reminding him why he was in school. Primary filming took place in McFarland, California in 2013. Let's not slack off.". His older brothers started getting mixed in the wrong crowds and experimenting with drugs. E-7Sergeant First Class - United States Army. 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. What is it about distance running that not only allowed seven kids to dominate, but brought a whole community together? The principal shook his head. School. It wasnt easy and he shared a slip-up. Update, February 19, 2015: I found these additional photos from my coverage of the 1986 South Area championship at Hart Park. A former . Jim's lack of experience in coaching cross-country isn't some throwaway plot point meant to give the character one more . The six-part series . Yes. 2h. You have permission to edit this article. "All my teammates are still here. And, man, I just started crying, started crying tears of joy. Yes. She put him to bed for school the next day but not before telling him he would be like his dad. ", White, the former baseball player, was a right-handed pitcher. It was indeed the first time that many of the kids ever saw the ocean. 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. The memorial pages in the 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook for Herlinda Gonzalez and Sylvia Diaz. . to know what it feels like to be 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.. By the time he hit junior high, he was one of the fastest runners among his peers and White took notice. However, he did rebuild the boys and girls cross country programs from the ground up. "We're going to go out and try to win the state title.". Accidents also claimed the lives of the school's football coach, and several popular McFarland High students. He was a baseball player, a pitcher, in high school and in college. "That's how we developed that. Grandchildren to see this wonderful film. Thomas Valles. 'What's going on?' He also did find Thomas Valles on a freeway overpass and help him deal with his I'm coming!. Later, Javi and Lupe offer to take Julie out for her own "parade", with Thomas accompanying them. 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 photos I made of the teams in the aftermath of the accident were the first I would shoot of McFarland's string of tragedies in the 1980s. Who was Thomas Valles? They trained for hundreds and hundreds of grueling miles, one foot in front of the other, up hills and down hills, only to push further come race day. All Rights Reserved. "Thomas didn't have anger management and Danny wasn't fat," White said when asked about inaccuracies in the film. "My parents divorced. I thought that was normal. Plainview Herald. They still live in McFarland and still want to make a difference in the community.". Top, in tree: Luis Partida and Victor Puentes. Herlinda Gonzalez's sophomore photo in the 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook. Likely not. I broke my moms heart at 13, he told the kids. Johnny is an educator and is still coaching. She called the cops it wasnt the first time and they took him to jail. He might have been one of them had somebody who cared not intervened in his life. Ellysa Harris is the editor for the Plainview Herald. "I abruptly stopped the interview and took off," he said about joining his teammates. " Education, law enforcement, business owners. "He's the one who . Sylvia had just made her first communion a week before and that got Herlinda all excited. 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. We won.' A particularly poignant photograph shows Sylvia and Raul, Delfina Herrera and Herlinda holding up her index finger, showing off the "MHS #1" she has just scrawled in the sand at Cayucos. Thomas gives her a bracelet that his grandmother made. Yes. what happened to thomas valles and julie white. No, the real Coach Jim White actually started coaching cross country at McFarland High School in 1980. We became a real family, and we're still family.. ', "Thomas was at our house almost every day.". 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). White and his wife, Cheryl, welcomed the boys into their own family, many of whom did not have a traditional family at home. Raul Diaz is now Father Raul Diaz, pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Dinuba. He has been fired from several jobs, and eventually ends up in the titular town (the only place that would hire him). I want to tell the story of Sylvia and Herlinda because, based on what I witnessed in 1986, a complete story of McFarland High's inspiring cross-country legacy cannot be told without including Sylvia, Herlinda and the girls team. All three girls graduated with degrees in education from Lubbock Christian University in Lubbock, Texas; Tami in 1985, Julie in 1988, and Jami in 1991. Danny Diaz was not overweight, but he was the seventh runner on the team. Yes, the nickname the boys gave him, as depicted in the film, was real. Coach Jim White challenged him and his peers to run. "I didn't really know what those sports were," Valles said. ", "It was a great accomplishment," White said. It was bittersweet. We had birthday parties with them. "We achieved what we set out to do. Occupation Actress Years active 1985-present Spouse(s). The legendary former McFarland The film also shows a chubby runner named Danny Diaz rallying late to secure the team title. "Sometimes I helped them work in the fields," says the real Coach Jim White, "but more importantly, I had practice at a different time. A mass of athletes, competing in the purest level of competition racing. Valles' story was featured in the Disney movie "McFarland USA.". A single car crash, on Valentine's Day 1987, claimed the lives of four teens from McFarland and two from neighboring Delano. 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. By Sahil Kapur. 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. We knew we had the potential coming into '87. 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 Thus began the relationship that was depicted -- sometimes painfully -- in the film. Top, from left: Johnny Samaniego, Luis Partida, Damacio Diaz and Coach Jim White. Although he retired, Jim is still a pillar of the . Both girls witnessed the practice accident that took the lives of Herlinda Gonzalez and Sylvia Diaz two and one-half weeks earlier. It features a bridge with silhouettes of runners, and a water tower with a running mural. 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. DMCA NoticesNewspaper web site content management software and services. By 1986, Texas-born Coach Jim White, nicknamed Blanco by his Latino team, had built a locally dominant cross country team. "Danny, he passed up Jose out there somewhere," White recalled. challenged town in California's farm-rich Also, take a closer look at the Diaz family, who had seven children run for McFarland. He recently retired as a California State Correctional officer supervising adult males. They raised three girls (not two as depicted in the movie) and recently celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary. His father is a picker who leaves for long stretches of time, coming home to drink and cause trouble within the family. danny diaz. Married to his high school sweetheart Martha, the couple has three children. Many students were touched. -23ABC News. He later taught woodshop and physical education. Delano Now The circumstances brought Valles to a low point. Herlinda said that was cool. Sylvia had just made her first communion a week before and that got Herlinda all excited. They were requested by People Magazine. I wept and wept, and did not go inside. This is part of a series of articles looking back at the 1987 CIF-State Cross Country Championships, the first in California. Almost all had never been to the beach. On Tuesday, Valles shared a more in-depth version with students at the JJAEP with the hope of inspiring them. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph. I wouldn't feel anything. He got into the truck and began to talk with Coach White about his difficulties at home. 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