I actually realized what true love was. A recent gathering of Norma Lopez Takahashi, Flora Diaz and Dolores Plata Rodriguez with Sylvia Diaz's photo album. (LogOut/ They were Rosa Soto, 18, Lionel Martinez, 16, Efrain Rodriguez, 19, and Sandra Perez, 17. He showed Valles how . 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. They're my brothers.. He was more than a coach. One in particular, Thomas Valles (Carlos Pratt), can run a 5-minute mile. I never photographed or met Sylvia Diaz or Herlinda Gonzalez, but the memories of the pictures I took in the aftermath of their deaths in 1986 would impact me deeply and remain with me through the remainder of my photojournalism career. Carter Bonas Is the . A mass of athletes, competing in the purest level of competition racing. He says that The boys worked in the classroom and on the course, and many of Whites runners attended college or enlisted in the armed forces. That's the legacy I see with that time. Based on the true story of a 1987 cross country team from a mainly Latino high . ", White said Diaz was about 110 pounds as a sophomore in 1987. Romance: Thomas Valles (Carlos Pratts) and Jim's daughter, Julie White (Morgan Saylor), have some serious chemistry. -Congressional Record, V. 146, Pt. Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. (He had a) poor relationship with dad. An avid runner, to say the least, Valles accepted . I grew up in a house with domestic violence, and I didnt feel compelled to share, he said. While still being interviewed, Valles said he noticed his teammates hugging and crying. We sang those songs at the top of our lungs. 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. Little did I know that was our goodbye. Excellent, no trash or language. visual effects editor: shade vfx Charles Baden . By Ellysa Harris. 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. -LA Times, No. Find where to watch Julie White's latest movies and tv shows "We didn't really train like that.". Thanks, "God, she had such a great laugh. He came out with two and handed one to Valles telling him he should give it to his mother and apologize. Photo courtesy of Flora Diaz and Raul Diaz. We had birthday parties with them. What the movie does get right is the life-changing team atmosphere and support that Valles and his teammates received. josecardenas; coachwhite; jimwhite +15 more # 3. yours - thomas valles x . A live-action Disney movie starring Kevin Costner, this 2015 film set in the late 1980s opens on the downward spiraling career of high school football coach Jim White (Costner). Send me an email at johnharte@att.net. "Quiet." Julie nodded, and pushed Stacy's hand away, "Sorry. White said he left Stockton to visit his parents for Thanksgiving. La historia de Valles apareci en la pelcula de Disney "McFarland USA". One day his mom had enough, he recalled. 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). "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. ', "After awhile, I realized there is some hints of my true story.". Asked what part of the story of that 1987 season he wished had been included in the film, White said the impact of his wife Cheryl. But it was too late. Photo credit: ITV. We still run the same roads, along the same fields, just with different kids. Low near 35F. That day at Woodward Park, McFarland's top four were dominant. His older brothers started getting mixed in the wrong crowds and experimenting with drugs. White, 79, said his experience at Franklin shaped his path toward McFarland. I think the school shouldve paid because it was during school practice. But the character of the town started changing, as coach White built success. "I looked over at the reporter and I said 'We won. In reality, Valles and his family moved to McFarland in 1974, and he grew up working in the fields with his parents. White's daughter." Thomas laughed, a strange bitter sound. Girls XC coach at McFarland. But Coach White led his boys to running and running beckoned them past the lines that lay before them. Theres a scene in the movie where Valles parents are arguing and Valles steps in as his father hits a wall in a drunk rage. Victor Puentes is just to his left. We knew we had the potential coming into '87. It was tough growing up in McFarland.". 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. Yes. His marathon goal falls in line with the releaseof McFarland USA on Disney+ last month. Was enlisted in the armed services. Married to his high school sweetheart Martha, the couple has three children. Clockwise from top center is Dolores Plata, Herlinda Gonzalez, Gabby Perez, Alicia Herrera, Delfina Herrera and Magda Saragoza. Valles said he asked the McFarland principal if the team had won. Valles explained that White had observed him going for a six-mile jog-walk record "trying to be the top guy. By continuing to browse or by clicking "Accept," you agree to our site's privacy policy. 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 . I broke my moms heart at 13, he told the kids. He got into the truck and began to talk with Coach White about his difficulties at home. Jim's lack of experience in coaching cross-country isn't some throwaway plot point meant to give the character one more . compositor Karina Benesh . "I was blessed that I got the opportunity to be apart of something that kept me off the streets of McFarland. Sylvia Diaz at work in the agricultural fields of McFarland in 1985. 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. At one of our races, Sylvia was trying to teach us this dance move. 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 If he wasnt at school, Valles was expected to be at home or in the fields helping his dad. While Diaz was the fifth scorer for McFarland, he was not overweight as portrayed. Where he called home depended on where his father could find work in the fields. Tu cuenta de Descarga previa (EZA) se mantendr vigente durante un ao. But enjoy the moment. 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. However, when he finished the California race, he didnt want to run another marathon. 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. Diaz, Damacio Diaz, David Diaz, Diego Members of McFarland's Diaz family reflect I didn't do that until I met the Whites. potential at the predominantly Latino high Valles' story was featured in the Disney movie "McFarland USA.". She was a smart young lady and she tutored me in math because I could not pass math. : 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. "Julie felt it was time to move on and do other things." But network and production execs revealed that White had . Education, law enforcement, business owners. Like a scene from the movie, he found himself at a bridge on the highway one night when hed had enough. The movie downplayed the circumstances in which Valles grew up. He later taught woodshop and physical education. 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. Those kids were good students. The principal shook his head. You set goals and keep positive.. "We did have hills," White said. It was rare to stay in one place longer than a year. E-7Sergeant First Class - United States Army. ". 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. On one occasion, Mrs. Diaz made 200 dozen tamales to send the team to Asia. The team placed second in 1989 with Samaniego placing eighth and getting on the podium. Valles, a senior, placed seventh overall and second among scorers. Ryan Andersen . He promised to take him places away from McFarland, California. Did he ride a pink girls 'Barbie' bike, or was it only Costner? a cake. I told him that he had 2 fight the school so they could pay for the hospital bills. By every account from their friends, relatives and teammates, these were two special and deeply-loved girls. That's OK. We're doing it for our kids, we'll do it for you. From left is Herlinda, Delfina Herrera, Sylvia Diaz and her brother, Raul Diaz. I thought that was normal. Juanita Diaz. (Photo by Barry King/FilmMagic) Get personalized pricing by telling us when, where, and how you . Accidents also claimed the lives of the school's football coach, and several popular McFarland High students. Back then, McFarland was largely white demographically. Jim gets Julie a pretty dress, and she loves the party. They were cross country state champs in 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2001. Sergeant First Class - United States Army. 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. Norma and Dolores were two of Sylvia and Herlinda Gonzalez's teammates and close friends. He was named an all-state athlete in his freshman year. 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 town is now over 15,000 strong, well over the 4000 people there in 1987. However, he had been a teacher in the McFarland School District since 1964, following his graduation from Pepperdine University. No. 1. Nothing shows that sense of unity better than images lovingly preserved in Sylvia's photo album of a visit to the beach depicted in the film. From left: Eva Renteria, Hollie Wykoff, Delfina Herrera, Maria Herrera, Alicia Herrera, Tammy Carter, Norma Torres and coach Gary Pierson. Top, from left: Johnny Samaniego, Luis Partida, Damacio Diaz and Coach Jim White. Standing, from left: coach Gary Pierson, Norma Torres, Norma Lopez, Delfina Herrera and coach Jim White. Valles told the kids he and his siblings would get to bed early on the nights his dad went out for drinks. You have permission to edit this article. He might never have given the incident another thought if not for Whites actions. His family was dysfunctional. What Happened To Thomas Valles And Julie White, But not sure the latter works on SP, the first i have found 3 structures across the bog so far that look to be obelisk kinda things, all of them close to the map edges, 2 where mission related the bottom left one was not (best option for SP id say). Dave Thomas. Photos: Apocalyptic skies hung over Texas panhandle Monday. The 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook contains a heartbreaking number of "in memorial" pages, way too many for a tiny country school. johnny sameniego. went on to college. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. It was indeed the first time that many of the kids ever saw the ocean. . 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. 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 Everybody has a Mr. White, Valles said. We thought that was normal, Valles said. Ask TBC: What's the latest on this indicted BPD officer? One can be here on earth one minute and gone the next. Danny Diaz was not overweight, but he was the seventh runner on the team. . Didn't you get into this fight? During cross-country practice on Oct. 27, 1986, Sylvia Diaz, a 16-year-old McFarland High senior, and Herlinda Gonzalez, 14, a sophomore, were struck by a car on Whisler Road in McFarland. What you need to know. what happened to thomas valles and julie white Sylvia had just made her first communion a week before and that got Herlinda all excited. A cleat, a shoe 2. She was 16 and I was 18 on Oct. 27, 1986. ", "That was Hollywood," Valles said. In 1964, after graduating from Pepperdine, White was hired to teach middle school science in McFarland. White has lived in McFarland ever since. Valles, his coach Jim White, and six teammates were the CIF California State Cross Country Champions in 1987. Well acted and tremendously inspirational. It was gold to us, but complete torture for the guys and probably Coach White as well. Quote Tweet. "She was crying and hugging Danny. He cared and he showed it. "(That) fixed it where I could never see my parents on Thanksgiving," White said. Jim White is to Thomas' right and Gary Adams is to White's right. SAC where it dominated. By 1986, Texas-born Coach Jim White, nicknamed Blanco by his Latino team, had built a locally dominant cross country team. Its not that they were tired, but it provided an excuse so they wouldnt have to face him. The photographs were taken primarily by her brother, Raul Diaz, on his 35-millimeter camera and shared by her younger sister, Flora Diaz. Sylvia Diaz is in the middle. Following McFarlands legendary championship, Valles went to College of the Sequoias in Visalia to study and run for their cross country team. 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. Valles held him to that promise. 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. 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. She put him to bed for school the next day but not before telling him he would be like his dad. The Whites had three daughters. ', "But as people started asking me about the movie and telling me 'Hey, Thomas, but didn't this happen? March 29, 2022, 12:48 PM PDT. However, I believe the Diaz family did go 2 court & the school paid them an undisclosed amount. Its the last six miles that get you., We always think back and wish we could have done this or that, Valles said. He admittedly partied too much during his sophomore year and became ineligible. "He's the one who . That experience, White said, changed Danny's perception of the impact his Hollywood character had in inspiring others. 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. He offers the kids a chance 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. Subject from McFarland USA shares life story, Rare endangered animal seen running across Texas road. Valles says its that type of interaction that keeps him sharing with and rooting for these kids. -BakersfieldCalifornian.com, Yes. Three shots that changed everyone's life. The houses in which the family stayed belonged to farm owners. 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. His mother answered and immediately saw the signs. 12, Not exactly. But he never truly felt he made amends for that with his mom. Additionally, Coach White would be there for counseling and fulfilling needs beyond what their parents could afford. His siblings soon started spiraling into unhealthy behaviors. "Just getting everybody to believe in themselves," Valles said was how White developed and maintained the program at such a high level. Nine boys state titles is tied with Jesuit (SJ) for the most boys team titles in state history. 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. Yes. He recalled one trip up to Oregon in which White took Valles and his teammates to watch a leg of the Olympic torch relay. who does coach white see sitting on the edge of the bridge. The photo was taken with Raul's camera by a teammate. I don't know if anybody outside McFarland ever asked. She never held back when it came to laughing, making people laugh, and just being downright silly. He later joined the U.S. Coast Guard. 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