We just set a record. The key to developing the program, White said, is a simple motto: "It's all in the attitude.". He gets interested in building up a cross-country team, but has to adjust his ways to suit the system. Did that happen? McFarland was that 'small' then and is still today. Directed by Niki Caro, McFarland, USA opened in theaters on February 20, 2015. Jim White, a high school teacher and football coach, has been fired from one job after another, as the desired end of getting people to do the right thing in his mind has not always justified his sometimes impetuous and spontaneous actions as the means. After a few regional competitions, the team wins its first race. Yes. Listen Closely (Victor Puentes/McFarland USA Fanfic). Im not cocky. White finds the potential for cross-country in few students at the school. This survey is intended to capture information from citizens on their desire to secure a high-speed Broadband (Internet) plan from an Internet Service Provider (ISP), to their respective home. Juanita Diaz. Johnny is an educator and is still coaching. What we are reminded of is that McFarland USA is based on a true story but it is not a documentary. BPD detective featured in Disney film charged with bribery, drug trafficking, BY JASON KOTOWSKI jkotowski@bakersfield.com. Its not about me, its not about the other runners. Diaz, Damacio Diaz, David Diaz, Diego The film was previously slated for a November 21, 2014 release, under the title McFarland,[9] but was pushed back to February 20, 2015 and given a new title. "[15] James Rocchi of TheWrap wrote "A feel-good movie that earns all those good feelings, McFarland USA might be running on a predetermined track, but the heart it shows along the journey is what makes it a winner. Kevin Costner plays a high-school football coach who ends up leading a cross-country track team made up unlikely students to a state championship. . What did Coach White throw at the football player inside the "We ran at Mt. In White's time, the town's population has slowly grown from fewer than 4,000 to just over 15,000. He looked after us, he made sure that if we got out of line, he corrected us.. He started teaching in the McFarland school district after graduating from, White did not establish the cross-country team at the school, but instead restarted it after it had been dropped for a year. "We're going to go out and try to win the state title.". To save the earth and its humanity. In 1964, after graduating from Pepperdine, White was hired to teach middle school science in McFarland. From left: Johnny Samaniego, David Diaz, Damacio Diaz, Jim White, Kevin Costner, Thomas Valles, Daniel Diaz and Victor Puentes will appear in McFarland, which began production this week. In fact, it is memorialized at the 12-acre Jim White "Blanco" Park in McFarland. The information captured will be shared by the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff (ORS), with all known ISP's conducting business in the State. White's wife Cheryl organizes a tamale and car wash sale with the rest of the neighborhood to raise money for new uniforms, where the family and the neighborhood become better acquainted. "(It is) things like that that have touched our lives," White said. Our family has watched it three nights in a row. Diaz disclosed the names of criminal informants to Magallanes so the dealer would not conduct business with them and become a target of law enforcement. Jim White (Costner) finds his days as a football coach numbered when an incident with a player leads to his dismissal. Its changed my confidence. While still being interviewed, Valles said he noticed his teammates hugging and crying. It was tough growing up in McFarland.". Finally a great movie, no mayhem, no killing, no swearing, no hanging boobs..this puts some of the other lollywood trash where it belongs In the trash.. Great movie, I cried, wonderful acting and the best inspiration for our young generations!!! What you don't see in the film is sixth runner Luis Partida, who was replaced on the team in McFarland USA by David Diaz, who had actually graduated in 1986. 5, was not in the picture. We were undefeated in '86 and now we had the opportunity to have a state championship team. "I started hanging around the wrong kids," Valles said. They're not going to let kids run all over them. Let's not slack off.". Overall, McFarland, USA is a PG-rated movie with an uplifting, inspirational message. The family feel like they don't fit into their new community, but White has an epiphany one day when he sees his students running from their early-morning farming jobs to school: Why not channel their talents into running cross-country track? Jim White is to Thomas' right and Gary Adams is to White's right. Im not like, Hey, Im Victor from the movie. I just feel a little bit better about myself because something good finally happened in my life, besides my children being born. Based on the true story of a 1987 cross country team from a mainly Latino high school in McFarland, California, the film stars Kevin Costner as Jim White, the school's coach, who leads the team to win a state championship. Jim White and his wife Cheryl have three daughters, not two. Despite a strong group returning from the '87 championship team, McFarland only placed fifth in 1988. I know bcuz Mr. Gonzalez had come 2 my office 2 bring in his work insurance, which his insurance didnt pay much. "Sometimes I helped them work in the fields," says the real Coach Jim White, "but more importantly, I had practice at a different time. "McFarland's Family of Champions," are White has lived in McFarland ever since. Grab your friends and family and run to see McFarland USA!! After high school I went to Eastern Kentucky University where I sampled a variety of majors including English teaching, police administration, and journalism before finally discovering broadcast news. The McFarland girls cross-country team ran in the California Interscholastic Federation South . (He had a) poor relationship with dad. Oct. 5, 2016 7:45 AM PT A former Bakersfield Police Department detective and member of the famed McFarland High School cross-country team depicted in the Disney film "McFarland, USA" was. You have permission to edit this article. He was happy, however, to have Sergio Avelar, a former McFarland High School cross country runner himself, play him. Shortly after, the Diaz brothers are taken off the team by their father, who wants them to work for his team of field pickers instead. Coach Jim White challenged him and his peers to run. Didn't you get into this fight? Since he graduated from Californias McFarland High School in 1989, he has battled drug addiction and spent time in prison. I want all of my. From left: McFarland's Victor Puentes, Thomas Valles and Damacio Diaz at the 1987 California Southern Area championship in Bakersfield. That was my running family, my brothers, my teammates, Mr. The team placed second in 1989 with Samaniego placing eighth and getting on the podium. 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. "That's deeply satisfying to me to - to go in and tell a story that is not only meaningful, but is true and real, and tell it with the real people." McFarland director " Niki Caro " Grandchildren to see this wonderful film. Mara pleaded guilty to related charges in June and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 17. Required fields are marked *. challenged town in California's farm-rich [10][11] The film was released in Canada under its original title, McFarland. "Some had never had a sit-down dinner with forks.". He was there to attend the world premiere of Disney's "McFarland, USA, " which chronicled the 1987 McFarland High School cross-country team, on which Diaz and two of his brothers competed. He also attended the films premiere in Los Angeles with his daughters and wife earlier this month. McFarland, USA grossed $44.5 million in North America and $1.2 million in other territories for a total gross of $45.7 million. When asked about the measure of fame Diaz received due to the film, and his reputation as a hero in McFarland, Williamson responded that sometimes people arent what they seem. Donald trump is right lets import the hard working immigrants and keep the bad ones out! Learn more about the McFarland, USA true story by watching the Jim White interview below. Save up to 30% when you upgrade to an image pack. Available for both RF and RM licensing. 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. "We did have hills," White said. The team would go on to launch a dynasty by winning the first of nine state championships. Police Chief Greg Williamsonsaid Diaz was placed on paid administrative leave when the investigation began in February. The site's critical consensus reads, "Disney's inspirational sports drama formula might be old hat, but McFarland, USA proves it still works especially with a talented director and eminently likable star in the mix. White sees the athletic He also allegedly stole drugs that were supposed to be booked into evidence. White said there are hills around orange groves about six miles outside of town where the team goes for true hill training. They are portrayed to be 15 and 10, a few years younger than they actually were at the time of the first state title in 1987 (the girls were in college at the time). When asked about the measure of fame Diaz received due to the film, and his reputation as a hero in McFarland, Williamson responded that sometimes people arent what they seem. He started off as a junior varsity runner but made the varsity squad as a freshman, working his way up from being the teams number four runner to being the number two runner by the time he graduated. Vanessa Paz (anchor) Biography, Age, Husband, KGW, Salary, Twitter, Tuwanda Coleman Biography, Age, Education, Wife, Career, Salary, Twitter, Wayne Covil Biography, Age, Education, Wife, Career, Twitter. Though the film portrays Puentes as a ladies man, he says he was actually the shyest person on the team. White said the team would run in the heat of the summer when temperatures were into the triple digits. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Victor Puentes is just to his left. Send me an email at johnharte@att.net. U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner, talks to the media Friday about the indictment for Bakersfield Police detective Damacio Diaz, while Bakersfield Police Chief Greg Williamson and Assistant Chief Lyle Martin, listen. "[16] A. O. Scott of The New York Times described the film favorably as "a slick and safe Disney version of a fascinating and complicated reality", and that "Mr. Costner, with his knack for grumpy understatement, manages both to dominate the film and to deflect attention from himself. Puentes said his troubles didnt begin until after high school. He was there to attend the world premiere of Disneys McFarland, USA, which chronicled the 1987 McFarland High School cross-country team, on which Diaz and two of his brothers competed. McFarland, USA was released on February 20, 2015, received positive reviews from critics, and grossed over $45 million. SAC and everywhere we could find competition that could make us better. He recently retired as a California State Correctional officer supervising adult males. Thomas Valles. To make up for the time they couldn't work in the fields due to cross country practice, Jim White would sometimes give his time to them by helping them pick in the fields. White taught fifth-grade science and seventh- and eighth- grade PE and woodshop. Excellent, no trash or language. He took us to church once in a while. Julie and Jami are depicted in the McFarland, USA movie. The McFarland team continued to run races in North America, Europe, and Asia. Based on the 1987 true story, McFarland USA movie follows the lives of athletes from McFarland, a predominately Latino community in California Central Valley as they build a cross-country team under the direction of Coach Jim White (Kevin Costner). - It wasn't my fault. And hes optimistic that the film will be the catalyst that helps him stay away from drugs for good. "(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.". Lightboxes. He was the one who introduced us to bowling, to miniature golfing, to going to the beach for the first time. I walk with my head up high. White is first put as assistant football coach, but ultimately loses his coaching status when he pulls an injured player, Johnny Sameniego, out of a game, causing the crass Head Coach Jenks to ask him to step down. Yeah, that happened. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. was like to have a movie made about his He said no other arrests are anticipated in connection with the case. Unlike many of his former teammates, Puentes no longer runs, but he misses it. That day at Woodward Park, McFarland's top four were dominant. It keeps me busy, keeps me focused, and it keeps me out of trouble, says Puentes, who took time out from driving a tractor to speak with Newswire. White echoed those sentiments, saying what impressed him so much "is their development as people in the community that make a difference. The McFarland, USA true story supports that McFarland High School won nine CIF California State Championships in cross country (including five in a row) and held a streak of attending the state championship meet 24 years in a row. She was the real (team) mother hugging their sweaty bodies when they came in.". And he considers Coach Whites wife, Cheryl, to be an unsung heroine of the story. Many of the citizens of McFarland were extras in the movie. [14] In CinemaScore polls conducted during the opening weekend, cinema audiences gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale. When a police officer misuses his badge to commitcrimes for personal profit, it is the ultimate betrayal of public trust, Wagner said. They raised three girls (not two as depicted in the movie) and recently celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary. "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. cross country coach talks about what it There were times while doing that job that he said he thought about what might have been had it not been for Jim White and cross country. "We couldn't go out there and run those things," White said. Cookie Preferences, Generated by 10.1.2.53 from cache (2435 ttl) in 25 milliseconds. Mejia was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2021 in local reporting for her investigation with colleague Jack Dolan that exposed failures in Los Angeles Countys safety-net healthcare system. ", "That was Hollywood," Valles said. Im a better person because of this movie and because of my wife, family, and everybody else. Ramiro Rodriguez had no intention of auditioning when he agreed to . McFarland, USA (2015) Starring Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, Carlos Pratts, Hector Duran It's not a documentary. Over the years, Puentes says he has remained close to his cross country teammates, many of whom, like himself, still live in McFarland. At first, it is just a temporary pla McFarland, USA | Preferences and Imagines. Please contact us cottenzane@gmail.com with this Email. Find the perfect victor puentes stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. 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.. -KGET 17, No. Immediately after the race, Valles said he was taken with a group of top finishers for awards and media but didn't know if the team had actually won. "You try to offer them the same thing we offered our girls," White said. Low 39F. Since he graduated from California's McFarland High School in. Heres a timeline. The Tunnel Is a 200-Mile Race Through Darkness, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Winds light and variable. In actuality, Thomas was the number one runner for the 1987 State Championship Cross Country team for McFarland. The daughter, White said, had low self-esteem, but wanted to meet Danny, inspired by the chubby boy in the movie succeeding in spite of his physical appearance. Seneca School, Sure, Ill help as best I can. "[17], McFarland, USA was nominated at the 2015 Teen Choice Awards in the category Choice Movie: Drama. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Well, yeah, that happened. Added Cheryl: "With him being a pitcher, he would have been straight on.". Sophomore Johnny Samaniego was 12th overall (sixth in scoring). "That's how we developed that. I wish it had told a little more about the truth of Blanco and who he was and why he was there. Back then, McFarland was largely white demographically. Enterprise. 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. Starring Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, Carlos Pratts, Hector Duran, Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media, No. Im from McFarland and Im proud to be from McFarland.". There will b She was an Orisha sent to earth to be the protector all. Members of McFarland's Diaz family reflect They grew up in broken homes. Badly. 1. Its about McFarland. Dozens of Coach Jim White's runners ended up going to college or into the armed forces. I grew up with domestic violence and that's what I knew. "Danny, he passed up Jose out there somewhere," White recalled. 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. Samaniego was 17th, Puentes 26th, Cardenas 37th, Damacio Diaz 43rd and Danny Diaz was 85th. Its just something to be proud of. Diaz, a 17-year veteran of the department, was arrested at BPD headquarters Friday morning. If you need Internet, this is your call to action! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); A look at the real McFarland USA kids and coach JimWhite, You can't have my job, but I'll tell you a story, Show the world what has happened to my son. 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Not all runners from the 1987 team are featured in the film. Today, Valles coaches girls cross country coach at McFarland and travels around to speak and share his story. McFarland High School is actually just down the road from the Central Valley Correctional Facility, not across the street. Feel free to email jeffrey.parenti@flosports.tv. This case is finally over, and we are extremely blessed and happy to announce that we are victorious, Diaz said. U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner said his office as well as the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI and the IRS participated in the investigation. I wish I had the time to start, Puentes says. Hi there! McFarland tragedy gave boys heart to win. Many of White's former runners credit him with inspiring them to achieve personal and career goals they would have otherwise deemed impossible (People.com). Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. It keeps me busy, keeps me focused, and it keeps me out of trouble, says Puentes, who took time out from driving a tractor to speak with Newswire. Just two weeks before he was placed on leave, Diaz posed for photos on the red carpet at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. He said he didnt want 2 hire lawyers or have 2 deal with all that. "Neither did I throw that shoe at that young man. Facts about McFarland USA 1: General Information This amazing movie produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Mayhem Picture based on the true story of 1987 cross country team from majority Latino high school in McFarland, California. McFarland USA Movie Review. The 16-count indictment against Damacio Diaz, 43, was unsealed Thursday. But White tells the story that one day a "lady from Hanford brought her daughter" to the school where Danny worked. All of a sudden I saw these headlights and it was Mr. White in his '59 Chevy." It took all of us to make thisevery runner who won a state championship from McFarland made this happen, not just myself or the seven runners. White, 79, said his experience at Franklin shaped his path toward McFarland. That streak ended while the movie was in production, after the small school was elevated to Division I status, a byproduct of their success. Yes. "(That) fixed it where I could never see my parents on Thanksgiving," White said. He also allegedly filed false federal tax returns. Hey were in a Gifted class and were doing a Documentary in National History Day and wed like to interview you for a primary source for McFarland, USA. Did the boys have to get up with the sun to work in the fields only to return later in the day to train there? Mar 14, 2015. That was pretty amazing. Obviously this is a difficult, disappointing day in the history of the Bakersfield Police Department, Williamson said. After Life (Victor Puentes/McFarland USA) by dbkiwi YOU ARE READING After Life (Victor Puentes/McFarland USA) Fanfiction Athena Sanders left McFarland for college, leaving everyone she knew behind. White coached for 23 years from 1980 through 2002 and he came back for one year in 2003. Public speaker. "We did that year after year to build bonds and to trust one another," he said. McFarland, USA (2015) 1 He's just sitting there, man. He started off as a junior varsity runner but made the varsity squad as a freshman, working his way up from being the teams number four runner to being the number two runner by the time he graduated. I told them I was but our goal is to win as a team.". Some of the more notable differences included:[8]. "[13] On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating, the film has a score of 60 out of 100, based on 32 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". . I dont need it, I dont want it, Puentes says. The most points ever scored against this school, and it's halftime.
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