Were part of his life, Puentes says. GREAT GREAT GREAT MOVIE! Thank you for reading! PrepCalTrack.com conducted this Jim White While the school's football team is as bad as most that he has coached, the one thing he does notice is that out of necessity many of the boys have the stamina to run long distances quickly. Jim White coaching photo by Kirby Lee/Image of Sport. Did that happen? "She wanted to meet Danny Diaz," White said. He said the high school had 4,000 students and he "felt like a number." "We had no idea, with him not performing that day, if we'd actually won it. That made us work harder. 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. Lightboxes. He enlists Sameniego's help and recruits Thomas Valles, Jose Cardenas, Victor Puentes and brothers David, Damacio and Danny Diaz. "That's how we developed that. Julie White has moved to small town McFarland with her family. He showed Valles how . ", "That bothered him for awhile," White said. " That's OK. We're doing it for our kids, we'll do it for you. Puentes joined the McFarland cross country team as a freshman, after Coach Jim White showed up at his house and asked if he was interested in joining the team. 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. In 1987, football coach Jim White loses his job after he loses his temper and accidentally injures a team player in the locker room. 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. Julie and Jami are depicted in the McFarland, USA movie. To save the earth and its humanity. But he did say there was a "low-rider" bike with his nickname "Blanco" on it. You have permission to edit this article. They were requested by People Magazine. Their oldest daughter, Tami, does not appear in the film. When Coach Jim White (Costner) arrives to teach at a predominantly Latino high school, everyone has a lot to learn about each other. He looked after us, he made sure that if we got out of line, he corrected us.. "Some had never had a sit-down dinner with forks.". "I can't speak for everybody, I can speak for myself," Valles said. I'm getting goosebumps now. Subscribe to Popcorn Talk Network's YouTube Channel @ http://youtube.com/popcorntalknetwork Check out all the. But Diaz believes Puentes has the tools to turn his life around. No, the real Coach Jim White actually started coaching cross country at McFarland High School in 1980. McFarland had four in (31 points) before Stevenson's No. He also attended the films premiere in Los Angeles with his daughters and wife earlier this month. They asked me if I was happy with my place. Since he graduated from Californias McFarland High School in 1989, he has battled drug addiction and spent time in prison. E-7Sergeant First Class - United States Army. school and decides to put together a cross 5, was not in the picture. "We're going to go out and try to win the state title.". According to the indictment, Magallanes paid Diaz to tip him off to law enforcement investigations and in general to protect him from arrest and prosecution. The 16-count indictment against Damacio Diaz, 43, was unsealed Thursday. Its changed my confidence. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. "David and Danny (Diaz) are in education. Soon enough, White is connecting with his young charges, particularly a gifted athlete named Thomas (Carlos Pratts), and the squad set their sights on a state championship.. 1987. Thomas is portrayed as the troubled teen in the movie and also the number one runner. cross country coach talks about what it - It wasn't my fault. He said he didnt want 2 hire lawyers or have 2 deal with all that. "When the movie came out, I was kind of in denial. 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 sentenced this week to five years in prison. Let's do it because it's the right thing to do. challenged town in California's farm-rich The reality is much less dramatic: he started teaching in the McFarland school district in 1964 -and only middle school- after graduating from Pepperdine University. Also, take a closer look at the Diaz family, who had seven children run for McFarland. The fall of Afghanistan and the situation within the pacific has the United States begun to loosen After Life (Victor Puentes/McFarland USA). 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. 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. Sophomore Johnny Samaniego was 12th overall (sixth in scoring). Overall, McFarland, USA is a PG-rated movie with an uplifting, inspirational message. under Coach Jim White at McFarland High Hey! When you run long distance, you just lose yourself. 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. Jim White, a school football coach at odds with the system and players, takes a job as an assistant football coach at McFarland. A detective with the Bakersfield Police Department whose exploits as a high school cross-country athlete were highlighted in the Disney film "McFarland, USA, has been indicted for allegedly accepting tens of thousands of dollars in bribes in return for assisting a drug dealer in his methamphetamine operation. ** DISCLAIMER ** Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. We'd love to share your memories of that meet and that experience. Samaniego was 17th, Puentes 26th, Cardenas 37th, Damacio Diaz 43rd and Danny Diaz was 85th. All seven Diaz children went to college and all seven returned to McFarland where they live today. Jose Cardenas became a writer for The Los Angeles Times and is currently serving his country in the U.S. army. The indictment states Diazprovided the drug dealer with information on law enforcement practices and activities, disclosed the names and identities of police informants and tipped the dealer off to police investigations, including information on a wiretap probe. BY JOHN HARTE For the Californian. "(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.". 12, The real Jim White and wife Cheryl White actually have three daughters, Tami, Julie and Jami. You dont feel your feet hitting the [ground] anymore, you dont feel that youre out of breath. was like to have a movie made about his Some, like David Diaz, became teachers themselves. Ask TBC: What's the latest on this indicted BPD officer? Jim does whatever he can to get the key boys in any way he can to be the core of the needed seven member team. 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. 1. He takes full responsibility for that now. Diaz turned his back on those opportunities and broke the trust his community placed in him, violating the very laws he was sworn to enforce.. [18], Last edited on 1 September 2022, at 05:39, "Kevin Costner in Talks to Star in Disney's Sports Drama 'McFarland', "William Broyles Jr. For the past several months, Puentes work on a 220-acre ranch, where he helps maintain an almond crop, has kept him busy. champions. Wagner said he doesnt believe anyone was physically harmed by Diazs actions, but what he did put lives at risk. Director Niki Caro chose to omit Luis Partida, who in the movie is replaced with David Diaz. (LogOut/ 1 of 27. I thought that was normal. 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 indictment states the government will seize the following if its proven it was obtained through Diazs alleged criminal activities: a 2011 Toyota Sequoia SR5; about $49,000 from a Valley Republic Bank account held in Diazs name; property at 157 Famoso Hills Road in McFarland; and a sum of money equal to the total amount of proceeds obtained as a result of the alleged crimes. 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). "Things that Mrs. Diaz did (in the film), that's what Cheryl was doing. "We did have hills," White said. Victor Puentes is just to his left. "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. Thomas Valles went on to become a prison guard (LA Times). 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. "She was crying and hugging Danny. This was the best of the best. "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. I dont know if it changed everybody else, but it changed me.. Retired as a correctional officer. Likely not. Unlike many of his former teammates, Puentes no longer runs, but he misses it. Very good moviegringos better stop descriminating the Latinosjust like john Lennon saidthe world should live as one. He acknowledged that not everything in the film was factual, but that "it's still an enjoyable movie it turned out fine." "I was blessed that I got the opportunity to be apart of something that kept me off the streets of McFarland. McFarland USA Interview - Victor Puentes (2015) Interview with Victor Puentes (Real Life Character) for McFarland USA. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. When we needed something, she tried her best to provide for us, even though we had our own families. Starring Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, Carlos Pratts, Hector Duran, Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media, No. White has lived in McFarland ever since. In the least, such scenes seem to have been exaggerated by the filmmakers. This race occurred two and one-half weeks after two teammates on the girls team, Silvia Diaz and Herlinda Gonzalez, were struck by a car and killed while practicing. He also allegedly stole drugs that were supposed to be booked into evidence. It made me rethink the choices that Ive made in the past, because I had a bad past. Slowly we became better and better at it, Puentes says. For more California news, follow @brittny_mejia. Though Puentes doesnt see much of himself in the films portrayal, he says thats not whats important. Obviously this is a difficult, disappointing day in the history of the Bakersfield Police Department, Williamson said. In fact, it is memorialized at the 12-acre Jim White "Blanco" Park in McFarland. White. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Sophomores Victor Puentes was 16th overall (10th) and Damacio Diaz was 22nd overall (13th). He offers the kids a chance We all have opportunities to inspire every person we meet every day. 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. Diaz, Damacio Diaz, David Diaz, Diego - Yeah. Out of all the 1987 team, Victor was definitely the smartest of all of us, Diaz told 23ABC News. Stock photos, 360 images, vectors and videos. 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. Victor Puentes is a 1989 graduate of Mcfarland High School in Mcfarland, CA. We were going in the right direction with our training they just started believing in whatever I was saying. Did Coach White ride his bike as the boys ran? "He took care of us, he fed us, he clothed us. 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