Earlier this year, Diaz one of the three Diaz brothers depicted in the 2015 Disney film about the Central Valley team that won the state championship admitted to lying on his tax returns and accepting bribes from a criminal informant in return for information about police during a three-year period starting in 2012, according to the U.S. attorneys office. 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. children ran for Jim White and all seven There he discovers buried potential in several high school boys and slowly turns them into championship runners and brings them closer than even he could ever imagine. In 1964, after graduating from Pepperdine, White was hired to teach middle school science in McFarland. These photos, by the way, are from the California Southern Area meet held at Hart Park in Bakersfield, probably November 1987, and if I remember correctly, it is the meet before the California Interscholastic Federation section championship and the California state championship, which the team went on to win, and is a focus of the film. Sun and clouds mixed. He said he told his mother that he wanted to go somewhere small, somewhere where he could have an impact. ", "Some of the boys had never been to the ocean," White said. I actually realized what true love was. After sentencing, Diaz spoke with reporters outside the federal courthouse in Fresno. Samaniego was 17th, Puentes 26th, Cardenas 37th, Damacio Diaz 43rd and Danny Diaz was 85th. Yes. PE teacher in McFarland, an economically Jim White attended Franklin High in Stockton and Magic Valley Christian community college in Idaho before completing his education at Pepperdine. No, sir. "I looked over at the reporter and I said 'We won. Though Puentes doesnt see much of himself in the films portrayal, he says thats not whats important. Added Cheryl: "With him being a pitcher, he would have been straight on.". Yes, the McFarland High boys did win a team title at the first CIF-State Cross Country Championships held in 1987. David Diaz is behind Victor wearing a white t-shirt and McFarland hat. McFarland was not a desperate last resort. But the depiction of him in the film prompted him to make a t-shirt showing him as he actually was: "This is the real Danny Diaz.". But then it was nervous time. This movie is based on the remarkable McFarland High School Cross-Country Team which, until it was recently forced to compete against much larger schools, dominated its division in the sport state-wide for more than 20 years. "I grew up in a broken home," Valles said. 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. Diaz, a 17-year veteran of the department, was arrested at BPD headquarters Friday morning. Buy images; Sell images; They're all professionals. Excellent movie. Custom Content. "I was getting interviewed by the Bakersfield Californian (newspaper). Coach Jim White challenged him and his peers to run. Retired - living in McFarland. school and decides to put together a cross They still live in McFarland and still want to make a difference in the community.". 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. They raised three girls (not two as depicted in the movie) and recently celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary. interview. He, his wife Cheryl White, and their daughters, mid-teen Julie White and preteen Jamie White, have only lived in largely white homogeneous environments, so when Jim accepts the only job he can get as life sciences and phys ed teacher and assistant football coach at McFarland High School in Central California, they are somewhat ill-prepared mentally for the relatively poor conditions and the largely homogeneous Hispanic population in the town, most of their neighbors Mexican immigrants who work as pickers in the surrounding agricultural fields. Learn more about the McFarland, USA true story by watching the Jim White interview below. Enterprise. 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. Julie and Jami are also portrayed relatively younger than their real ages at the time of McFarland's first state title win in 1987 (all three were in college during that time). The actor rode the pink bike, not the coach. 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. We're still here hopefully trying to make a positive difference in our communities.". McFarland, USA Character Reference Chart Danny Diaz Jim White Damacio Diaz Thomas Valles Johnny Sameniego David Diaz Cheryl White Victor Puentes Julie White Instructions: As you watch the video, please answer each question. Diaz, and father and mother Paul and Heres a timeline. They grew up in broken homes. It was a great honor to win that first one.". 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. 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. -KGET 17. 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. SAC where it dominated. ', "After awhile, I realized there is some hints of my true story.". Jim White (Costner) finds his days as a football coach numbered when an incident with a player leads to his dismissal. "[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". Wagner said during a press conference Friday that they began looking into Diazs activities as a result of information received from unrelated drug investigations earlier this year. "She was crying and hugging Danny. She knew that some of us needed a little bit more. [4] The film also stars Maria Bello and Morgan Saylor. 'That's not even my life story. 1. Their legs were shot by Friday, the day before State.". "We did what we could to help him. "We achieved what we set out to do. 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. Victor Puentes at the premiere of Disney's McFarland 1,588 views Feb 20, 2015 4 Dislike Share Save laughingplace 147K subscribers McFarland runner Victor Puentes, interviewed on the red. The film opened in North America on February 20, 2015 and earned $11 million in its opening weekend, finishing 4th at the box office. Our family has watched it three nights in a row. McFarland, USA (2015) Starring Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, Carlos Pratts, Hector Duran It's not a documentary. Another blast is on the way. We were her sons, Puentes says. ", White, the former baseball player, was a right-handed pitcher. A struggling coach and teacher who has had to move around for different incidents in his career finally comes to one of the poorest cities in America: McFarland, California. I wish it had told a little more about the truth of Blanco and who he was and why he was there. On one occasion, Mrs. Diaz made 200 dozen tamales to send the team to Asia. They're men of color. Winds light and variable. The day of the state championships comes and almost the whole McFarland community accompanies the team to the race. Yes. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Julie White has moved to small town McFarland with her family. Since he graduated from Californias McFarland High School in 1989, he has battled drug addiction and spent time in prison. 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. You have permission to edit this article. Let's not slack off.". Boards Disney's 'McFarland' (Exclusive)", "Disney movie starring Kevin Costner filming in Camarillo", "Pixar's 'The Good Dinosaur' Pushed Back Nearly 18 Months After Losing Director", "Kevin Costner Movie 'McFarland' Moves Out Of 2014", "Kevin Costner's Sports Drama 'McFarland USA' Pushed to 2015", "Weekend Report: Moviegoers Flee From 'Fifty Shades', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=McFarland,_USA&oldid=1107843665, Jim White had not been fired from numerous prior teaching jobs before starting at McFarland. White said the team would run in the heat of the summer when temperatures were into the triple digits. Damacio Diaz, whose story was told in a Disney movie about a high school cross-country team, admitted to accepting bribes and drug offenses, federal prosecutors said. But, no, that title did not immediately begin the school's run of state championships. Puentes is proud to be recognized for his role in the teams accomplishments nearly 28 years later, and that the film has put his hometown on the map. Description. Hey! 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. (LogOut/ 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. Did Coach White ride his bike as the boys ran? Also, take a closer look at the Diaz family, who had seven children run for McFarland. Behold! went on to college. Some of the more notable differences included:[8]. His performance at the 1987 state meet did help McFarland lock up the title. McFarland, USA (2015) 1 He's just sitting there, man. 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. He said no other arrests are anticipated in connection with the case. 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 Tunnel Is a 200-Mile Race Through Darkness, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Valles said he asked the McFarland principal if the team had won. Ask TBC: What's the latest on this indicted BPD officer? White would take his teams to train in Yosemite at elevation. "He was our second dad. "McFarland's Family of Champions," are Were part of his life, Puentes says. - That's what. I just dont need it anymore. on their time as cross country runners "I started hanging around the wrong kids," Valles said. 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. Did they run over piles of almonds to simulate hills? All seven Diaz "We ran at Mt. He attended California Polytechnic State University for two years, but he had to drop out because he didnt have enough money to continue and his mother was sick. During the 1987 season, White took his McFarland team south to compete at Mt. Sergeant First Class - United States Army. 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. To save the earth and its humanity. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney) *** Local Caption *** Damacio Diaz. 21 vital ADU tips from people whove built them in L.A. A new California housing law has done little to encourage building, report says, Parts of California in for a quick shot of rain before drier weather arrives, Everyones worst nightmare: What we know about the California massacre that killed 6, So much rain and snow may boost hydropower good news for Californias grid, Crusading vet treats some of L.A.s most cherished residents: The pets of skid row. This was made up to serve the plot. Puentes began experimenting with drugs and battled addiction off and on for many years. country team. Now he has nothing but the highest regard for White. "I can't speak for everybody, I can speak for myself," Valles said. He offers the kids a chance Without them, there wouldnt be a legacy.. He was like a second dad, Puentes says. 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. "We're going to go out and try to win the state title.". "We did have hills," White said. A 1997 LA Times article described it as a rickety, worn bicycle, but did not state that it was a girl's bicycle like in the movie. 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. Badly. It's based on a true story, but not everything's very factual, but it's still an enjoyable movie. Back then, McFarland was largely white demographically. Athena and Victor go through life at McFarland High together. Excellent, no trash or language. Slowly we became better and better at it, Puentes says. Retired from law enforcement. 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. Grab your friends and family and run to see McFarland USA!! She stayed in contact with everyone, as she still loved them all. Cookie Preferences, Generated by 10.1.2.53 from cache (2435 ttl) in 25 milliseconds. [12], Stephen Farber of The Hollywood Reporter gave a positive review, writing that "While the beats of the story are often stock, the picture benefits from sensitive direction by New Zealander Niki Caro and from a most appealing performance by Kevin Costner. And he considers Coach Whites wife, Cheryl, to be an unsung heroine of the story. (LogOut/ 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. Not all runners from the 1987 team are featured in the film. . "As soon as Mr. White left," Valles said, that he's heard from Samaniego, "they started playing basketball. When a police officer misuses his badge to commitcrimes for personal profit, it is the ultimate betrayal of public trust, Wagner said. They worked hard. Its just something to be proud of. . 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. It reminds me of another good one, Glory Road. That was pretty amazing. Their oldest daughter, Tami, does not appear in the film. The two met at secret locations, including the upper level of the Valley Plaza mall parking garage, to discuss drug business, according to the indictment. When we needed something, she tried her best to provide for us, even though we had our own families. "Some had never had a sit-down dinner with forks.". challenged town in California's farm-rich All of a sudden I saw these headlights and it was Mr. White in his '59 Chevy." 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. Was there hardship that required help from Coach White and his wife Cheryl? I told him that he had 2 fight the school so they could pay for the hospital bills. Its just something to be proud of. Victor Puente Is An American News Ancho Born in Germany to Army parents, He has spent most of his life living in Kentucky. those boys were heroes to many. it's not all true but he's okay with that. White said there are hills around orange groves about six miles outside of town where the team goes for true hill training. The Whites had three daughters. Thomas is portrayed as the troubled teen in the movie and also the number one runner. Additionally, Diaz admitted to stealing nine pounds of methamphetamine, which he and his former partner, Patrick Mara, then sold for personal gain, prosecutors said. champions. 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. This case is finally over, and we are extremely blessed and happy to announce that we are victorious, Diaz said. Some, like David Diaz, became teachers themselves. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. "My parents divorced. McFarland tragedy gave boys heart to win. I didn't grow up telling my parents I loved them. "Sometimes I helped them work in the fields," says the real Coach Jim White, "but more importantly, I had practice at a different time. "You saw the hills at the end of the movie.". 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. Puentes grew up in Clay City and am a proud Powell County Pirate. [7][8], In an interview, Jim White noted that while the film was based on a true story, it was not a documentary. 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!!! 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. 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. Jim White and his wife Cheryl have three daughters, not two. An ex-detective who was on the championship 1987 track team depicted in the movie "McFarland USA" has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to bribery and drug charges. He showed Valles how . Similarly, White took both teams to the California coast beach at. Director Niki Caro wanted to feature more family in the film, so Luis Partida, who was on the team, was replaced with David Diaz, Damacio and Danny's brother. By Ellysa Harris. 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? Winds light and variable.. All seven have little hope for their future, specifically Valles, who has hardships with his father and nearly throws himself off a bridge before White stops him. At the time of the crimes, he was working with the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force and the Southern Tri-County Task Force of the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. He says that I walk with my head up high. McFarland USA Interview - Victor Puentes (2015) Interview with Victor Puentes (Real Life Character) for McFarland USA. As the boys manage to reach one goal after another on the march to the state championships, their newfound support as a collective may be threatened by the realities of McFarland and Jim catching the attention of other, more prestigious schools in predominantly white, upper middle class communities. He was a baseball player, a pitcher, in high school and in college. 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. McFarland had four in (31 points) before Stevenson's No. Im done. Jim White, Coach Behind McFarland Movie: Its a Running Town Now, .css-1ck2l7d{display:block;font-family:Sailec,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-1ck2l7d:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-1ck2l7d{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.4;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-1ck2l7d{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.4;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-1ck2l7d{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.4;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1ck2l7d{font-size:1.2rem;line-height:1.4;}}.css-1ck2l7d h2 span:hover{color:#CDCDCD;}The Tunnel Is a 200-Mile Race Through Darkness, Usain Bolt Mysteriously Loses Millions of Dollars, Fall Causes Chaos at the Valencia 10K Start, Theres No Way NFL Players Are Faster Than Bolt, Boston Bomber Attorney Asks to Toss Death Penalty, Colleges Drop Body Composition Testing for Runners, He Ran the Length of the Toronto Subway System, Polish Runner Sets Womens 12-Hour World Record, B.A.A. Those kids were good students. The family has trouble adjusting to the Hispanic neighborhood and lament being unable to afford to live in Bakersfield. 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. "[17], McFarland, USA was nominated at the 2015 Teen Choice Awards in the category Choice Movie: Drama. Inspired by the irony of his last name, "Blanco" was one of the nicknames that the kids and their families gave Jim White. We just set a record. [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. I dont need it, I dont want it, Puentes says. I just dont need it anymore. I dont know if it changed everybody else, but it changed me.. Since he graduated from California's McFarland High School in. White. You dont feel your feet hitting the [ground] anymore, you dont feel that youre out of breath. Jim White moves his family after losing his last job as a football coach, and at his new school he turns seven disappointing students into one of the best cross-country teams in the region. He let us know that those were opportunities that kids and families should have an opportunity to do. He got into the truck and began to talk with Coach White about his difficulties at home. (David Diaz and Amador Ayon were both seniors on the 1986 team and didn't get the chance to compete for a state championship. (He had a) poor relationship with dad. GREAT GREAT GREAT MOVIE! I walk with my head up high. Ayon is the current McFarland boys coach. 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. The answers are in chronological order. "We couldn't go out there and run those things," White said. They were cross country state champs in 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2001. White retired in 2002 but returned to coach the 2003 team. "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. When you run long distance, you just lose yourself. It was indeed the first time that many of the kids ever saw the ocean. The message is so clear, never give up, even when the odds are against you. Within this situation, many of those in the next generation have little chance of getting out of this life, many turning to crime as a means to survive. She wrote Victor every chance she could get. "David and Danny (Diaz) are in education. MileSplit California Editor: Let's do it because it's the right thing to do. Low 39F. 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. Though Puentes doesnt see much of himself in the films portrayal, he says thats not whats important. Please contact us cottenzane@gmail.com with this Email. Hi there! "(It is) things like that that have touched our lives," White said. "I can't say I was going to jump, but I was thinking about my life and why some people would jump. "He took care of us, he fed us, he clothed us. Victor Puentes is a 1989 graduate of Mcfarland High School in Mcfarland, CA. Wagner said he doesnt believe anyone was physically harmed by Diazs actions, but what he did put lives at risk. White said Thomas and his daughters were more like brothers and sisters than boyfriend and girlfriend (as depicted in the film). Trending. This finally gave me the strength to say, You know what?
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