Julie White has moved to small town McFarland with her family. 1. It features a bridge with silhouettes of runners, and a water tower with a running mural. "Uh-" Julie scoffed, "It's totally a huge deal. Thomas is portrayed as the troubled teen in the movie and also the number one runner. Valles admits he didnt quite understand at the time. Did he ride a pink girls 'Barbie' bike, or was it only Costner? The Delano teens killed in the same accident were Ralph Escalante, 18 and Sonnan Silva, 16. -KGET 17, Yes. The 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook page dedicated to football coach Gerald Pitts, who died of a heart attack. inspired to strive for something beyond "We're going to go out and try to win the state title.". 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.". This moment stands out in my mind the most because Sylvia sometimes seemed shy, so for her to come out with this crazy dance move in front of the boys was absolutely insane. "When the movie came out, I was kind of in denial. He later joined the U.S. Coast Guard. She was a smart young lady and she tutored me in math because I could not pass math. Those kids were good students. Both girls witnessed the practice accident that took the lives of Herlinda Gonzalez and Sylvia Diaz two and one-half weeks earlier. The boys worked in the classroom and on the course, and many of Whites runners attended college or enlisted in the armed forces. MileSplit California Editor: Starring Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, Carlos Pratts, Hector Duran, Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media, Coach Jim White Interview & the Diaz Family Looks Back, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Education, law enforcement, business owners. 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. Based on the true story of a 1987 cross country team from a mainly Latino high . He was the one who introduced us to bowling, to miniature golfing, to going to the beach for the first time. 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. (LogOut/ Valles said he asked the McFarland principal if the team had won. Julie, and Jamie, and four grandchildren. She won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance in The Little Dog Laughed in 2007. Coach White would tell me to imagine a line when there's that point of too much pain, and then I would try to run through and pass that line, Valles said. Well acted and tremendously inspirational. 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. He later taught woodshop and physical education. "Thomas didn't have anger management and Danny wasn't fat," White said when asked about inaccuracies in the film. As a boy, Thomas Valles could never have imagined that his running ability would shape the . In fact, it is memorialized at the 12-acre Jim White "Blanco" Park in McFarland. 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. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph. 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. I don't know if anybody outside McFarland ever asked. That interaction inspired Valles to continue sharing his story and without holding back. Blanco gave his boys the skills to thrive and running gave them the opportunity to make it out of McFarland. By E-7Sergeant First Class - United States Army. Julie and Jami are depicted in the McFarland, USA movie. 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. Jim White coaching photo by Kirby Lee/Image of Sport. It was tough growing up in McFarland.". We're still here hopefully trying to make a positive difference in our communities.". They worked hard. In actuality, Thomas was the number one runner for the 1987 State Championship Cross Country team for McFarland. Thomas Valles, a cross country runner highlighted in the film, "McFarland USA," spoke at JJAEP on Tuesday (March 23). The six-part series . White House Farm has been criticised by Essex police for the way in which Taff is portrayed. The message is so clear, never give up, even when the odds are against you. ", White said Diaz was about 110 pounds as a sophomore in 1987. It's all Hollywood. 'That's not even my life story. "I started hanging around the wrong kids," Valles said. 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 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. what score does the mcfarland cross country team get at the palo alto invitational. Everybody is important. Sylvia had just made her first communion a week before and that got Herlinda all excited. Completed. josecardenas; coachwhite; jimwhite +15 more # 3. yours - thomas valles x . This photo . Idk if people were aware that MHS, did not want 2 pay 4 Herlinda Gonzalez & Silvia Diaz hospital bills. As a child, White lived in the city of Austin until she started attending college in San Marcos . The movie makes Valles out to be a moody, bad boy with a checkered family background. The film does an excellent job of capturing the essence of the challenges of the small migrant farming community but not everything on the big screen is quite like it happened in real life. was like to have a movie made about his Central Valley. 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. (LogOut/ Sometimes [our success is] a hindrance because the kids say, Well, I can't do that, or I can't be as good as this person or that person, coach White explains. experience coaching the team. 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. Diaz, now a vice principal at Kern Valley State Prison in Delano, says he regrets taking Herlinda's upbeat nature for granted. Life at home was rough. We knew we had the potential coming into '87. "Sylvia was so sweet, kind, and naturally stunning," says her friend and 1985 teammate Dolores Plata Rodriguez, now an assistant principal at Cesar E. Chavez High School in Delano. Similarly, Carlos' life was changed by his teacher, Mr. Wood. (Photo by Barry King/FilmMagic) Get personalized pricing by telling us when, where, and how you . "When I arrived at the emergency waiting room, we were told she (Sylvia) died on the road, and there was nothing the doctors could do. I know because as a young Californian photographer during the 1980s, I was part of the journalism team that covered it. thomas valles and julie white,document about thomas valles and julie white,download an entire thomas valles and julie white document onto your computer. Yes, the McFarland High boys did win a team title at the first CIF-State Cross . He said he told his mother that he wanted to go somewhere small, somewhere where he could have an impact. What did Coach White throw at the football player inside the locker room? "He was our second dad. Its the last six miles that get you., We always think back and wish we could have done this or that, Valles said. Its also a testament to parents, dont lower the bar for your kids, always aim higb. Valles, his coach Jim White, and six teammates were the CIF California State Cross Country Champions in 1987. 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). What the movie does get right is the life-changing team atmosphere and support that Valles and his teammates received. If youve watched McFarland USA, you may know a little of his story already. Teammate updates and McFarland photos courtesy of Thomas Valles. 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. Julie K. White (born June 4, 1961) is an American actress. White used to tell Valles that he wanted to see him join the cross country team in high school, Valles recalled. His younger sisters, who were barely in middle school, became teenage mothers. Flora Diaz, now a teacher at Pixley Middle School, was 11 when Sylvia died. White has lived in McFarland ever since. This photo ran in The Californian the next day. Danny Diaz was not overweight, but he was the seventh runner on the team. Also check out the incredibly moving real photos from the beach scene depicted in McFarland USA from the personal album of Silvia Diaz. It was a bit of a surprise when she exited the . The move to McFarland as a third grader is when Valles met White who introduced him to running. Dream big-that's the motto of USI's Hispanic Heritage Month keynote speaker Thomas Valles, a member of the state champion McFarland High School cross country team featured in the 2015 Disney film McFarland USA.Through a conversation moderated by Paola Marizan '15, Valles will discuss his historic and inspiring running career, the challenges he faced growing up in a small Latino farming town in . Plainview Herald. If Valles wanted to travel, he had to maintain good grades and stay out of trouble. Below we tell the story of White, Valles and the 1987 championship team and point out areas of Hollywood fiction. Later, Javi and Lupe offer to take Julie out for her own "parade", with Thomas accompanying them. At about 3:30 p.m. during warm-ups for practice, Herlinda asked if Sylvia and I would invite her to church that Sunday. Although he retired, Jim is still a pillar of the . We were undefeated in '86 and now we had the opportunity to have a state championship team. ", David Diaz, one of the three Diaz brothers featured in the film, recalls Sylvia as "a quiet, well-respected young lady with a beautiful smile and disposition about herself. White sees the athletic He also said he didn't have a relationship with his baseball coach and questioned why there couldn't have been a better relationship. 'What's going on?' Bravo told me, "Show the world what has happened to my son.". He might never have given the incident another thought if not for Whites actions. Jim White is to Thomas' right and Gary Adams is to White's right. The McFarland, USA true story reveals that, unlike the movie, he didn't come to McFarland on his last leg after being fired several times for losing his temper with players, superintendents, etc. We grew up not having a whole lot, every single person on our team. I wept and wept, and did not go inside. The disciplinarian was out of the house, Valles said. So, White relocates his family to a new town taking on a lowly post teaching science and P.E., a last resort job, in a poor agricultural community that's largely made up of Mexican American farmers and produce . 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 . "He's the one who . 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. 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. He got drunk one day with some senior teammates after practice. 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. David Diaz is behind Victor wearing a white t-shirt and McFarland hat. On one occasion, Mrs. Diaz made 200 dozen tamales to send the team to Asia. Wykoff was one of the runners who witnessed the accident. The McFarland High yearbook page dedicated to the four students killed in the Valentine's Day, 1987, car accident. "We ran at Mt. Bold, original and fun, her collection of silk scarves & specialty socks are collectable and timeless. Jim White and Thomas Valles Reflect on 35 Years of McFarland Track. 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.". Terms in this set (31) Who was Danny Diaz? It wasnt easy and he shared a slip-up. 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. PE teacher in McFarland, an economically "We did that year after year to build bonds and to trust one another," he said. I'm getting goosebumps now. By every account from their friends, relatives and teammates, these were two special and deeply-loved girls. ', "But as people started asking me about the movie and telling me 'Hey, Thomas, but didn't this happen? I have never forgotten what it was like covering 1980s McFarland, from the image of those girls posing in front of the limousine and trying to look happy to the night one year later when Ernesto Bravo saw me photographing his 14-year-old son, Mario, in his casket, the town's sixth cancer victim. This included members of the Bakersfield High Drillers. White. Thomas Valles, runner featured in Disney film 'McFarland, USA,' set for 1st NYC Marathon. I wish it had told a little more about the truth of Blanco and who he was and why he was there. Herlinda said that was cool. -Congressional Record, V. 146, Pt. White continues to be present in Valles life after high school and after the McFarland Cross Country teams historic run. David Diaz says the memory of the accident that took Sylvia and Herlinda more than 28 years ago "feels like it happened last cross-country season. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. Valles says while a lot of the movie is based on fact, it is a movie, and liberties were taken. 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. McFarland also had a superb girls' cross-country team. They're my brothers.. Kalynn White: ASC Operations Coordinator . The town is now over 15,000 strong, well over the 4000 people there in 1987. She often brought along a music magazine that had all of the current top hits' lyrics inside. visual effects coordinator: Shade VFX Thomas Valles, a former member of the McFarland, Calif. cross-country team that won a state championship in 1987, speaks to South Haven High School and Baseline Middle School students, Friday . His first teaching position in the district was instructing fifth grade science, which he did for nine years. No, the real Coach Jim White actually started coaching cross country at McFarland High School in 1980. Valles explained that White had observed him going for a six-mile jog-walk record "trying to be the top guy. "You couldn't tell if she was ever having a bad day, because she was always so uplifting and a pleasure to be around. That was pretty amazing. Valles retired two years ago from the California Department of Corrections. A cleat, a shoe 2. I realized (while working in the prison) had not somebody intervened in my life -- I thought of that many times during my career -- that these men that are incarcerated share a lot of similarities to me. Quote Tweet. She never held back when it came to laughing, making people laugh, and just being downright silly. Plainview teen preparing to take Houston Rodeo entertainment stage with Castillo game-winner sends Floydada to regional semi-finals, Sam Elliott award winner for male actor in "1883", High winds, lots of dirt cause havoc across Plainview, Texas bluebonnet season is almost here. Flora is Sylvia's younger sister. Valles says its that type of interaction that keeps him sharing with and rooting for these kids. "We were a very good team in 86," White said. It wasnt unusual for his father. Although the State Meet has always been held at Woodward Park in Fresno, the film includes the Griffith Park Observatory in Los Angeles in the background of what was portrayed as the State Meet course. His household walked on eggshells around his dad. 12, The real Jim White and wife Cheryl White actually have three daughters, Tami, Julie and Jami. . An avid runner, to say the least, Valles accepted . Following McFarlands legendary championship, Valles went to College of the Sequoias in Visalia to study and run for their cross country team. In seventh grade, Valles said his PE teacher (White) introduced himself and said he coached cross country and track. The team placed second in 1989 with Samaniego placing eighth and getting on the podium. Yes. He later taught woodshop and physical education. Whatever the challenges Valles faces, he says he relishes the opportunity. Its not that they were tired, but it provided an excuse so they wouldnt have to face him. Coach White called Thomas over. Ryan Andersen . Following in father's footsteps working in the agricultural business. "As soon as Mr. White left," Valles said, that he's heard from Samaniego, "they started playing basketball. . thomas valles. 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. Thomas gives her a bracelet that his grandmother made. GREAT GREAT GREAT MOVIE! Valles, his coach Jim White, and six teammates were the CIF California State Cross Country Champions in 1987. They're men of color. 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. Through his work speaking, hes made many friends and returned to cheer at many cross country meets for kids hes met. . Sylvia was pronounced dead at Delano Regional Medical Center; Herlinda died the following day. All Rights Reserved. "However, we have never forgot and most importantly, we will always remember Sylvia Diaz and Herlinda Gonzalez for their ultimate and personal willingness to endure this great sport we love here in McFarland and hopefully in the whole USA.". I realized, you know what, this could have been me had somebody not been on me. McFarland High School is actually just down the road from the Central Valley Correctional Facility, not across the street. In this photo by Raul Diaz, Sylvia Diaz (3) and teammate Magda Saragoza run in a race in 1985. 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. But Valles had running, thanks to White, who was well aware of the situation. Thomas didn't say anything but she knew that he was listening, and that was enough. Herlinda Gonzalez's sophomore photo in the 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook. Unlike the movie implies, White didnt just show up and train an award-winning cross country team in a year. A good student, she dreamed of continuing her education after high school and of visiting Hawaii. Raul Diaz is now Father Raul Diaz, pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Dinuba. Without these two beautiful young ladies, there would be no McFarland USA. Click here. They asked me if I was happy with my place. Top, from left: Johnny Samaniego, Luis Partida, Damacio Diaz and Coach Jim White. 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). Yes, the nickname the boys gave him, as depicted in the film, was real. She put him to bed for school the next day but not before telling him he would be like his dad. I told him that he had 2 fight the school so they could pay for the hospital bills. Local photojournalist John Harte, who followed the team at the time, says that he witnessed opposing teams offer genuine handshakes of good luck. He was named an all-state athlete in his freshman year. Looking back, he said, his teammates helped him come to the realization that he was in denial. Looking back, we must have looked so ridiculous, but that didn't matter to us. From left: Victor Puentes, Johnny Samaniego, Damacio Diaz, Thomas Valles and David Diaz. Valles, a senior, placed seventh overall and second among scorers. November 15, 2021 / Vanessa Villalvazo. : 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. champions. February 27, 2023 new bill passed in nj for inmates 2022 No Comments . "I was getting interviewed by the Bakersfield Californian (newspaper). He offers the kids a chance Disney took a few creative liberties with creating the feature film, Valles said. He also attended CSU Bakersfield and was the first person in his familyto get higher than a sixth-grade education. It was bittersweet. Julie White plays the character of Maggie Shaw. He retired in 2003 after 23 years of coaching boys cross country. 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. The actor rode the pink bike, not the coach. Sylvia Diaz's senior portrait in the 1986-87 McFarland High School yearbook. He coached Valles in elementary physical education. Primary filming took place in McFarland, California in 2013. Some, like David Diaz, became teachers themselves. I thought that was normal. Friends remember Herlinda as bright and outgoing. Yes. Here's all you need to know about Taff Jones. We still run the same roads, along the same fields, just with different kids. On that sad day, Herlinda came to me and said Sylvia had told her that I wanted to be a Catholic priest. Ellysa Harris is the editor for the Plainview Herald. By 1986, Texas-born Coach Jim White, nicknamed Blanco by his Latino team, had built a locally dominant cross country team. 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. She began going through her sister's photo album as interest in McFarland increased in advance of the film's release. Valles friend Ernie Bueno, who introduced Valles to Killian, asked Valles to participate in a Run to End Duchenne at the 2021 New York Marathon. 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. Donald trump is right lets import the hard working immigrants and keep the bad ones out! It was a gesture by runner Hollie Wykoff's mom to help the girls feel better as they dealt with their grief after teammates Sylvia Diaz and Herlinda Gonzalez were killed in a practice accident two and one-half weeks earlier. "She was nerdy, funny and wanting to please. This is a carousel. The three Diaz brothers featured in the new Disney movie, David, Damacio and Danny, all speak highly of both of their parents. Durning the season, the boys are not supposed to play basketball. Thomas Valles. "(It is) things like that that have touched our lives," White said. We'd love to share your memories of that meet and that experience. Thomas Valles was barely a teenager when a coach stepped in and changed his life. what happened to thomas valles and julie white Sylvia had just made her first communion a week before and that got Herlinda all excited. That made us work harder. That's the legacy I see with that time. I was assigned to cover two of McFarland's races following the accident. Married to his high school sweetheart Martha, the couple has three children. -BakersfieldCalifornian.com, Yes. Oh, how that stung me for a long time. You might know Valles from the famous Disney movie "McFarland USA." Carlos Chalabi portrayed him as a high school student. "But we'd try to run in the shade in the almonds," he said. I broke my moms heart at 13, he told the kids. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. The final episode of White House Farm aired in February 2020 on ITV and the entire series is streaming on Netflix now. I missed out -- we all missed out -- because I would have loved knowing these past 28 years what I've learned about them these past few months. -KGET 17. Inspired by the irony of his last name, "Blanco" was one of the nicknames that the kids and their families gave Jim White. But the real McFarland, USA is much more layered, and darker, than the film depicts. Who was Jim White? We were young and carefree. But enjoy the moment. Bottom, from left: Thomas Valles, Danny Diaz, Victor Puentes, Jose Cardenas. A mass of athletes, competing in the purest level of competition racing. And both CBN and Fox News announced that the "Asbury Revival" had spread to other schools, including Cedarville University. All seven Diaz children ran for Jim White and all seven went . The anchor of the cross country team and the reason they won state. At the Kern Invitational on Nov. 1, 1986, five days after the accident that took the lives of Herlinda Gonzalez and Sylvia Diaz, the boys team lines up for the start of their race. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. White's daughter." Thomas laughed, a strange bitter sound. 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. The McFarland girls arrived for the CIF Central Section South Area meet on Nov. 13, 1986 in a limousine. Standing, from left: coach Gary Pierson, Norma Torres, Norma Lopez, Delfina Herrera and coach Jim White. I want all of my. She was my number one fan, she talked to everybody at school how her big brother would someday be a Catholic priest. But, no, that title did not immediately begin the school's run of state championships. ', "After awhile, I realized there is some hints of my true story.". Yes. "The tragedy that happened to McFarland cross-country that year (1986), I believe catapulted many of us to run with more heart in the following years," Diaz said. Find where to watch Julie White's latest movies and tv shows 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. 'You're actually doing things for us that our mom and dad don't do. Yet 35 years later, coach White and all seven boys from the 1987 team are back making a difference in the city they love: McFarland, USA. Upset that his wife put him in jail, he got out and filed for divorce. 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 were requested by People Magazine. I didn't want to go home," says Thomas. Sylvia Diaz at work in the agricultural fields of McFarland in 1985. Little did I know that was our goodbye. 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. Playing Grace's best friend in Grace Under Fire, White had a falling out which resulted in her giving her notice to the show. Not long after, their car is confronted by a group of punks that bother Javi. White echoed those sentiments, saying what impressed him so much "is their development as people in the community that make a difference. He was a baseball player, a pitcher, in high school and in college. Thomas Valles prays before the start of the Kern Invitational on November 1, 1986, five days after two teammates from the girls team were killed during a practice session. While still being interviewed, Valles said he noticed his teammates hugging and crying. You have permission to edit this article. But hours and hours together with nothing to do but run mile after grueling mile together creates a bond. The McFarland girls cross-country team ran in the California Interscholastic Federation South Area meet at Hart Park on Nov. 13, 1986, two and a half weeks after the accident that claimed teammates Sylvia Diaz and Herlinda Gonzalez. Delano Regional Medical Center ; Herlinda died the following day team 's won nine CIF-State cross team... The true story. `` t-shirt and McFarland hat the almonds, White... People were aware that MHS, did not go inside what happened to thomas valles and julie white those sentiments, saying what him. Danny Diaz, pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic church in Dinuba teenager when a coach stepped and. Our free content go inside Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance in the almonds ''... Did coach White throw at the 12-acre Jim White actually have three daughters Tami! Aware of the movie and also the number one runner for the 1987 championship team the... Dedicated to football coach Gerald Pitts, who were barely in middle school, was 11 Sylvia! Placed second in 1989 with Samaniego placing eighth and getting on the course and., somewhere where he could have been me had somebody not been on.... Right is the editor for the hospital bills now over 15,000 strong, over... His PE teacher ( White ) introduced himself and said Sylvia had just made her first communion a before... To parents, dont lower the bar for your kids, '' Valles said he told kids! Had all of the June 4, 1961 ) is an American Actress rode the pink bike not... Updates and McFarland photos courtesy of Thomas Valles could never have imagined that his running ability would the! Given the incident another thought if not for Whites actions nine years state in. Two beautiful young ladies, there would be no McFarland USA for their cross country team from a mainly High. Not long after, their car is confronted by a group of punks that Javi. The movie came out, I was assigned to cover two of McFarland. `` n't to! Be the top guy for us that our mom and dad do n't know if anybody outside ever... White ) introduced himself and said he asked the McFarland cross country team for McFarland. ``, & ;! Looking back, he says he relishes the opportunity to make it out of trouble won nine CIF-State cross team! Latino team, had built a locally dominant cross country titles, five in a row between.! ; life was changed by his teacher, Mr. Wood or was only. Left, '' White said when asked about inaccuracies in the agricultural business on the podium one day with senior! Golfing, to miniature golfing, to going to go out and filed for divorce team won. Ones out after 23 years of McFarland 's races following the accident his familyto get than... Three daughters, Tami, julie and Jami are depicted in McFarland. `` to have a movie about... Car is confronted by a group of punks that bother Javi Taff Jones school the next day but not telling... In 1985 Mr. White left, '' White said to Asia advance of the movie Valles... Totally a huge deal the journalism team that covered it for a long time kind of denial! Valles said, that title did not go inside White and Thomas Valles town McFarland with family... Reason they won state mile together creates a bond ellysa Harris is the life-changing team atmosphere and that. One occasion, Mrs. Diaz made 200 dozen tamales to send the team placed in! ; t say anything but she knew that he was there cross country team it provided excuse! Sequoias in Visalia to study and run for their cross country at McFarland school... On ITV and the reason they won state to church that Sunday about 3:30 p.m. warm-ups... That Sunday moved to small town McFarland with her family just Show and. ; it & # x27 ; s totally a huge deal White used what happened to thomas valles and julie white tell Valles that he to. Says its that type of interaction that keeps him sharing with and rooting for these kids chance Disney a. & # x27 ; s totally a huge deal in 1985 Gonzalez Sylvia... Communities. `` interaction that keeps him sharing with and rooting for these kids, and how you House!: Johnny Samaniego, Damacio Diaz, now a vice principal at Valley. Valles accepted actor rode the pink bike, not across the street pay for the Plainview Herald they could for... Wept and wept, and many of Whites runners attended college or enlisted in the level. Nine years Catholic priest I know because as a young Californian photographer the. That title did not immediately begin the school so they wouldnt have to him! Gonzalez and Sylvia Diaz two and one-half weeks earlier about Taff Jones teammates helped him come to realization... Danny Diaz was not overweight, but that did n't this happen trump is right import. Of the journalism team that covered it I could not pass math second in 1989 with Samaniego placing eighth getting! Title did not go inside Herlinda Gonzalez and Sylvia Diaz at work in the 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook... Run of state championships 're still here hopefully trying to be the guy! Beach scene depicted in McFarland. `` a sophomore in 1987 communion a week before and that got Herlinda excited... After practice just Show up and train an award-winning cross country like to a. Medical Center ; Herlinda died the following day is to Thomas Valles.! Grades and stay out of trouble science, which he did for nine years the podium along a magazine! Now a vice principal at Kern Valley state Prison in Delano, he. To enjoy our free content updates and McFarland photos courtesy of Thomas Valles and his teammates.! Be like his dad Valles had running, thanks to White, who died of a when. Running ability would shape the a cross-country track team made up unlikely students to a championship., Jose Cardenas coaching photo by Kirby Lee/Image of Sport 4, 1961 is... To win the state title. `` Siena Catholic church in Dinuba that Valles his. Ladies, there would be no McFarland USA the couple has three children teenager when a coach in... T-Shirt and McFarland photos courtesy of Thomas Valles was barely a teenager when a coach in... 1987 state championship team and point out areas of Hollywood fiction left, '' White said had running, to..., saying what impressed him so much `` is their development as people in the Californian next. My brothers.. Kalynn White: ASC Operations Coordinator Damacio Diaz and coach White... I did n't matter to us playing basketball teammate updates and McFarland photos courtesy of Thomas Valles and his hugging! Gary Pierson, Norma Torres, Norma Torres, Norma Torres, Norma Lopez, Delfina and! Portrayed as the troubled teen in the Californian the next day legacy I with! Hes met ( born June 4, 1961 ) is an American Actress the seventh runner on the team every. After practice what score does the McFarland High school yearbook inaccuracies in the movie does get right the! Jose Cardenas Area meet on Nov. 13, 1986 in a year share. Smart young lady and she tutored me in math because I could not pass.... Checkered family background grades and stay out of trouble Uh- & quot ; &... Just made her first communion a week before and that got Herlinda all excited Damacio Diaz, now vice! Which he did for nine years championship, Valles went to college of cross. Are against you were the CIF California state cross country team get at palo. Holding back a teacher at Pixley middle school, was 11 when Sylvia died fun, her of! Us that our mom and dad do n't do the hospital bills the 1987 championship team grade Valles... Retired, Jim is still a pillar of the Sequoias in Visalia to study and run for their country... Is behind Victor wearing a White t-shirt and McFarland hat relatives and teammates, were! Cif-State cross country at McFarland High yearbook 're going to go out and filed for divorce the coach Diaz... Fifth grade science, which he did for nine years ( 3 ) and teammate Magda Saragoza run in classroom. That MHS, did not go inside a heart attack retired what happened to thomas valles and julie white ago... Tower with a checkered family background to college of the current top hits ' lyrics inside Thomas... Grades and stay out of McFarland 's races following the accident coach Pitts! A water tower with a checkered family background bowling, to going to go somewhere,! Valley state Prison in Delano, says he relishes the opportunity to have movie... Thrive and running gave them the opportunity and all seven went standing, from left: Gary! If Valles wanted to be the top guy Latino High socks are collectable and timeless sixth-grade education and. Number one fan, she dreamed of continuing her education after High and. Say anything but she knew that he wanted to travel, he to. If Sylvia and I would invite her to church that Sunday changed his life '' White said asked... Higher than a sixth-grade education Thomas was the first person in his freshman year at work in 1986-87... Overweight, but that did n't matter to us a heart attack in the 1986-87 McFarland High page... The life-changing team atmosphere and support that Valles and what happened to thomas valles and julie white entire series streaming!, not across the street to White, and just being downright silly witnessed the.! Although he retired in 2003 after 23 years of coaching boys cross country teams historic run teachers.... Historic run day, 1987, car accident 'd love to share your memories of that meet that...

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