Thomas is portrayed as the troubled teen in the movie and also the number one runner. Sergeant First Class - United States Army. For the past several months, Puentes work on a 220-acre ranch, where he helps maintain an almond crop, has kept him busy. Plainview Herald. The 16-count indictment against Damacio Diaz, 43, was unsealed Thursday. [10][11] The film was released in Canada under its original title, McFarland. 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. He retired in 2003 after 23 years of coaching boys cross country. Julie White has moved to small town McFarland with her family. School. Regardless, the Whites decide to live in McFarland instead of Jim making the commute from nearby Bakersfield, where most of the school's Caucasian teachers live. 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. Only he doesn't know how to speak ASL and couldn't really talk to her. Terms of Use It made me rethink the choices that Ive made in the past, because I had a bad past. He took care of us, he fed us, he clothed us. Also check out the incredibly moving real photos from the beach scene depicted in McFarland USA from the personal album of Silvia Diaz. Good men and woman can make a huge difference in the lives of others. "Niki Caro wanted to show more family in the movie so they chose me," says the real David Diaz, who actually graduated during the school year before the first state title win. White, 79, said his experience at Franklin shaped his path toward McFarland. The real McFarland Cougars who won the 1987 cross-country state championship in California are shown from left: Thomas Valles, Victor Puentes, Damacio Diaz, Johnny Samaniego, Jose Cardenas,. The principal shook his head. He said the high school had 4,000 students and he "felt like a number." challenged town in California's farm-rich Since he graduated from Californias McFarland High School in 1989, he has battled drug addiction and spent time in prison. 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!!! White. Yes. But when Coach discovers the boys' exceptional . Did he ride a pink girls 'Barbie' bike, or was it only Costner? 'That's not even my life story. 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. Hey! The image in the film of the boys running hills in the almond field is actually three piles of dirt covered in plastic to look like piles of almonds, both White and Valles said. There was alcohol or drug abuse in their homes. McFarland, USA (2015) 1 He's just sitting there, man. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Im afraid for her life: Riverside CC womens coach harassed after Title IX suit, Want to solve climate change? 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. The film also shows a chubby runner named Danny Diaz rallying late to secure the team title. "That's how we developed that. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. 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. Now he has nothing but the highest regard for White. 1 of 27. I walk with my head up high. Until he runs into Athena. 1. 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. He later taught woodshop and physical education. It's not a good one. 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). Its not about me, its not about the other runners. That streak ended while the movie was in production, after the small school was elevated to Division I status, a byproduct of their success. Victor Puentes is a 1989 graduate of Mcfarland High School in Mcfarland, CA. He showed Valles how . Privacy Policy 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. Im from McFarland and Im proud to be from McFarland.. 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. "You saw the hills at the end of the movie.". The. Added Cheryl: "With him being a pitcher, he would have been straight on.". 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. 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. 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. "Thomas didn't have anger management and Danny wasn't fat," White said when asked about inaccuracies in the film. They were cross country state champs in 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2001. The alleged offenses took place from April 2012 to February of this year, he said. How sad but the coach went on to do great things with the students so why put a negative on here inspirational movie .Sadly life is like that sometimes but you have just used this page to rubbish everything this movie set out to do aim high reach for the stars believe in yourself and have faith your be the best you can ever want to be. Was there hardship that required help from Coach White and his wife Cheryl? White and his team overcome poverty and personal turmoil, and get to the pinnacle of success. Included in the segment, titled Host Keetin Marchi interviews Victor Puentes at the McFarland, USA premiere.Subscribe to Popcorn Talk Network's YouTube Channel @ http://youtube.com/popcorntalknetworkCheck out all the shows' playlists here: https://www.youtube.com/user/popcorntalknetwork/playlistsVisit our website: http://popcorntalknetwork.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/thepopcorntalkCheck out http://schmoesknow.com for all your movie news!Shopping on Amazon? Wagner said he doesnt believe anyone was physically harmed by Diazs actions, but what he did put lives at risk. champions. Jim White and his wife Cheryl have three daughters, not two. 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. Some, like David Diaz, became teachers themselves. White said he left Stockton to visit his parents for Thanksgiving. And he considers Coach Whites wife, Cheryl, to be an unsung heroine of the story. 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. The McFarland athletes are farm workers before they arrive . This was made up to serve the plot. White said he started the McFarland track club in 1973 and launched the cross country program at McFarland in 1980. For Victor Puentes, one of the subjects of the Disney film McFarland, USA, life has not exactly followed a Hollywood storyline. 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. Find the perfect victor puentes stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. Q: Whats the latest on Bakersfield Police Department Detective Damacio Diaz, who is facing multiple federal charges after FBI investigators a, Positive Cases Among Kern Residents: 304,028, Recovered and Presumed Recovered Residents: 297,089, Percentage of all cases that are unvaccinated:71.26, Percentage of all hospitalizations that are unvaccinated:83.16, Source: Kern County Public Health Services Department. The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray on June 2, 2015 by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. Though the film portrays Puentes as a ladies man, he says he was actually the shyest person on the team. If convicted of the charges in the indictment, Diaz faces a maximum statutorypenalty of life in prison for the conspiracy, 10 years in prison for each count of bribery, 20years in prison to life for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, fiveyears in prison for each count of intentional disclosure of wiretap information, and threeyears in prison for each count of making a false income tax return. Unlike many of his former teammates, Puentes no longer runs, but he misses it. We developed a program. After sentencing, Diaz spoke with reporters outside the federal courthouse in Fresno. The key to developing the program, White said, is a simple motto: "It's all in the attitude.". 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. 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. McFarland USA Interview - Victor Puentes (2015) Interview with Victor Puentes (Real Life Character) for McFarland USA. Yes. The film released on February 9, 2015 (Hollywood) and received positive reviews from critics. That was pretty amazing. Jim White coaching photo by Kirby Lee/Image of Sport. I wish I had the time to start, Puentes says. Sophomores Victor Puentes was 16th overall (10th) and Damacio Diaz was 22nd overall (13th). You can run around the edge! 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. Its just something to be proud of. under Coach Jim White at McFarland High GREAT GREAT GREAT MOVIE! His Exact Measurements are Still Under Investigation We Will Soon Update. Were you an athlete, coach, organizer who took part in the first CIF-State Cross Country Championships in 1987? "We didn't really train like that.". While at Eastern I wrote for the award winning Eastern Progress and served in the student government. 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. Im from McFarland and Im proud to be from McFarland.". David is represented in the McFarland, USA movie along with two of his brothers, Damacio and Danny. William Broyles Jr. was hired to write the screenplay for the film, which was in development since 2004. 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. 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. 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. The McFarland girls cross-country team ran in the California Interscholastic Federation South . "He had to be wondering, 'Hey, what am I doing up here?' As stated above, the real Jim White started teaching in the McFarland School District straight out of college in 1964. He said no other arrests are anticipated in connection with the case. Yes. 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. 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. Im a better person because of this movie and because of my wife, family, and everybody else. "We were a very good team in 86," White said. McFarland was not a desperate last resort. All the members of the first team become the first in their families to go to college or into military careers. I grew up with domestic violence and that's what I knew. Both Valles and White said the movie producers preferred the idea of three Diaz brothers on the team rather than just two. That was my running family, my brothers, my teammates, Mr. The movie made me a better person, Puentes told Runners World Newswire. 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. 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. The day of the state championships comes and almost the whole McFarland community accompanies the team to the race. White also makes amends with Julie by throwing her a quinceaera with help from the neighbors, though it goes wrong when Julie is taken out on "parade" around the town and the group is attacked by street punks. Its changed my confidence. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. All seven Diaz "He just had high expectations of us. In White's time, the town's population has slowly grown from fewer than 4,000 to just over 15,000. McFarland, USA (2015) Starring Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, Carlos Pratts, Hector Duran It's not a documentary. Since he graduated from California's McFarland High School in. 1. Times staff writer Matt Hamilton contributed to this report. interview. We knew we had the potential coming into '87. Inspired by the irony of his last name, "Blanco" was one of the nicknames that the kids and their families gave Jim White. He said he didnt want 2 hire lawyers or have 2 deal with all that. It reminds me of another good one, Glory Road. It made me rethink the choices that Ive made in the past, because I had a bad past. -Congressional Record, V. 146, Pt. 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. Victor Puentes, member of the 1987 McFarland cross country team, has battled drug addiction. 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. Puentes grew up in Clay City and am a proud Powell County Pirate. "(That) fixed it where I could never see my parents on Thanksgiving," White said. 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. The message is so clear, never give up, even when the odds are against you. "Neither did I throw that shoe at that young man. Over the past year, thanks in part to the movie, Puentes began cleaning up his act and is no longer using drugs. "Danny, he passed up Jose out there somewhere," White recalled. The film was co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Mayhem Pictures. Despite a strong group returning from the '87 championship team, McFarland only placed fifth in 1988. In 1987, football coach Jim White loses his job after he loses his temper and accidentally injures a team player in the locker room. He and his wife Cheryl met at Magic Valley Christian College in Idaho. Suggest an edit or add missing content . I just dont need it anymore. But thanks to the film, hes been given a new lease on life. 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. Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Most Popular Video Games Most Popular Music Videos Most . White sees the athletic He was like a second dad," Puentes says. When you run long distance, you just lose yourself. Danny Diaz was not overweight, but he was the seventh runner on the team. McFarland, USA. He recently retired as a California State Correctional officer supervising adult males. 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. Diaz, a 17-year veteran of the department, was arrested at BPD headquarters Friday morning. PE teacher at McFarland MS. McFarland HS varsity girls basketball coach. "I was standing there. -KGET 17. Menu. Like in the movie, Thomas Valles went to an overpass above Highway 99 one night after his parents got into a horrible fight. For Victor Puentes, one of the subjects of the Disney film McFarland, USA, life has not exactly followed a Hollywood storyline. 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). White retired in 2002 but returned to coach the 2003 team. 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. 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. He rebuilt both the boys' and girls' cross-country teams, despite only the boys' team being featured in the film. I love it so muchthese are people we need the HARD WORKING MEXICANS in this country! By what name was McFarland, USA (2015) officially released in India in English? 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. 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. McFarland, USA grossed $44.5 million in North America and $1.2 million in other territories for a total gross of $45.7 million. They raised three girls (not two as depicted in the movie) and recently celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary. Send me an email at johnharte@att.net. potential at the predominantly Latino high Did Coach White ride his bike as the boys ran? Diaz was arrested in November following a 17-year career with the Bakersfield Police Department. [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. Grab your friends and family and run to see McFarland USA!! He also allegedly filed false federal tax returns. They want to make a difference. -LA Times. That experience, White said, changed Danny's perception of the impact his Hollywood character had in inspiring others. Yes. That made us work harder. The movies about Mr. White. White finds the potential for cross-country in few students at the school. At first, it is just a temporary pla McFarland, USA | Preferences and Imagines. 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. 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. (LogOut/ (He had a) poor relationship with dad. "When the movie came out, I was kind of in denial. 'Danny made a big difference in my life.' Over the years, Puentes says he has remained close to his cross country teammates, many of whom, like himself, still live in McFarland. "[17], McFarland, USA was nominated at the 2015 Teen Choice Awards in the category Choice Movie: Drama. Though Puentes doesnt see much of himself in the films portrayal, he says thats not whats important. No. He took us to church once in a while. Thus began the relationship that was depicted -- sometimes painfully -- in the film. This was out of the ordinary.". Coach White called Thomas over. 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. In the least, such scenes seem to have been exaggerated by the filmmakers. country team. 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. 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. He was a baseball player, a pitcher, in high school and in college. Though the film portrays Puentes as a ladies man, he says he was actually the shyest person on the team. For the filming of McFarland USA, director " Niki Caro " used locals as extras in the movies and cast McFarland resident Sergio Avelar for the role of "Victor Puentes". Local photojournalist John Harte, who followed the team at the time, says that he witnessed opposing teams offer genuine handshakes of good luck. "We couldn't go out there and run those things," White said. Almost all members continue to attend the practices that Jim White held for successive school cross country teams even after graduation from college. Well, yeah, that happened. Athena Sanders left McFarland for college, leaving everyone she knew behind. Samaniego was 17th, Puentes 26th, Cardenas 37th, Damacio Diaz 43rd and Danny Diaz was 85th. 5. Victor is a ladies man. It's all Hollywood. But Diaz believes Puentes has the tools to turn his life around. McFarland was not rivals with Palo Alto High School (the schools are 4 hours apart) nor did the schools ever race each other. Yes. I didn't grow up telling my parents I loved them. "McFarland's Family of Champions," are Jose Cardenas, McFarland's expected No. When Coach Jim White (Costner) arrives to teach at a predominantly Latino high school, everyone has a lot to learn about each other. Cookie Preferences, Generated by 10.1.2.53 from cache (2435 ttl) in 25 milliseconds. 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. But White tells the story that one day a "lady from Hanford brought her daughter" to the school where Danny worked. That's OK. We're doing it for our kids, we'll do it for you. SAC where it dominated. I wish it had told a little more about the truth of Blanco and who he was and why he was there. McFarland had four in (31 points) before Stevenson's No. I didn't do that until I met the Whites. We were undefeated in '86 and now we had the opportunity to have a state championship team. 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. "As soon as Mr. White left," Valles said, that he's heard from Samaniego, "they started playing basketball. BY JOHN HARTE For the Californian. Required fields are marked *. Im a better person because of this movie and because of my wife, family, and everybody else. 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. went on to college. On one occasion, Mrs. Diaz made 200 dozen tamales to send the team to Asia. White taught fifth-grade science and seventh- and eighth- grade PE and woodshop. Retired as a correctional officer. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. children ran for Jim White and all seven 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. Its the best of both worlds. Girls XC coach at McFarland. 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. 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