-BakersfieldCalifornian.com, Yes. "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. On Sunday, Valles, a former Salinas resident who now lives in McFarland and coaches girls cross country at McFarland High School, will participate in the 50th annual NYC Marathon. The principal shook his head. Cross country is an individual sport; no matter how well your team does, you still have your own time. He also explored parts of California, Nevada and took an overseas trip to Taiwan places he might not have been able to visit had it not been for White. The first time Valles got real with an audience, a kid approached him afterward. Plainview Herald. Through his work speaking, hes made many friends and returned to cheer at many cross country meets for kids hes met. Did the boys have to get up with the sun to work in the fields only to return later in the day to train there? Valles retired two years ago from the California Department of Corrections. Valles told the kids he and his siblings would get to bed early on the nights his dad went out for drinks. Desperate for work, he moves his wife (Maria Bello) and daughters (Morgan Saylor . challenged town in California's farm-rich 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. I don't know if anybody outside McFarland ever asked. The pain was etched on the faces of the McFarland runners, and the empathy for the team was palpable among opposing runners, coaches and spectators. Looking back, we must have looked so ridiculous, but that didn't matter to us. HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 09: Runner Thomas Valles (5th from left) and his family arrive at the world premiere of 'McFarland, USA' at the El Capitan Theatre on February 9, 2015 in Hollywood, California. But he never truly felt he made amends for that with his mom. They're men of color. Back then, McFarland was largely white demographically. And so I would imagine that line all over again.. Coach Jim White challenged him and his peers to run. From left: Eva Renteria, Hollie Wykoff, Delfina Herrera, Maria Herrera, Alicia Herrera, Tammy Carter, Norma Torres and coach Gary Pierson. Romance: Thomas Valles (Carlos Pratts) and Jim's daughter, Julie White (Morgan Saylor), have some serious chemistry. The program, which is run by Eddie Subealdea, chief juvenile probation officer for Hale County, is an alternative placement program. children ran for Jim White and all seven "(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.". Valles grew up in a migrant family. compositor Karina Benesh . "Things that Mrs. Diaz did (in the film), that's what Cheryl was doing. Pow. But it was too late. I photographed Thomas Valles, who is featured prominently in the film. "I was getting interviewed by the Bakersfield Californian (newspaper). It was indeed the first time that many of the kids ever saw the ocean. White coached for 23 years from 1980 through 2002 and he came back for one year in 2003. Raul Diaz was also a senior in 1986 and on the boys team. Yes. It was tough growing up in McFarland.". Raul is at the left, his sister Sylvia next to him. Inspired by the irony of his last name, "Blanco" was one of the nicknames that the kids and their families gave Jim White. He was named an all-state athlete in his freshman year. Did they run over piles of almonds to simulate hills? Forgot." on After speaking, and as the class left, a young man approached Valles to thank him and tell him that his story was very similar. johnny sameniego. They talk about being I thought that was normal. I want all of my. His mom called White who hopped in his vehicle and set out to find Valles and talked him down when he found him. Valles recalls running laps as a third grader trying his hardest to be the fastest. By continuing to browse or by clicking "Accept," you agree to our site's privacy policy. 'You're actually doing things for us that our mom and dad don't do. (Photo by Barry King/FilmMagic) Get personalized pricing by telling us when, where, and how you . In seventh grade, Valles said his PE teacher (White) introduced himself and said he coached cross country and track. Middle row, from left: David diaz, Thomas Valles, Amador Ayon and Christian Rodriguez. The real Jim White and wife Cheryl White actually have three daughters, Tami, Julie and Jami. We became a real family, and we're still family.. In reality, Valles and his family moved to McFarland in 1974, and he grew up working in the fields with his parents. The photos I made of the teams in the aftermath of the accident were the first I would shoot of McFarland's string of tragedies in the 1980s. During his time there, he noticed the stories of these incarcerated men were similar to his own. Hollie Wykoff and Alicia Herrera, right, raced in the CIF Central Section South Area meet at Hart Park on Nov. 13, 1986. 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. Here was the star runner, just a kid, bringing his hands to his face in prayer and keeping them there for what seemed an eternity before the start of his race. It was rare to stay in one place longer than a year. One day his mom had enough, he recalled. He let us know that those were opportunities that kids and families should have an opportunity to do. "I abruptly stopped the interview and took off," he said about joining his teammates. " In the least, such scenes seem to have been exaggerated by the filmmakers. -KGET 17. This is part of a series of articles looking back at the 1987 CIF-State Cross Country Championships, the first in California. She was 16 and I was 18 on Oct. 27, 1986. In this photo by Raul Diaz, Sylvia Diaz (3) and teammate Magda Saragoza run in a race in 1985. At one of our races, Sylvia was trying to teach us this dance move. Fuel your hometown passion and plug into the stories that define it. I captured an image of teammates Norma Torres and Hollie Wykoff, alone on a bench, the amber afternoon backlight in the way we photographers love. 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. He says that 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. 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). You might know Valles from the famous Disney movie "McFarland USA." Carlos Chalabi portrayed him as a high school student. ', "After awhile, I realized there is some hints of my true story.". "Some had never had a sit-down dinner with forks.". Their legs were shot by Friday, the day before State.". An avid runner, to say the least, Valles accepted . So I'd have two practices." 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 memorial pages in the 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook for Herlinda Gonzalez and Sylvia Diaz. We knew we had the potential coming into '87. White would take his teams to train in Yosemite at elevation. 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. By Sahil Kapur. My parents always encouraged us to work hard.. 12, Not exactly. 1 runner on the 1987 championship team, and asked if he was still close with his high school teammates. I'm not really sure." He looked over at her, "who is she?" "Julie. "She wanted to meet Danny Diaz," White said. Dolores Plata Rodriguez says the bus trips were the most fun of her cross-country experience. "We were a very good team in 86," White said. The 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook contains a heartbreaking number of "in memorial" pages, way too many for a tiny country school. Thomas Valles was one of the runners who competed and won the cross country CIF State Championship in 1987. 'tain mais faites-le taire, cuy-l, avec sa tte de vieux nourrisson moche, j'ai pas un sou et je ne rve que de la #REVOLUTION ! Grandchildren to see this wonderful film. Did that happen? Flora is Sylvia's younger sister. Here are five things that you may or may not have known about Julie White: Grew Up in Austin, TX. thomas valles and julie white,document about thomas valles and julie white,download an entire thomas valles and julie white document onto your computer. The whole team. In fact, it is memorialized at the 12-acre Jim White "Blanco" Park in McFarland. Yes, McFarland is an inspirational story. Subject from McFarland USA shares life story, Rare endangered animal seen running across Texas road. He also did find Thomas Valles on a freeway overpass and help him deal with his I'm coming! Our family has watched it three nights in a row. Girls XC coach at McFarland. Following in father's footsteps working in the agricultural business. You set goals and keep positive.. In 1964, after graduating from Pepperdine, White was hired to teach middle school science in McFarland. White, a newcomer to McFarland when he coached the team to the state championship, still lives there. A single car crash, on Valentine's Day 1987, claimed the lives of four teens from McFarland and two from neighboring Delano. 'Danny made a big difference in my life.' I grew up with domestic violence and that's what I knew. Valles explained that White had observed him going for a six-mile jog-walk record "trying to be the top guy. Clockwise from top center is Dolores Plata, Herlinda Gonzalez, Gabby Perez, Alicia Herrera, Delfina Herrera and Magda Saragoza. This mantra propelled the boys of McFarland High School to their the first California State Cross Country Championships in 1987. No one outworked the boys of McFarland. What we are reminded of is that McFarland USA is based on a true story but it is not a documentary. The real Coach Jim White took both the boys and girls cross country teams to the California central coast beach at Cayucos during the 1985 season (not the 1987 season). Building on the tradition of contemporary Australiana, Julie White's images of native flora and fauna capture the mystery and excitement of the bush, the desert and the sea, with an . Julie K. White (born June 4, 1961) is an American actress. Whats incredible about Valles and his teammates outrunning the competition was that they were all pickerson local farms, children of immigrant families who hadnt typically seen that type of athletic opportunity. 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. After learning about Valles, Subealdea and Albert Salinas, another administrator at the JJAEP campus, felt his story would resonate with the kids. I didn't do that until I met the Whites. -23ABC News. Danny Diaz, daughter Delia Diaz, Gabriel Thus began the relationship that was depicted -- sometimes painfully -- in the film. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. While the idea for the motion picture was conceived in the 1990s, it was not made until Disney bought rights to the story and actor Kevin Costner, who played Mr . I remember shooting the pictures, but I'm disappointed in myself for never learning about the girls. 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. interview. She was on the 1985 team and became a cheerleader in 1986, but her teammates wanted her in this photo. Bold, original and fun, her collection of silk scarves & specialty socks are collectable and timeless. As Valles wrapped his speech to the kids, he encouraged them to take steps toward reaching their goals by getting an education, going into a trade or joining the military. Didn't you get into this fight? For 15 years, actress Pauley Perrette delighted fans as the surprisingly bubbly goth forensic scientist Abby Sciuto on the CBS crime procedural NCIS. 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 . White, 79, said his experience at Franklin shaped his path toward McFarland. Coach White took the orders and delivered them. visual effects coordinator: Shade VFX We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. Victor Puentes is just to his left. They were cross country state champs in 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2001. I wish it had told a little more about the truth of Blanco and who he was and why he was there. Raul would walk across the graduation stage that spring without his sister, her hopes and dreams a memory preserved by his photographs. By every account from their friends, relatives and teammates, these were two special and deeply-loved girls. She began going through her sister's photo album as interest in McFarland increased in advance of the film's release. Oh, how that stung me for a long time. He showed Valles how running could set him free. Juanita Diaz. Valles eventually enlisted in the U.S.Coast Guard. At 31 years old, Valles said he was fulfilling his dream of qualifying for the Boston Marathon. He might have been one of them had somebody who cared not intervened in his life. Julie, and Jamie, and four grandchildren. 12, The real Jim White and wife Cheryl White actually have three daughters, Tami, Julie and Jami. Many of the citizens of McFarland were extras in the movie. He later joined the U.S. Coast Guard. It was bittersweet. She called the cops it wasnt the first time and they took him to jail. . White has lived in McFarland ever since. To see additional photos of the McFarland boys and girls teams competing in the 1986 Kern Invitational five days after the tragic accident that took the lives of their teammates, please visit the post McFarlands never-ending heartache.. One such friend is Sam Killian, who unfortunately experiences a form of muscular dystrophy known as Duchenne. He said he told his mother that he wanted to go somewhere small, somewhere where he could have an impact. What is it about distance running that not only allowed seven kids to dominate, but brought a whole community together? I think the school shouldve paid because it was during school practice. Julie White has moved to small town McFarland with her family. SKOTY. WABC 11/5/2021. Twenty-one years later, and he has a different outlook. However, I believe the Diaz family did go 2 court & the school paid them an undisclosed amount. White continues to be present in Valles life after high school and after the McFarland Cross Country teams historic run. Director Niki Caro chose to omit Luis Partida, who in the movie is replaced with David Diaz. Thomas Valles, a cross country runner highlighted in the film, "McFarland USA," spoke at JJAEP on Tuesday (March 23). -LA Times, No. All seven Diaz children went to college and all seven returned to McFarland where they live today. He later taught woodshop and physical education. Beyond being a feel-good movie, and a good one at that, it has helped raise awareness of a small San Joaquin Valley farming town most Americans have never heard of. It was all to beat the guy next to themthe guy who had not had to overcome what they overcame, had not had to work as hard. We still run the same roads, along the same fields, just with different kids. Many students were touched. The six-part series . SAC and everywhere we could find competition that could make us better. The McFarland High yearbook page dedicated to the four students killed in the Valentine's Day, 1987, car accident. He retired in 2003 after 23 years of coaching boys cross country. 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 . "He was our second dad. Bravo told me, "Show the world what has happened to my son.". He was more than a coach. They're not going to let kids run all over them. 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. Seneca School, Sure, Ill help as best I can. But enjoy the moment. It had been a long time since I had said to her, 'I love you, sister' and that night at the emergency room, that is the only thing I wanted to say, for the last time. 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. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. The effect of the teams success under Coach Jim White, immortalized by Disneys McFarland, USA in 2015, still lingers on the Cougars teams of today. Herlinda Gonzalez's sophomore photo in the 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook. He got drunk one day with some senior teammates after practice. We were going in the right direction with our training they just started believing in whatever I was saying. "I didn't ride the Barbie bike," White said. I didn't want to go home," says Thomas. . The film shows White taking the team to fields for simulated hill training on mounds of raw almonds. White House Farm: Julie tells the police about Marcus. One in particular, Thomas Valles (Carlos Pratt), can run a 5-minute mile. Theres a scene in the movie where Valles parents are arguing and Valles steps in as his father hits a wall in a drunk rage. katherine noelle wyman; cape breton post obituaries 2022. location symbol text in word; list of female jockeys australia; mike conley house columbus ohio address And that pain would come back. The girls were clutching long-stemmed roses. 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. White. The town is now over 15,000 strong, well over the 4000 people there in 1987. While Hollywood fictionalized the story, Blanco developed a real dynasty in high school cross country.. The town had two places to go to jail and nine places to go to eat, Sports Illustrateds Gary Smith wrote in the story that inspired the movie. 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. He won nine state titles and went to the state meet every year but one, he said. "My parents divorced. By He cared and he showed it. Dolores Plata is sitting on the grass. Friends remember Herlinda as bright and outgoing. "You couldn't tell if she was ever having a bad day, because she was always so uplifting and a pleasure to be around. However, similar to the film, Jim White had never been a runner himself and used the bike to follow the team during their workouts. Nine boys state titles is tied with Jesuit (SJ) for the most boys team titles in state history. McFarland runners, from left: Delfina Herrera, Hollie Wykoff, Tammy Carter, Alicia Herrera and Norma Torres. (David Diaz and Amador Ayon were both seniors on the 1986 team and didn't get the chance to compete for a state championship. The key to developing the program, White said, is a simple motto: "It's all in the attitude.". A former . I'm in sixth grade, and Im running.. During cross-country practice on Oct. 27, 1986, Sylvia Diaz, a 16-year-old McFarland High senior, and Herlinda Gonzalez, 14, a sophomore, were struck by a car on Whisler Road in McFarland. White echoed those sentiments, saying what impressed him so much "is their development as people in the community that make a difference. The move to McFarland as a third grader is when Valles met White who introduced him to running. The first 20 miles are easy, Valles said. On Tuesday, Valles shared a more in-depth version with students at the JJAEP with the hope of inspiring them. She was my number one fan, she talked to everybody at school how her big brother would someday be a Catholic priest. His mother answered and immediately saw the signs. Dad didnt want us in the calles, in the streets, Valles said. cross country coach talks about what it No. If youve watched McFarland USA, you may know a little of his story already. Now. "I was standing there. His father was an abusive alcoholic, he said. The disciplinarian was out of the house, Valles said. Upset that his wife put him in jail, he got out and filed for divorce. Thirty minutes later, they were hit by a vehicle on Whisler Road. Flora Diaz, now a teacher at Pixley Middle School, was 11 when Sylvia died. Both girls witnessed the practice accident that took the lives of Herlinda Gonzalez and Sylvia Diaz two and one-half weeks earlier. Her first appearance on the show features in episode 6 - titled 'The Tourist . Was there hardship that required help from Coach White and his wife Cheryl? It features a bridge with silhouettes of runners, and a water tower with a running mural. He said the high school had 4,000 students and he "felt like a number." 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 . "You saw the hills at the end of the movie.". -KGET 17, Yes. One of the more emotional scenes in the movie "McFarland USA," team member Dolores Plata Rodriguez said the real-life trip to the beach was one of the most exciting moments of their lives. It wasnt unusual for his father. That was my running family, my brothers, my teammates, Mr. Who was Jim White? Yes. You just do what you can do. Pictured are Norma Torres and Hollie Wykoff, right, after the race. Now more than 30 years later, he knows he disappointed her and White. Both Valles and White said the movie producers preferred the idea of three Diaz brothers on the team rather than just two. She has also received three other Tony Award nominations for her performances in Airline Highway in 2013, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus in 2019 and POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive . Partly cloudy skies. 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). It was a great honor to win that first one.". Jim White is to Thomas' right and Gary Adams is to White's right. His family was dysfunctional. While still being interviewed, Valles said he noticed his teammates hugging and crying. Very good moviegringos better stop descriminating the Latinosjust like john Lennon saidthe world should live as one. He showed Valles how . Top, from left: Johnny Samaniego, Luis Partida, Damacio Diaz and Coach Jim White. The more Stan Jones persisted in his pursuit of Jeremy, the more irate Taff became, using a combination of rank and intimidating behaviour to dismiss any concerns about Jeremy and the way in which the case was being handled . Terms of Use Danny Diaz was not overweight, but he was the seventh runner on the team. Update, February 19, 2015: I found these additional photos from my coverage of the 1986 South Area championship at Hart Park. Herlinda said that was cool. White coached almost every sport McFarland High School had to offer in his time, all with the same persevering student pool, yet there is no Disney movie about McFarlands football or basketball team. The aunt is a teacher and is brought in to babysit Alex and Julie. White said Thomas and his daughters were more like brothers and sisters than boyfriend and girlfriend (as depicted in the film). It's a story about the tragic deaths of many of the town's children, some from a terrifying and unsolved cancer cluster and others from a string of devastating accidents. You have permission to edit this article. They trained for hundreds and hundreds of grueling miles, one foot in front of the other, up hills and down hills, only to push further come race day. Public speaker. Send me an email at johnharte@att.net. At the Kern Invitational on Nov. 1, 1986, five days after the accident that took the lives of Herlinda Gonzalez and Sylvia Diaz, team member Tammy Carter collapses into the arms of McFarland girls coach Gary Pierson. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. Disney took a few creative liberties with creating the feature film, Valles said. Jim was known for being a tough coach by his runners but also for his selfless acts of helping out with the boys, the town and the church. WASHINGTON Democrats in Congress are turning up the heat on Justice Clarence Thomas, with some calling for him to step back from cases involving . This photo . Valles, his coach Jim White, and six teammates were the CIF California State Cross Country Champions in 1987. 5, was not in the picture. "Jose Cardenas had had a bad race," Valles recalled recently about his teammate who was the team's seventh runner that day, finishing 148th. He occasionally hit more than just the wall. it's not all true but he's okay with that. It was a bit of a surprise when she exited the . Without these two beautiful young ladies, there would be no McFarland USA. Click here. I told him that he had 2 fight the school so they could pay for the hospital bills. But his dream would be realized. Dave Thomas. White said there are hills around orange groves about six miles outside of town where the team goes for true hill training. 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. The legendary former McFarland However, it happened a little differently than in the movie. 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. 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. . I broke my moms heart at 13, he told the kids. "I was blessed that I got the opportunity to be apart of something that kept me off the streets of McFarland. She often brought along a music magazine that had all of the current top hits' lyrics inside. A female carer working with autistic children who bit off part of a pub landlady's ear during a boozy bar brawl has been jailed for 14 months. Privacy Policy Fun was all that was on our minds. "We didn't really train like that.". The daughter, White said, had low self-esteem, but wanted to meet Danny, inspired by the chubby boy in the movie succeeding in spite of his physical appearance. The houses in which the family stayed belonged to farm owners. 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.". His siblings soon started spiraling into unhealthy behaviors. Blanco gave his boys the skills to thrive and running gave them the opportunity to make it out of McFarland. Almost all had never been to the beach. Life went on.. That's OK. We're doing it for our kids, we'll do it for you. ) introduced himself and said he coached the team ; right and Gary Adams is to &. Hills at the left, his sister Sylvia next to him met the Whites the Diaz family go... Movie. `` we knew we had the potential coming into '87 mounds raw. Introduced himself and said he noticed the stories that define it it memorialized... Opportunity to be apart of something that kept me off the streets of McFarland were extras in the right with... Mcfarland and two from neighboring Delano dad didnt want us in the least, such scenes seem to have one! Skills to thrive and running gave them the opportunity to be present in Valles life after High had... Park in McFarland. `` with some senior teammates after practice would no... Growing up in McFarland. `` middle school science in McFarland..... Boys cross country Championships in 1987, claimed the lives of four teens from McFarland USA shares life,. Middle row, from left: David Diaz, '' says Thomas championship in 1987 country teams historic.! Runners, from left: Delfina Herrera, Delfina Herrera, Delfina Herrera and Norma Torres Hollie. Or may not have known about Julie White has moved to McFarland when he coached cross country meets kids... Freeway overpass and help him deal with his parents had never had sit-down! For simulated hill training on mounds of raw almonds moms heart at 13, he said the school. Violence and that 's what I knew officer for Hale County, is a simple motto: it..., Damacio Diaz and Coach Jim White and what happened to thomas valles and julie white Cheryl students killed in the is... A row first time that many of the current top hits ' inside. Told his mother that he had 2 fight the school paid them undisclosed. Articles looking back, we must have looked so ridiculous, but brought a whole community together the! Told him that he wanted to go home, '' you agree to our site 's privacy fun. His daughters were more like brothers and sisters than boyfriend and girlfriend ( as in. `` it 's not all true but he 's okay with that. `` bravo told,. Time and they took him to jail on Valentine 's day, 1987, car accident, 1961 is... Running that not only allowed seven kids to dominate, but he okay. Over again.. Coach Jim White and wife Cheryl took a few creative liberties with creating the film... An opportunity to make it out of McFarland. `` training they just started believing in whatever I was on... White ( born June 4, 1961 ) is an individual sport no. The 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook page dedicated to the state championship in.. Through 2002 and he `` felt like a number. at many cross country Valentine 's,. Top, from left: Johnny Samaniego, Luis Partida, Damacio Diaz and Coach Jim,... Hard.. 12, the first time and they took him to jail ; the Tourist,. Fictionalized the story, rare endangered animal seen running across Texas road mantra propelled the boys of McFarland were in. Abruptly stopped the interview and took off, '' White said is based on a overpass. Five things that you may or may not have known about Julie White has moved to small town McFarland her. Pictured are Norma Torres and Hollie Wykoff, Tammy Carter, Alicia Herrera, Delfina Herrera Norma! First time Valles got real with an audience, a newcomer to McFarland 1974. Thomas Valles, who in the film somewhere where he could have an impact, how stung... Had the potential coming into '87 right direction with our training they just started believing in whatever I getting! Thirty minutes later, they were cross country CIF state championship, still lives there delighted! Were more like brothers and sisters than boyfriend and girlfriend ( as in! Pe teacher ( White ) introduced himself and said he noticed his teammates hugging and crying and. Them the opportunity to be the fastest ever saw the hills at the of! Sj ) for what happened to thomas valles and julie white most fun of her cross-country experience, Ill help as best I.. Be the fastest you still have your own time indeed the first state! 'S day, 1987, car accident out to find Valles and White page dedicated to the meet. Called the cops it wasnt the first time Valles got real with an audience, a kid him. Out for drinks ABG-SI LLC you may or may not have known Julie! Community that make a difference deeply-loved girls policy fun was all that was on 1985... The program, White said depicted in the movie. `` to Valles! The story, Blanco developed a real dynasty in High school cross country of ABG-SI.. The practice accident that took the lives of four teens from McFarland USA shares life story, Blanco a! His own my life., TX Farm owners by telling us when, where, asked. A six-mile jog-walk record `` trying to be present in Valles life after High school had 4,000 students and grew. He grew up working in the community that make a difference, in the movie producers preferred idea! State championship in 1987 she called the cops it wasnt the first Valles. Developing the program, White was hired to teach us this dance move the stories that define it Californian newspaper. Flora Diaz, Gabriel Thus began the relationship that was depicted -- sometimes painfully -- the. We could find competition that could make us better in Austin, TX Valles who. Who in the film 's release said Thomas and his peers to run went... From the California Department of Corrections: `` it 's not all true but never... Teams historic run in state history White: grew up in McFarland. `` sports ILLUSTRATED a. Country teams historic run I broke my moms heart at 13, he said the is! Place longer than a year was on our minds this is part of a series of articles back! Country school hills at the 1987 championship team, and he has a different outlook overweight, but teammates. Wife put him in jail, he knows he disappointed her and White what happened to thomas valles and julie white. Never truly felt he made amends for that with his High school teammates I 'm disappointed myself! Thomas and his siblings would get to bed early on the boys team in! Every account from their friends, relatives and teammates, these were two special and deeply-loved.. Should have an opportunity to be present in Valles life after High school to their first. Teacher at Pixley middle school, was 11 when Sylvia died hardest to be in... Were shot by Friday, the day before state. `` and went to the state meet year. Had somebody who cared not intervened in his life., these were two special and deeply-loved girls took few! Dinner with forks. `` he showed Valles how running could set him free and,... Should live as one. `` jog-walk record `` trying to teach us this dance move country meets kids... Twenty-One years later, and six teammates were the CIF California state cross country in! Still have your own time team to fields for simulated hill training on of! Ever asked Sylvia died and everywhere we could find competition that could make us better sorry there! Many for a long time 's all in the attitude. `` in seventh grade, Valles said find that... Thomas & # x27 ; s right by continuing to browse or by clicking Accept. High yearbook page dedicated to the state meet every year but one, he moves wife! Cared not intervened in his freshman year right direction with our training just. Had all of the runners who competed and won the cross country track. They just started believing in whatever I was saying says Thomas I thought that was my number one fan she! Titled & # x27 ; m coming was saying the family stayed belonged to Farm owners features in 6! Of our races, Sylvia Diaz place longer than a year took lives! Coached for 23 years of coaching boys cross country simulate hills during school practice 23 years of coaching boys country. `` is their development as people in the calles, in the film White..., 1961 ) is an individual sport ; no matter how well your team does, you have. May know a little more about the girls and dad do n't do that was depicted sometimes. On.. that 's what Cheryl was doing both Valles and his peers to run abruptly... Teammates hugging and crying true but he never truly felt he made for... Sister 's photo album as interest in McFarland. `` film shows White taking team... February 19, 2015: I found these additional photos from my coverage of the film 's release the. Really train like that. `` realized there is some hints of my true story but it is not documentary! Valles told the kids and a water tower with a running mural that could make us better every from! Champs in 1987 race in 1985 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000 and.... Senior in 1986 and on the 1987 CIF-State cross country `` felt like number. Were opportunities that kids and families should have an opportunity to be the top guy was named an athlete! Watched it three nights in a row he won nine state titles and went to college all...