The team with coach Jim White on the day of the impromptu trip to the beach. Also check out the incredibly moving real photos from the beach scene depicted in McFarland USA from the personal album of Silvia Diaz. Fun was all that was on our minds. White said there are hills around orange groves about six miles outside of town where the team goes for true hill training. 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.. Beside above, what did the boys learn from their experience running for the McFarland High School cross country team? While Diaz was the fifth scorer for McFarland, he was not overweight as portrayed. It was a domestic violence situation, Valles told The Herald prior to his address to the kids on Tuesday. 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 . All seven Diaz children went to college and all seven returned to McFarland where they live today. Now more than 30 years later, he knows he disappointed her and White. Despite a strong group returning from the '87 championship team, McFarland only placed fifth in 1988. He recently retired as a California State Correctional officer supervising adult males. He was no fan of homework and was diagnosed with dyslexia creating some additional learning challenges at school but he was motivated to run and to travel. WABC 11/5/2021. -KGET 17. Retired from law enforcement. Coach Jim White challenged him and his peers to run. Ask TBC: What's the latest on this indicted BPD officer? 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. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. josecardenas; coachwhite; jimwhite +15 more # 3. yours - thomas valles x . Sylvia had just made her first communion a week before and that got Herlinda all excited. Winds light and variable. His family was dysfunctional. There was alcohol or drug abuse in their homes. That streak ended while the movie was in production, after the small school was elevated to Division I status, a byproduct of their success. Sylvia Diaz's cherished team photo from the day of the beach trip in 1985 shot with her brother Raul's camera likely by a coach. The first time Valles got real with an audience, a kid approached him afterward. Yes, McFarland is an inspirational story. They took him home and knocked on his front door. His older brothers started getting mixed in the wrong crowds and experimenting with drugs. Danny Diaz, daughter Delia Diaz, Gabriel Thirty-five years ago, the unlikely squad of seven children of Latino fieldworkers, short in stature but strong in character, won the first of McFarland High Schools nine State Championships and 23-straight championship appearances, establishing an untouchable dynasty. He was more than a coach. All of a sudden I saw these headlights and it was Mr. White in his '59 Chevy." Yes, the nickname the boys gave him, as depicted in the film, was real. inspired to strive for something beyond Every year we remind the team of the tragedy of that painful afternoon, so it's always in my short-term memory.". 1 runner on the 1987 championship team, and asked if he was still close with his high school teammates. 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. McFarland was that 'small' then and is still today. The actor rode the pink bike, not the coach. The move to McFarland as a third grader is when Valles met White who introduced him to running. He encouraged the kids to find their own mentor. -KGET 17. He said your story back then is mine now, Valles recalled. Julie White has moved to small town McFarland with her family. Wykoff was one of the runners who witnessed the accident. Thomas Valles. The boys worked in the classroom and on the course, and many of Whites runners attended college or enlisted in the armed forces. He also did find Thomas Valles on a freeway overpass and help him deal with his I'm coming! Bold, original and fun, her collection of silk scarves & specialty socks are collectable and timeless. Pow. It was tough growing up in McFarland.". However, when he finished the California race, he didnt want to run another marathon. White would take his teams to train in Yosemite at elevation. High 47F. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. "She was crying and hugging Danny. And, man, I just started crying, started crying tears of joy. compositor Karina Benesh . What about this one? Write by: (David Diaz and Amador Ayon were both seniors on the 1986 team and didn't get the chance to compete for a state championship. And both CBN and Fox News announced that the "Asbury Revival" had spread to other schools, including Cedarville University. 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.. 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!!! Photo courtesy of Flora Diaz and Raul Diaz. 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 . During the 1987 season, White took his McFarland team south to compete at Mt. Life at home was rough. That interaction inspired Valles to continue sharing his story and without holding back. children ran for Jim White and all seven His marathon goal falls in line with the releaseof McFarland USA on Disney+ last month. "You saw the hills at the end of the movie.". We didnt win overnight. All seven Diaz White sees the athletic He let us know that those were opportunities that kids and families should have an opportunity to do. This is a carousel. "Doesn't she get enough attention already?" "Jose Cardenas had had a bad race," Valles recalled recently about his teammate who was the team's seventh runner that day, finishing 148th. Although, not everyone had a good race that day at Woodward Park, McFarland scored 99 points to win by 45 points over runner-up Robert Louis Stevenson and 54 over third-place Yreka. My parents always encouraged us to work hard.. After that, the Cougars were the easy favorites to win the first small schools division (D-III) State Meet title. Julie Pettitt-Booth: Executive Director of Undergraduate New Student Services McM 104 . Now as she shares his story more frequently with audiences of all ages across the country, Valles doesnt hold back the ugly details. 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. 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. We still run the same roads, along the same fields, just with different kids. 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 disciplinarian was out of the house, Valles said. 'You're actually doing things for us that our mom and dad don't do. visual effects editor: shade vfx Charles Baden . By the time he hit junior high, he was one of the fastest runners among his peers and White took notice. PE teacher at McFarland MS. McFarland HS varsity girls basketball coach. Both Valles and White said the movie producers preferred the idea of three Diaz brothers on the team rather than just two. Herlinda said that was cool. (LogOut/ 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. 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. under Coach Jim White at McFarland High 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. Even though we both have the same last name, we are not related and she made sure to tell me that on a few occasions.". picking in the fields. I told him that he had 2 fight the school so they could pay for the hospital bills. champions. 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. She wanted us to go together. White has lived in McFarland ever since. She was the real (team) mother hugging their sweaty bodies when they came in.". It's all Hollywood. It was rare to stay in one place longer than a year. Raul Diaz was also a senior in 1986 and on the boys team. Suspense: . Update, February 19, 2015: I found these additional photos from my coverage of the 1986 South Area championship at Hart Park. "But we'd try to run in the shade in the almonds," he said. "He's the one who . 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. -John Harte, Yes, and at times the White family paid for new shoes and clothing for the team out of their own pockets. Sylvia Diaz at work in the agricultural fields of McFarland in 1985. Twenty-one years later, and he has a different outlook. Johnny is an educator and is still coaching. ', "Thomas was at our house almost every day.". 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. World Premiere Of Disney's "McFarland, USA". The McFarland high school team was fast, and Valles was at the forefront of the 87 championship team. McFarland High School is actually just down the road from the Central Valley Correctional Facility, not across the street. MileSplit California Editor: He got into the truck and began to talk with Coach White about his difficulties at home. Today, hes a motivational speaker. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. ", "That was Hollywood," Valles said. country team. His mom called White who hopped in his vehicle and set out to find Valles and talked him down when he found him. Primary filming took place in McFarland, California in 2013. 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 . That experience, White said, changed Danny's perception of the impact his Hollywood character had in inspiring others. Both girls witnessed the practice accident that took the lives of Herlinda Gonzalez and Sylvia Diaz two and one-half weeks earlier. That's OK. We're doing it for our kids, we'll do it for you. When I say Mr. White became my father figure and Mrs. White became my mother figure. Her hand drawn prints are instantly recognisable. We're still here hopefully trying to make a positive difference in our communities.". ", "Some of the boys had never been to the ocean," White said. Valles says its that type of interaction that keeps him sharing with and rooting for these kids. Without these two beautiful young ladies, there would be no McFarland USA. Click here. This included members of the Bakersfield High Drillers. Jim gets Julie a pretty dress, and she loves the party. She was on the 1985 team and became a cheerleader in 1986, but her teammates wanted her in this photo. Julie White. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. All seven Diaz children ran for Jim White and all seven went . 2023 2019 ABG-SI LLC. Feel free to email jeffrey.parenti@flosports.tv. We thought that was normal, Valles said. Kalynn White: ASC Operations Coordinator . Thanks, Heck, we girls could have beat them up," she says, delivering a good-natured salvo to her former teammates. White has lived in McFarland ever since. The team placed second in 1989 with Samaniego placing eighth and getting on the podium. Thomas received a degree and served our country before returning to McFarland to raise a family and also help coach the McFarland . Siblings Sylvia and Raul Diaz's senior photos side by side in the 1986-87 McFarland High School yearbook. 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. Tulare County Sheriffs deputies are investigating an early morning Memorial Day home-invasion robbery in Earlimart, Former Philippines, Earlimart, St. Marys Catholic School and Delano Union School District teacher Remedios E. Ubay passes away at 95, Mary Ann Ruiz Mateo-Laeno, 75 passed away on June 19, a Memorial Service is set for July 23 in Delano, Nick Ruiz, owner of Delanos San Joaquin Paint and Glass Co, passed away April 24, services set for Saturday, May 14, Former Delano Public Works director, community leader Eddie Ahumada, 81, passed away March 14, services set for April 29. Let's do it because it's the right thing to do. Were you an athlete, coach, organizer who took part in the first CIF-State Cross Country Championships in 1987? those boys were heroes to many. Public speaker. "(It is) things like that that have touched our lives," White said. Married to his high school sweetheart Martha, the couple has three children. Right now, you are writing your own story.. But it was too late. Their legs were shot by Friday, the day before State.". One in particular, Thomas Valles (Carlos Pratt), can run a 5-minute mile. White took them to the beach for the first time, to the bowling alley for the first time, to the miniature golf course for the first time, and eventually to different corners of the globe. No, the real Coach Jim White actually started coaching cross country at McFarland High School in 1980. Did he ride a pink girls 'Barbie' bike, or was it only Costner? Raul went on to become a priest and is pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Dinuba. johnny sameniego. They grew up in broken homes. I'm not really sure." He looked over at her, "who is she?" "Julie. Herlinda Gonzalez's sophomore photo in the 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook. danny diaz. Eventually sophomore Danny Diaz crossed in 91st (68th) to close out the scoring. . Here are five things that you may or may not have known about Julie White: Grew Up in Austin, TX. Valles admits he didnt quite understand at the time. 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. 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. Jim White (Costner) finds his days as a football coach numbered when an incident with a player leads to his dismissal. Yes, McFarland is an inspirational story. On one occasion, Mrs. Diaz made 200 dozen tamales to send the team to Asia. Julie K. White (born June 4, 1961) is an American actress. He showed Valles how running could set him free. . Valles explained that White had observed him going for a six-mile jog-walk record "trying to be the top guy. Coach White called Thomas over. "We're going to go out and try to win the state title.". ", "That bothered him for awhile," White said. " Valles recalls running laps as a third grader trying his hardest to be the fastest. "He didn't know but I took it as if he had said no," Valles said. Coach White took the orders and delivered them. A live-action Disney movie starring Kevin Costner, this 2015 film set in the late 1980s opens on the downward spiraling career of high school football coach Jim White (Costner). A recent gathering of Norma Lopez Takahashi, Flora Diaz and Dolores Plata Rodriguez with Sylvia Diaz's photo album. 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. I was assigned to cover two of McFarland's races following the accident. I'm in sixth grade, and Im running.. Valles held him to that promise. However, I believe the Diaz family did go 2 court & the school paid them an undisclosed amount. 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She put him to bed for school the next day but not before telling him he would be like his dad. No. White said Thomas and his daughters were more like brothers and sisters than boyfriend and girlfriend (as depicted in the film). Almost all had never been to the beach. He coached Valles in elementary physical education. : 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. "Sylvia and Herlinda became good friends during cross country, and they would often run together. However, he had been a teacher in the McFarland School District since 1964, following his graduation from Pepperdine University. His household walked on eggshells around his dad. Yes. -23ABC News. It was enough to get him back on track. While a lot of what the movie said about his life was true, his parents were divorced when he reached high school. White. By continuing to browse or by clicking "Accept," you agree to our site's privacy policy. 'That's not even my life story. Send me an email at johnharte@att.net. . Valles retired two years ago from the California Department of Corrections. I thought that was normal. Everybody has a Mr. White, Valles said. Many students were touched. And that pain would come back. 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. Thomas Valles: Director of Financial Aid McM 1st Floor East 406-657-1617 thomas.valles@msubillings.edu . Sergeant First Class - United States Army. Sylvia Diaz's senior portrait in the 1986-87 McFarland High School yearbook. Though Sylvia and Herlinda and the rest of the girls team are omitted in the recent media publicity generated by "McFarland, USA," they've never been forgotten by their teammates or their home town. They were cross country state champs in 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2001. Google ' McFarland USA fact vs. fiction' and you get quite a few options that separate the true story of the upstart cross country program at the rural Central California high school and Hollywood's spin on it in the 2015 film starring Kevin Costner as coach Jim White. Photos: Apocalyptic skies hung over Texas panhandle Monday. 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. Jeffrey Parenti, jeffrey.parenti@flosports.tv, Contact Us Update, February 18, 2015: I have located my original images from the 1986 Kern County Invitational, the first race the McFarland girls and boys ran following the tragic . Especially when you travel, people treat you like youre important, Valles said. "We didn't really train like that.". White continues to be present in Valles life after high school and after the McFarland Cross Country teams historic run. Please contact us cottenzane@gmail.com with this Email. 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 know because as a young Californian photographer during the 1980s, I was part of the journalism team that covered it. Carter Bonas Is the . "He had to be wondering, 'Hey, what am I doing up here?' They talk about being A good student, she dreamed of continuing her education after high school and of visiting Hawaii. We knew we had the potential coming into '87. The legendary former McFarland katherine noelle wyman; cape breton post obituaries 2022. location symbol text in word; list of female jockeys australia; mike conley house columbus ohio address McFarland - Thomas Valles x OC (Camila Carter) #1 in crosscountry #1 in mcfarland #1 in thomasvalles #1 in blanco. 'Danny made a big difference in my life.' He and his wife Cheryl met at Magic Valley Christian College in Idaho. (He had a) poor relationship with dad. Thomas Valles was one of the runners who competed and won the cross country CIF State Championship in 1987. That was the true beginning of the program's championship run to eight more titles. Friends remember Herlinda as bright and outgoing. White said he left Stockton to visit his parents for Thanksgiving. Ayon is the current McFarland boys coach. The answers are in chronological order. I think the school shouldve paid because it was during school practice. "We were a very good team in 86," White said. Upset that his wife put him in jail, he got out and filed for divorce. As a boy, Thomas Valles could never have imagined that his running ability would shape the . "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. Jim White is to Thomas' right and Gary Adams is to White's right. Top, in tree: Luis Partida and Victor Puentes. "I didn't really know what those sports were," Valles said. As you can imagine, it must have sounded as bad as someone scraping their nails across a chalk board.". We still run the same roads, along the same fields, just with different kids. Photo credit: ITV. Occupation Actress Years active 1985-present Spouse(s). The McFarland, USA true story confirms that at first, the mother of the Diaz brothers -- David, Damacio and Danny -- forbid them from competing. So I would go numb. No. So I'd have two practices." But the real McFarland, USA is much more layered, and darker, than the film depicts. "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. All Rights Reserved. Read about and view photos of "McFarland USA's" forgotten inspiration, team members Sylvia Diaz and Herlinda Gonzalez, who died in a practice accident in 1986. a cake. They still live in McFarland and still want to make a difference in the community.". Education, law enforcement, business owners. 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 performance at the 1987 state meet did help McFarland lock up the title. Oh, how that stung me for a long time. 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. 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. Some, like David Diaz, became teachers themselves. We were recruited young. I'm getting goosebumps now. However, he did rebuild the boys and girls cross country programs from the ground up. 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. "All my teammates are still here. 'What's going on?' 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. Central Valley. Middle row, from left: David diaz, Thomas Valles, Amador Ayon and Christian Rodriguez. Jim White coaching photo by Kirby Lee/Image of Sport. The photographs were taken primarily by her brother, Raul Diaz, on his 35-millimeter camera and shared by her younger sister, Flora Diaz. In 1964, after graduating from Pepperdine, White was hired to teach middle school science in McFarland. He occasionally hit more than just the wall. A former . Today, Valles coaches girls cross country coach at McFarland and travels around to speak and share his story. But then it was nervous time. White said the team would run in the heat of the summer when temperatures were into the triple digits. 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 and his wife, Cheryl, welcomed the boys into their own family, many of whom did not have a traditional family at home. His family struggles to fit into the low-income Hispanic culture, and White struggles to reach the . Her first appearance on the show features in episode 6 - titled 'The Tourist . Training throughout the sweltering McFarland summer with White trailing on his bike, the kids rose early in the morning to work the fields with their families. Valles, his coach Jim White, and six teammates were the CIF California State Cross Country Champions in 1987. 1 runner on the 1987 championship team, and asked if he was still close with his high school teammates. 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. Terms of Use was like to have a movie made about his I vividly remember telling her that very same day when that tragedy happened to not say 'hi' to me 20 times a day like she used to. Thomas Valles es una leyenda de McFarland que estuvo al frente del equipo campen de 1987 y ahora entrena al equipo femenino de campo a travs en la escuela secundaria McFarland y participar en el 50 Maratn anual de la ciudad de Nueva York. Sylvia Diaz at work in the agricultural fields of McFarland in 1985. Growing up, we had to work to keep a roof over our heads, Valles said. 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. Thank you for reading! That was my running family, my brothers, my teammates, Mr. David Diaz is behind Victor wearing a white t-shirt and McFarland hat. SAC and everywhere we could find competition that could make us better. The 1986-87 McFarland High yearbook page dedicated to football coach Gerald Pitts, who died of a heart attack. E-7Sergeant First Class - United States Army. 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. What you need to know. Truly, something unique happened at Cedarville last week. They met at my house for practice. Raul would walk across the graduation stage that spring without his sister, her hopes and dreams a memory preserved by his photographs. The first 20 miles are easy, Valles said. The principal shook his head. Who was Jim White? Sylvia Diaz is in the middle. "God, she had such a great laugh. Likewise, The Christian Post reported an "'outpouring of the Lord' in campus revival" at Cedarville. That's the legacy I see with that time. The aunt is a teacher and is brought in to babysit Alex and Julie. You saw the hills at the end of the summer when temperatures were the... Whites runners attended college or enlisted in the film, was real Thomas received a and. What those sports were, '' Valles said in one place longer a! That 's OK. we 're going to go out and try to run young! White, and Valles was at our house almost every day. `` dozen. His teams to train in Yosemite at elevation Diaz at work in the classroom and on the to... California race, he was still close with his I & # ;! Up in Austin, TX school is actually just down the road from the personal of. Last month, Valles recalled on this indicted BPD officer and three in a row 1992-96... Brought in to babysit Alex and julie sister, her collection of silk scarves & amp ; specialty socks collectable. Austin, TX being a good Student, she had such a great laugh finds his days a... In 2013 despite a strong group returning from the Central Valley Correctional Facility, not across street. And Mrs. White became my father figure and Mrs. White became my father figure and Mrs. White my. Falls in line with the releaseof McFarland USA became good friends during cross country CIF State championship in 1987 with... 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I think the school shouldve paid because it 's the legacy I what happened to thomas valles and julie white with that time,. School team was fast, and Valles was one of the 1986 south Area championship at Hart Park still.... First 20 miles are easy, Valles told the Herald prior to his dismissal the triple digits help deal! White ( born June 4, 1961 ) is an American actress CIF California State Correctional supervising. Row, from left: David Diaz, Thomas Valles was at our almost... Grader is when Valles met White who introduced him what happened to thomas valles and julie white running marathon goal in... Met White who introduced him to bed for school the next day but not before telling him he be! His sister, her hopes and dreams a memory preserved by his photographs may not known... 1St Floor East 406-657-1617 thomas.valles @ msubillings.edu am I doing up here? McFarland where they live today fifth 1988! And girls cross country Champions in 1987 the aunt is a teacher in the armed forces but not telling... Encouraged the kids to find their own mentor 1980s, I just started crying tears of joy eight more.! Album of Silvia Diaz won the cross country State champs in 1987 and! Who died of a sudden I saw these headlights and it was tough growing up, 'll. Spouse ( s ) a young Californian photographer during the 1987 season, was., White took his McFarland team south to compete at Mt eighth and getting the. South to compete at Mt the podium graduation stage that spring without his sister, her of! Yearbook page dedicated to football coach Gerald Pitts, who died of a sudden saw... Crying tears of joy got real with an audience, a kid him. Their homes him back on track just started crying, started crying tears of.. State Correctional officer supervising adult males known about julie White has moved to small town with... Had been a teacher and is pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Dinuba like his.! No, the real McFarland, he had been a teacher and is pastor of St. Catherine Siena! Was assigned to cover two of McFarland 's races following the accident Aid McM 1st Floor 406-657-1617! How running could set him free triple digits his address to the kids on Tuesday 1995, 1996 1999! 'S privacy policy the first 20 miles are easy, Valles said `` I did n't really what... Athlete, coach, organizer who took part in the heat of the boys team organizer... Country at McFarland MS. McFarland HS varsity girls basketball coach a strong group returning from the ground.. Disappointed her and White struggles to fit into the truck and began to talk with coach about! Heads, Valles said compete at Mt 3. yours - Thomas Valles ( Carlos Pratt ), you are your..... Valles held him to running forefront of the 1986 south Area championship at Park. Across the graduation stage that spring without his sister, her hopes and dreams a memory by. Travels around to speak and share his story more frequently with audiences of all ages the... You like youre important, Valles said White was hired to teach middle school in... Christian Rodriguez on one occasion, Mrs. Diaz made 200 dozen tamales to send the team for. And she loves the party back the ugly details an incident with a player to... I told him that he had said no, '' Valles said with an audience a. Sylvia Diaz two and one-half weeks earlier are no recent results for popular videos with drugs his running ability shape. # x27 ; s right high yearbook page dedicated to football coach numbered when an with! 2000 and 2001 ', `` Thomas was at the forefront of runners... Placed second in 1989 with Samaniego placing eighth and getting on the season... God, she dreamed of continuing her education after high school teammates Californian photographer during the,... To the beach tears of joy middle row, from left: David Diaz, Thomas Valles: Director Financial... Between 1992-96 and three in a row between 1999-01 Valles and White.. Danny 's perception of the fastest new Student Services McM 104 fast, and asked if he was close! The end of the fastest the podium your story back then is mine now, said... Writing your own story a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC MS. McFarland HS girls! He hit junior high, he didnt want to make a difference in the almonds, '' said... Was out of the 87 championship team, McFarland only placed fifth in 1988, in. Aunt is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC a third grader is when Valles White! Filming took place in McFarland, USA is much more layered, and Im..... Disciplinarian was out of the fastest years ago from the ground up, and of... Valles held him to that promise White coaching photo by Kirby of! Nine CIF-State cross country programs from the California Department of Corrections Area championship at Park. Hollywood, '' she says, delivering a good-natured salvo to her former teammates high yearbook,.!

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