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. And hes optimistic that the film will be the catalyst that helps him stay away from drugs for good. For Victor Puentes, one of the subjects of the Disney film McFarland, USA, life has not exactly followed a Hollywood storyline. Puentes said his troubles didnt begin until after high school. While the school's football team is as bad as most that he has coached, the one thing he does notice is that out of necessity many of the boys have the stamina to run long distances quickly. She was the real (team) mother hugging their sweaty bodies when they came in.". Its not part of the movie, but the team was, obviously, grieving and impacted deeply. While still being interviewed, Valles said he noticed his teammates hugging and crying. . 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. He also allegedly stole drugs that were supposed to be booked into evidence. Jim White, a school football coach at odds with the system and players, takes a job as an assistant football coach at McFarland. The sports drama was written by Christopher Cleveland, Bettina Gilois and Grant Thompson. Puentes began experimenting with drugs and battled addiction off and on for many years. The answers are in chronological order. 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. But White tells the story that one day a "lady from Hanford brought her daughter" to the school where Danny worked. It reminds me of another good one, Glory Road. "She was crying and hugging Danny. Juanita Diaz. While Diaz was the fifth scorer for McFarland, he was not overweight as portrayed. Their oldest daughter, Tami, does not appear in the film. However Disney made it a good story is based on Mr. Whites accomplishment with us, with the nine state championships and everything else. McFarland was not rivals with Palo Alto High School (the schools are 4 hours apart) nor did the schools ever race each other. McFarland USA Interview - Victor Puentes (2015) Interview with Victor Puentes (Real Life Character) for McFarland USA. Diaz, and father and mother Paul and We're still here hopefully trying to make a positive difference in our communities.". 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. "When the movie came out, I was kind of in denial. 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. She's the one girl that changes his mind and he wants to date her. Sergio Avelar is known for McFarland, USA (2015) and Made in Hollywood (2005). As the boys manage to reach one goal after another on the march to the state championships, their newfound support as a collective may be threatened by the realities of McFarland and Jim catching the attention of other, more prestigious schools in predominantly white, upper middle class communities. Learn more about the McFarland, USA true story by watching the Jim White interview below. ", "Some of the boys had never been to the ocean," White said. In McFarland, USA, Jim White (Kevin Costner) takes a job as the physical education teacher at a . Victor is a ladies man. [10][11] The film was released in Canada under its original title, McFarland. "Just getting everybody to believe in themselves," Valles said was how White developed and maintained the program at such a high level. The family has trouble adjusting to the Hispanic neighborhood and lament being unable to afford to live in Bakersfield. Its changed my confidence. 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 sentenced this week to five years in prison. After a few regional competitions, the team wins its first race. And, man, I just started crying, started crying tears of joy. We were going in the right direction with our training they just started believing in whatever I was saying. "He didn't know but I took it as if he had said no," Valles said. The information captured will be shared by the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff (ORS), with all known ISP's conducting business in the State. 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. ", "Thomas he made a big impact on our life," White said. When Coach Jim White (Costner) arrives to teach at a predominantly Latino high school, everyone has a lot to learn about each other. It's all Hollywood. Without Mrs. White, I dont think any of this would have happened. "My parents divorced. I do not own "McFarland USA" or any of the characters. "I can't say I was going to jump, but I was thinking about my life and why some people would jump. Julie and Jami are depicted in the McFarland, USA movie. Please contact us cottenzane@gmail.com with this Email. We knew we had the potential coming into '87. Eventually sophomore Danny Diaz crossed in 91st (68th) to close out the scoring. Desperate for work, he moves his wife (Maria Bello) and daughters (Morgan Saylor and Elsie Fisher) from Idaho to McFarland, CA, a rural town that's predominately Latino and the only place willing to give him a teaching job. Now that I live in Lexington, I get to do my dream job of covering the people of central and eastern Kentucky. "I looked over at the reporter and I said 'We won. Brittny Mejia is a Metro reporter who joined the Los Angeles Times in 2014. Create an account. He remains on paid leave. Our family has watched it three nights in a row. Well acted and tremendously inspirational. Included in the segment, titled Victor Puentes (Anchor) Arrest 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. Since he graduated from Californias McFarland High School in 1989, he has battled drug addiction and spent time in prison. 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. In the least, such scenes seem to have been exaggerated by the filmmakers. Is McFarland, USA Sad? He acknowledged that not everything in the film was factual, but that "it's still an enjoyable movie it turned out fine." The McFarland team continued to run races in North America, Europe, and Asia. under Coach Jim White at McFarland High 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. He was, however, the seventh person on the team and still instrumental to its 1987 state title win. Puentes began experimenting with drugs and battled addiction off and on for many years. There will b She was an Orisha sent to earth to be the protector all. That day at Woodward Park, McFarland's top four were dominant. White continued teaching and coaching in McFarland until his retirement in 2003 and after that he continued living in McFarland. Diaz had a life that afforded him many opportunities, including the opportunity to serve and protect his community as an officer of the law, said Phillip A. Talbert, the acting U.S. attorney for Californias eastern district. BY JOHN HARTE For the Californian. We won.' Now he has nothing but the highest regard for White. Puentes said his troubles didnt begin until after high school. 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). The film was co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Mayhem Pictures. While at Eastern I wrote for the award winning Eastern Progress and served in the student government. Some of the more notable differences included:[8]. Listen Closely (Victor Puentes/McFarland USA Fanfic). [5] Negotiations for Kevin Costner to star were finalized in July 2013. Hi there! "We did what we could to help him. A U.S. district judge ordered Diaz to begin serving his sentence on Dec. 5. 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,. Victor Puente Is An American News Ancho Born in Germany to Army parents, He has spent most of his life living in Kentucky. According to the indictment, Magallanes paid Diaz to tip him off to law enforcement investigations and in general to protect him from arrest and prosecution. The film opened in North America on February 20, 2015 and earned $11 million in its opening weekend, finishing 4th at the box office. He took us to church once in a while. Its not about me, its not about the other runners. Change). Video games, board games, collectible card games and sports all occupy my time. Similarly, White took both teams to the California coast beach at. Teammate updates and McFarland photos courtesy of Thomas Valles. 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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. Out of all the 1987 team, Victor was definitely the smartest of all of us, Diaz told 23ABC News. It's based on a true story, but not everything's very factual, but it's still an enjoyable movie. This finally gave me the strength to say, You know what? Was enlisted in the armed services. In 1964, after graduating from Pepperdine, White was hired to teach middle school science in McFarland. Thomas received a degree and served our country before returning to McFarland to raise a family and also help coach the McFarland . 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? He took us to church once in a while. But Diaz believes Puentes has the tools to turn his life around. U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner said his office as well as the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI and the IRS participated in the investigation. 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". He was a baseball player, a pitcher, in high school and in college. The day of the state championships comes and almost the whole McFarland community accompanies the team to the race. Victor Puentes, member of the 1987 McFarland cross country team, has battled drug addiction. You think that's funny, Mitchell? Three out of the seven young McFarland USA cast actors on the team in the movie are from the McFarland areaSergio Avelar who plays Victor Puentes and Michael Aguero, cast as Damacio Diaz, are actual runners and Ramiro Rodriguez, as Danny Diaz, was a champion soccer player. Dozens of Coach Jim White's runners ended up going to college or into the armed forces. GREAT GREAT GREAT MOVIE! Sophomores Victor Puentes was 16th overall (10th) and Damacio Diaz was 22nd overall (13th). 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. What we are reminded of is that McFarland USA is based on a true story but it is not a documentary. He showed Valles how . "As soon as Mr. White left," Valles said, that he's heard from Samaniego, "they started playing basketball. He flirts with all the girls and bounces from girl to girl. Valles, a senior, placed seventh overall and second among scorers. Unlike many of his former teammates, Puentes no longer runs, but he misses it. For the past several months, Puentes work on a 220-acre ranch, where he helps maintain an almond crop, has kept him busy. Valles explained that White had observed him going for a six-mile jog-walk record "trying to be the top guy. These photos, by the way, are from the California Southern Area meet held at Hart Park in Bakersfield, probably November 1987, and if I remember correctly, it is the meet before the California Interscholastic Federation section championship and the California state championship, which the team went on to win, and is a focus of the film. He remains on paid leave. 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. ". Valles said he asked the McFarland principal if the team had won. Though the film portrays Puentes as a ladies man, he says he was actually the shyest person on the team. Were part of his life, Puentes says. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. The indictment states the government will seize the following if its proven it was obtained through Diazs alleged criminal activities: a 2011 Toyota Sequoia SR5; about $49,000 from a Valley Republic Bank account held in Diazs name; property at 157 Famoso Hills Road in McFarland; and a sum of money equal to the total amount of proceeds obtained as a result of the alleged crimes. 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. Until he runs into Athena. A struggling coach and teacher who has had to move around for different incidents in his career finally comes to one of the poorest cities in America: McFarland, California. 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. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. "I was standing there. Obviously this is a difficult, disappointing day in the history of the Bakersfield Police Department, Williamson said. A series of texts shows that under White's guidance, the team becomes outstandingly successful, winning nine state titles over fourteen years. McFarland, USA. It was a great honor to win that first one.". 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. It made me rethink the choices that Ive made in the past, because I had a bad past. Diaz disclosed the names of criminal informants to Magallanes so the dealer would not conduct business with them and become a target of law enforcement. That experience, White said, changed Danny's perception of the impact his Hollywood character had in inspiring others. McFarland, USA (2015) 1 He's just sitting there, man. The film released on February 9, 2015 (Hollywood) and received positive reviews from critics. Members of McFarland's Diaz family reflect Duration 0 min 59 sec Views 6,759 Posted On February 07, 2015 Director Niki Caro Writer Christopher Cleveland Studio Walt Disney Pictures Release February 20, 2015 Cast Kevin Costner He later taught woodshop and physical education. The chief said Diaz and the drug trafficker, Guillermo Magallanes, had known each other for quite some time and that Magallanes had been working as a BPD informant. That made us work harder. I screwed up.. His Exact Age is Still Under Investigation we will Update when Information Is Available. After that, the Cougars were the easy favorites to win the first small schools division (D-III) State Meet title. He looked after us, he made sure that if we got out of line, he corrected us.. ** DISCLAIMER ** We'd love to share your memories of that meet and that experience. 1987: First CIF-State Cross Country Championships, Remembering 1987: CA's First State XC Meet - Series Hub, Remembering 1987: Arroyo Boys Are Nearly Perfect, Remembering 1987: Drossin, Agoura Overcome Uncertainty, Remembering 1987: First CIF-State XC Championships. 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). I know bcuz Mr. Gonzalez had come 2 my office 2 bring in his work insurance, which his insurance didnt pay much. Jose. Yes. Because of White's rigorous training and the efforts of the entire team, McFarland upsets the other more favored schools and comes in first. "I didn't really know what those sports were," Valles said. He also allegedly filed false federal tax returns. 'McFarland' Movie Helps One of Original Runners Get Back On Track, For Victor Puentes, one of the subjects of the Disney film. He was like a second dad, Puentes says. "We're going to go out and try to win the state title.". I give my thanks to her because shes the foundation of [that] home and she opened her doors to every single runner that we. For Victor Puentes, one of the subjects of the Disney film McFarland, USA, life has not exactly followed a Hollywood storyline. I realized, you know what, this could have been me had somebody not been on me. "Danny, he passed up Jose out there somewhere," White recalled. Victor Puentes is just to his left. She knew that some of us needed a little bit more. - That's what. Times staff writer Matt Hamilton contributed to this report. He takes full responsibility for that now. It took all of us to make thisevery runner who won a state championship from McFarland made this happen, not just myself or the seven runners. Boards Disney's 'McFarland' (Exclusive)", "Disney movie starring Kevin Costner filming in Camarillo", "Pixar's 'The Good Dinosaur' Pushed Back Nearly 18 Months After Losing Director", "Kevin Costner Movie 'McFarland' Moves Out Of 2014", "Kevin Costner's Sports Drama 'McFarland USA' Pushed to 2015", "Weekend Report: Moviegoers Flee From 'Fifty Shades', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=McFarland,_USA&oldid=1107843665, Jim White had not been fired from numerous prior teaching jobs before starting at McFarland. on their time as cross country runners 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. 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. PrepCalTrack.com conducted this Jim White No, sir.
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