White loses his cool and throws a cleat at a locker. Where did Thomas Valles go to college? "I did not run a good race that day," he said, explaining that he was so far back that he earned no points for the team. It was a dismal day for me at Woodward Park, Nov. 28, 1987. And that hurts me because I cant do that.". Despite all the setbacks, their hard work pays off, and the team does well enough in their next race to qualify for the state championships. The mantra at our house has all ways been that good luck and opportunity comes through HARD WORK. Like yours. "They wanted the farm kids in the movie," Cardenas said. I took it for granted that I would go. One runner, Luis Partida, was replaced with David Diaz, the brother of Damacio and Danny Diaz. In a dramatic instance of culture shock, White, his wife, Cheryl (Maria Bello in a one-dimensional role as supportive spouse and mother), their disapproving teen daughter, Julie (Morgan Saylor), and the familys youngest child, little sister Jamie (Elsie Fisher), move from a predominantly white, middle-class neighborhood to a poor Mexican-American community. The land is ours. Pretty much our whole team is going to be there, she says. You didnt like your race performance. Football coach White, after being too tough on his team at a previous high school in a far more prosperous place than McFarland, accepts a teaching position and assistant coaching job at McFarland High School. Its amazing how everybody is connected to it. He now works as a physical education teacher at McFarland Middle School. His group painted a section of the border fence in Tijuana red, white and blue with the names of deported veterans. Costner gives Whites lessons learned late genuine weight. Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. The film only depicts two. DMS (degrees, minutes and seconds) format. Below are 10 McFarland Fun Facts that will inspire and give you a wonderful background about the movie. But watching the low point in my young life exposed in a Hollywood film reopened a bitter memory I had tucked away long ago with my running shoes. We speak the birds' language. McFarland, USA (2015) Full Cast & Crew. The students that Jim coached have grown up to become coaches themselves. Not immigrant no more. The community teams up with the White family to raise money for better uniforms for the cross-country team, and they throw a delightful quinceaera party for Julies 15th birthday. The country code given is in the ISO2 format. That race is going to healyour daughtersheart some day. And when Jose lost his steam and fell behind in the end of the race, the other runners really did pull off the unexpected, and they made up the difference, which included Dannys dramatic come-from-behind performance as we see in the film. Flying with the birds through the groves . Jim White and his wife Cheryl, depicted as kind, caring people in the film, were that way in real life. It isnt an important hobby of mine, but what you had to say about it is very applicable to my life right now, so Id like to simply say thank you, Dear Gabriella, It gives me great pleasure to hear from you, and that you found something you needed in my letter to Jose Cardenas. But Cardenas isn't that worried about the enduring connection to one of his most regrettable moments. They call us pochos sometimes.". McFarland won a state-record of nine championships with Jim White as coach. Pop. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our, Speak to recruitment advertising specialist, More than $15M in residential damage caused by EF-3 tornado in Virginia Beach, city officials say, Paradise Ocean Club unlikely to reopen this summer, owner says, citing slow progress on lease discussion, Former Virginia Beach sailor sentenced to 15 years for killing estranged wifes lover, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Cardenas says he was deported to somewhere near the U.S.-Texas border, far from his birthplace in southern Mexico town of Tecomn in the state of Colima. In reality, White had been coaching the cross country team for seven years (since 1980). Which is why, when Mr. White was trying to persuade me to switch to cross-country for my junior year, he jokingly told me that they would win the inaugural state championship with or without you.. Johnny Ortiz, an actor who held roles in the Kevin Costner-led film "McFarland USA," and "El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie," has been charged with attempted murder, Fox News has confirmed. Jose Cardenas: Rafael Martinez . He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. That was my normal, and that was good.". "Jose Cardenas had had a bad race," Valles recalled recently about his teammate who was the team's seventh runner that day, finishing 148th. Coach White took care of the young runners - sometimes getting them shoes or letting people stay with his family, as did the community. See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Directed by . Principal Camillo agrees, reluctantly, and Johnny is recruited as the teams first runner. The actual trip, which included stops at Morro Bay and Cayucos after an Atascadero race, was even more moving than what we see in the film because it included the girls team. Jose Cardenas, McFarland's expected No. Its good to hear from you. Cardenas, a staff sergeant in the Army, lives in Virginia Beach, Va., with his wife and daughter. You deserve the accolades and life you have been given due to your hard work! Thats want counts as much as a victory itself. He also coaches the McFarland Youth Track Club as an assistant to Thomas Valles, who is the head coach. Your contribution is so appreciated. STANDS4 LLC, 2023. Appreciate your different philosophical way to look at things. The inspirational movie, which opened last week, is building word-of-mouth momentum as a minor hit in the shadow of the current box office titan, "Fifty Shades of Grey.". Give others a chance to shine. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Movies. Pace yourself. Latitude and longitude coordinates are: 45.688499, 5.915300. Facebook gives people the power to. (1999) 25,732; (2014 est.) Im a german journalist, living in Paraguay with my adopted son and two other paraguayan foster children. Our coach, played by Kevin Costner, built a sports powerhouse largely with the children of farmworkers in a lackluster part of the state. Photo by RON PHILLIPS -- From left, Johnny Sameniego (Hector Duran), Victor Puentes (Sergio Avelar), Damacio Diaz (Michael Aguero), Danny Diaz (Ramiro Rodriguez), Coach Jim White (Kevin Costner), Jose Cardenas (Johnny Ortiz), Thomas Valles (Carlos Pratts) and David Diaz (Rafael Martinez) share a scene in 'McFarland, USA.' The player, Johnny, is also kicked off the team. We went on to better our lives.. Running 8-12 miles a day, and going to school, AND working in the fields as much as time allowed. Samaniego ran for the track and field team at CSUB because they didnt have a cross-country team. You inspired me Jose Cardenas!!! He took my place, and McFarland miraculously still won. The team and his family learn about this new job possibility and become upset. Learn how your comment data is processed. McFarland, USA tells a heartwarming story about underdogs who, to the surprise of everyone, including themselves, establish a sports dynasty. White takes a position at a small, humble high school in McFarland, California in the middle of the vast agricultural flatland of Californias Central Valley. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), First Minority Business Trade Show helps spread word for entrepreneurs, Salisbury City Council to discuss new fire station on Mahaley Avenue at Tuesdays meeting, License plate reader cameras assist area law enforcement. "It was over two decades ago, and there it is - on film. The state championships arrive, and the entire town of McFarland comes to support the team. Dr. Barragan, I appreciate your comment and couldnt agree more. 6. "I never had any live chickens around where I lived and, in the 1980s, we listened to the same music as other kids - Madonna and Michael Jackson and pop things like that - in addition to Hispanic music.". At the end of the celebration, Lupe and Javi take Julie in a traditional parade of cars down the boulevard. The shoe bounces off the locker, hits the player in the face, and cuts his cheek. Jim White retired from coaching and still lives in . If I had run as well as I did the previous week on the same course when we won the regional championship, the state race would not have been a nail-biter. McFarland also had a superb girls cross-country team. 3. The McFarland, USA true story confirms that at first, the mother of the Diaz brothers -- David, Damacio and Danny -- forbid them from competing. It took one of our usually slower runners to sprint mightily down the stretch. Cardenas admits hes had mixed reactions about the movie. JamesEdition can help you find the home that match all the preferences for your dream home. -BakersfieldCalifornian.com Did Coach White really help the kids work in the fields? Nearly three decades later, Jose Cardenas is still bothered by that one race. White taught fifth-grade science and seventh- and eighth- grade PE and woodshop. McFarland, USA (2015) Vanessa Martinez: Maria Marisol. Appreciate your different philosophical way to look at things. He then transferred to Cal State University of Bakersfield (CSUB) from 1993-1995. But Cardenas isn't just sitting around and hoping. Jose Cardenas became a writer for The Los Angeles Times and is currently serving his country in the U.S. army. 30,291. He started coaching the high school cross-country teams in 1980, not 1987. You will guide her throughheartbreak or disappointment byscrolling through your youth,looking for a moment that fills yourreservoir of empathy. 1 for 4 weeks, Jack Nicholson returns courtside to cheer beloved Lakers to playoff win. Quotes.net. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Disney Pictures can thank me, I guess, for creating some true drama. He also occasionally travels as a motivational speaker and in the course of doing these promotional appearances, he has seen the movie eight times. He's rallied, marched and met with California politicians as part of a group of deported veterans lobbying the government to allow them to return to the U.S. based on their military service. Jim White never lived in Boise, Idaho, he never taught high school (he taught middle school but later coached high school sports), he was never fired from his teaching job for having an outburst against a student, and he did not have a troublesome teaching career before starting at McFarland. I agree, Griselda, he is an inspiration to people all over the world. We are all human, which is to say we are all flawed, and to expect perfection is to expect the impossible. And Cardenas still runs, but not competitively. The Disney studio, maybe, should thank me for adding a little drama but, all these years later, I'm having to relive it.". I google searched Jose Cardenas after watching McFarland, USA out of curiosity, because as you may see, my last name is also Cardenas. He had always wanted to be in law enforcement eventually pursued that career, starting in the 1990s. The emotional trip-to-the-ocean scene in the film really did happen, though not in 1987. McFarland, USA 2015 Stars: Kevin Costner, Ramiro Rodriguez, Carlos Pratts, Johnny Ortiz Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport Rating: PG Runtime: 129 minutes Track coach Jim White (Kevin Costner) is a newcomer to a predominantly Latino high-school in California's Central Valley. (Erika Aguilar/KQED News) The California Report Kevin Costner stars as White, an embittered man whos struggling to support his wife and two daughters. Try to see differently. Stay in touch. "McFarland, USA Quotes." In real life, I consoled myself by reasoning that even though my place had not counted in the state championship, I had been the fourth man on a team that had won a dozen or so invitational races that year, some harder than the state meet. Some of the runners who were on the 1987 team were not depicted in the movie. I was never good at sports I chose ballet after my volunteer coach shamed me in pee-wee baseball and appreciate all the more how people can rise after defeats. "They do kind of make fun of us because we dont speak the language. LinkedIn is the world's largest business network, helping professionals like JOSSUE CARRILLO CARDENAS discover inside . Hey, and I would love to show the film to a certain Donald T. so he could learn from Mexican American Power and warmth and character, tenacity and team spirit. I told you we would win with or without you, our coach, Jim White, told me on the bus ride home from Fresno. The final climactic race in the film happened exactly as it happened in real life, including all of the drama. No stupid Mexicans. Danny Diaz. Cardenas is now a staff sergeant with the U.S. Army, stationed at Fort Eustis, Va. A Y member has a sister who works with Cardenas wife, thus the invitation to come to Salisbury. Jose Cardenas always wanted to serve in the military. No stupid Mexicans. Es uno de los 3 hermanos que corre para Jim White. There are currently 37 luxury homes for sale in Aix-les-Bains, Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes on JamesEdition. In reality, their opponents were more friendly and respectful. A few notches down from what the Whites are accustomed to, but the troublemaking Coach White, or at least hes perceived to be a troublemaker, has no other options left. Cardenas was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1970, served seven years in the U.S. military and was deported in 2009 after a drug conviction. Then computers.". Now, we take our kids out of state for runs, three to four times a year. Thomas Valles . The movie was about much more than a state championship race, it was about the people you became. 2. Tambin es pizcador en las maanas. It was the 1987 California high school state cross-country championships. The film was co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Mayhem Pictures. The Three Diaz Brothers: Danny, David, and Damacio Jim White represents the very best of the best, a quiet, graceful man who somehow let these kids know what was possible, he says. Still, Cardenas says, he knows how a story can change once it hits the screen. We had the right principles and the right attitude. And by that measure, maybe I can let go for good the sour memory of the state race. The McFarland team continued to run races in North America, Europe, and Asia.
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