Their first night in McFarland is difficult. Located in California's agriculturally rich San Joaquin Valley, McFarland is one of the poorest communities in California. The land is ours. Besides Mr. White, other good-hearted adults looked after the towns needy youth.. Track coach Jim White (Kevin Costner) is a newcomer to a predominantly Latino high-school in California's Central Valley. View JOSSUE CARRILLO CARDENAS' professional profile on LinkedIn. We speak to the gods. Our kids are so excited about his appearance.. She eventually concluded that it was good for them as long as they still worked. Thank you for being part of this community. Quotes.net. JamesEdition can help you find the home that match all the preferences for your dream home. 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.". Its sulfur and alkaline springs were exploited by the Romans, to whom they were known as Aquae Gratianae, and they are still the basis of modern health resorts. Upon his release, he returned to college to continue his education and landed a quality job on a ranch. Aix-les-Bains, Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes, France Lat Long Coordinates Info. A full body orgasm at the L.A. Phil? Thank you for sharing your appreciation! It is also true that most of the runners had never seen the ocean before. If you read some of the stories, some of them are pretty crazy. He then transferred to Cal State University of Bakersfield (CSUB) from 1993-1995. "People like Rita Peebles, a cook in the cafeteria who slipped five bucks into my pocket before every away meet so I wouldn't go hungry when the bus stopped at a McDonald's.". Kevin Costner stars as the coach of a seven-member team of cross-country underdogs. As one of the runners said: McFarland was a more balanced community of Latino and white residents then. The inspirational message of the movie is essentially true. It was a dismal day for me at Woodward Park, Nov. 28, 1987. Gang problems, as depicted in the film, were a real issue in McFarland. Their oldest daughter, Tami, is not depicted in the film. 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. Besides the tragic death of the two girls on the cross-country team, there were many other tragedies in the same year: on Valentines Day, a car crash claimed the lives of six teenagers, four of whom were from McFarland. On The Scene With Kathy King. They got that right. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Andrea Riseborough flap prompts most significant Oscar campaign rules change in decades, Looking for fun this Cinco de Mayo weekend? Open Letter to Jose Cardenas, One of "McFarland, USA"'s Real Life A versatile and innovative financial manager with 30 years of management and leadership experience seeking to utilize skills in adult education and fiduciary oversight of multi-billion dollar . His arrest was a big shock to the community because he had been so well-loved and respected. Jim doesnt want their spirits to sink too low and takes responsibility for the loss, saying it was on him. 6. The McFarland team continued to run races in North America, Europe, and Asia. After high school graduation, Danny Diaz attended Bakersfield Junior College and Fresno State, then became a teacher and counselor at McFarland High School. McFarland USA Film, Jose Cardenas' Poem. - YouTube In the movie and reality McFarland did barely win state when our usual sixth man, Danny Diaz, whose place in races had not counted all season, moved up to fifth, the last runner whose place counts. He was drafted and served in the Army's 82nd Airborne division between 1970 and 1972. McFarland, USA Quotes The director, Niki Caro, chose to do this because she wanted to feature more family in the story. The opening sequences of the film are fictional. Yes. The 2015 film McFarland, USA tells the true story of California high school cross-country coach Jim White (Kevin Costner) and his underdog team of Latino runners who had never competed in the sport before and who, when they werent training, had to help their parents pick crops in the fields. The reality is much less dramatic: he started teaching in the McFarland school district in 1964 and only middle school after graduating from Pepperdine University. For me, the story of the championship year and a path to a better life started in middle school. (9%) are the normal age for attending high school (15-19). Please feel free to share with your friends by click on the share button. Samaniego currently holds CSUBs 18th best time in the 1,500-meter race. and it was also nice of Mr Cardenas to reply your letter this only shows how honorable man he is. In addition, McFarlands mysterious cluster of cancers, which rapidly claimed the lives of several children, happened around the same time and gained national media attention. "It was over two decades ago, and there it is - on film. I was proud to get to play him.. We push too hard and flame out. I wish you great strength, grit and joyful moments. Ligue de voile Auvergne Rhne Alpes | Aix-les-Bains - Facebook Now, we take our kids out of state for runs, three to four times a year. McFarland, USA - Wikipedia He would often buy shoes and food for his runners. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. The Disney studio, maybe, should thank me for adding a little drama but, all these years later, I'm having to relive it.". He joined the ROTC in high school in San Diego in hopes of following in the footsteps of his stepdad, an American citizen who sponsored him to become a permanent resident. His wife Cheryl, who tirelessly supported her husband and his coaching, described the runners this way: These kids are like our own kids and grandkids. We would have crushed the team that finished second. Goes Out newsletter, with the week's best events, to help you explore and experience our city. Finally, it eventually became something the whole town was involved in. McFarland, USA (2015) Full Cast & Crew. And White wasnt the only adult who looked after the kids. Its amazing how everybody is connected to it. Disgraced cop of 'McFarland USA' fame gets five years in prison In June 2016 he plead guilty and his sentencing will occur in September 2016. 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, He is in excellent physical shape and he continues to exercise even though he no longer competes. The film depicts the McFarland team forming and winning the state championship in the same year (1987). All Rights Reserved. Sports. They call us pochos sometimes.". The movie was about much more than a state championship race, it was about the people you became. It happens to all runners at least once, she says. Web. Damacio Diaz went to college, then became a police officer and a 17-year veteran of the Bakersfield Police Department as a detective. In reality, their opponents were more friendly and respectful. After three runners from McFarland cross the finish line, they peer back, searching for me, their usual fourth man, but I had fallen deep into the pack. Cardenas was a reporter for newspapers including the Los Angeles Times and St. Petersburg Times before joining the Army six years ago. Mr. Cardenas, chin up! He returned home to take care of his mother and during that time, he began to experiment with drugs. Maria Marisol : [reading Jose Cardenas's paper] We fly like blackbirds through the orange groves, floating on a warm wind. Try to see differently. I began to lose track of my teammates and my town. . Victor Puentes served a sentence at the penitentiary, but continued his education and got a good job. Mcfarland High School Class of 1988 Jose Carmona. You will guide her throughheartbreak or disappointment byscrolling through your youth,looking for a moment that fills yourreservoir of empathy. Mal Vincent has been a longtime culture writer for The Virginian-Pilot. 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.. I came across this letter of yours, and I must say I am touched and inspired by your words. "They have to add up the average.". Jim sees this and knows that Jose has put too much into the start of the race and will likely fall back at the end. First:; I want to say that I loved the poem Jose wrote. White taught fifth-grade science and seventh- and eighth- grade PE and woodshop. In response to his essay, Laura Nicole Diamond wrote an open letter to Jose to encourage him and let him know how an inspiring example he was to people. And by that measure, maybe I can let go for good the sour memory of the state race. Its been an emotional roller coaster, but they put together a very good movie for a general audience, Cardenas says. He also occasionally travels as a motivational speaker and in the course of doing these promotional appearances, he has seen the movie eight times. Remembering 1987: McFarland Fact vs. Fiction - California MileSplit I told you we would win with or without you, our coach, Jim White, told me on the bus ride home from Fresno. Since his retirement, he has also traveled the country as a motivational speaker and to help promote the movie. But his school had a long tradition of success in cross country, which is not how its portrayed in the movie. In the end, he says, its a Hollywood movie. According to an interview, both he Cheryl, have seen the movie three times and cried three times. According to People Magazine, even Oscar winner Costner was impressed by the man he portrays in the new Disney film. Although White isnt a track coach, he sees great potential for a cross-country team at McFarland High. "The inspirational message of the movie is essentially true," he said. Again, thanks for your article, and thanks to Mr. Cardenas for your inspiration. 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. You were and are a team player. , THANK YOU FOR COURAGE. Jose Cardenas became a writer for The Los Angeles Times and is currently serving his country in the U.S. army. "Actually, lettuce didn't grow there, but that's a minor thing. Hes looking forward to answering questions about the movie tomorrow evening, and to talk about whats accurate and whats not. The cornerstone facts are true, but the story itself is not necessarily very accurate. This movie has been an awesome inspiration to me, cause it takes back to my childhood years, and how tough it was at times, but I had the type of parents, and Im so happy to say, that were always pushing us to be better. Second, there was a lot of good old-fashioned hard work. 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. Thank you laura for your take on my essay. Jim has to talk him off. McFarland, USA (2015) - Plot - IMDb Please note: On the Scene with Mrs. Kathy King receives compensation of one or more of the products and banners that you will see on this post and or site.