McFarland, USA (2015) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb Sometimes we are overcome by adrenaline and ambition. His arrest was a big shock to the community because he had been so well-loved and respected. Mr. White was our physical education teacher, and thats when he first encouraged us to run cross-country. He transferred to Humboldt State University, in Arcata, Calif., and earned a journalism degree. Appreciate your different philosophical way to look at things. We are all human, which is to say we are all flawed, and to expect perfection is to expect the impossible. And Rita Peebles, a cook in the cafeteria, slipped five bucks into my pocket before every away meet so I wouldnt go hungry when the bus stopped at McDonalds. However, just when it seems like the team will lose, Danny, the overweight runner on the team who typically never finishes fast enough to score points, picks up speed and reaches the finish line fast enough to secure the needed points for McFarland to win the championship. I came across this letter of yours, and I must say I am touched and inspired by your words. We were state champs, and we did come from a poor farming town. Sports can be a great teacher, in the losses as much as the wins. When we run, we own the earth. Two of us were absent when Disney spent two weeks on location and filmed the rest of my teammates going for a jog in the fields where we used to train. Not immigrant no more. (Erika Aguilar/KQED News) The California Report To this day, I dont know why I went out uncharacteristically fast. Thomas Valles . But his school had a long tradition of success in cross country, which is not how its portrayed in the movie. Like his new students in McFarland, hes beaten down, carries a chip on his shoulder, is pessimistic about the future. "Sometimes he wakes up and he goes crazy," Cardenas says of his son. The town and running are synonymous. Fortunately, the sympathetic Principal Camillo (Valente Rodriguez) lets him keep his teaching job. In truth, David Diaz had graduated the year before the team won the state championship. Well, my story is very long with happiness, sadness, accomplishment, rewards, and many more. Photo by RON PHILLIPS -- From left, David Diaz (Rafael Martinez), Coach Jim White (Kevin Costner), Thomas Valles (Carlos Pratts), Victor Puentes (Sergio Avelar), Danny Diaz (Ramiro Rodriguez), Jose Cardenas (Johnny Ortiz) and Johnny Sameniego (Hector Duran) are featured in a scene from 'McFarland USA.'. When we run, our spirits fly. Try to see differently. Marsh says she hopes the movie will help her runners understand that hard work pays off. The Disney studio, maybe, should thank me for adding a little drama but, all these years later, I'm having to relive it.". The lake also has the largest and the most beautiful natural lagoons of the country. "McFarland, USA" draws on experience of local man We are portrayed as the underdogs, but thats not necessarily the way you see yourself as a child.. McFARLAND, USA - Teach with Movies Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Marsh praises local businesses for their support. I think its really inspirational for people, and we did come from humble beginnings, he says. Pace yourself. Finally, it eventually became something the whole town was involved in. I too thought he was much too hard on himself in that article. 30,291. Marsh says she also appreciated the scene where Cardenas took off too fast in a race and hit the wall. I was preparing myself because I knew I was going to get drafted," Cardenas says. In June 2016 he plead guilty and his sentencing will occur in September 2016. Your email address will not be published. 5, was not in the picture. Sometimes a setback like that brings people and teams closer and more intimate with each other, and we found ourselves running for McFarland, Mr. White, and most importantly, for each other., During the eighties, McFarland had a larger white population. Movie Spoiler for the film - MCFARLAND USA 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. We speak the birds' language. For me, the story of the championship year and a path to a better life started in middle school. The Three Diaz Brothers: Danny, David, and Damacio Ten years later, I was a reporter at this newspaper when a movie company purchased the rights to an article about McFarland, a small, poor and predominantly Mexican American town in the farming heartland, going for an unprecedented sixth straight state championship. As far as Cardenas is concerned, it is a day that will live in infamy, even though the team won, and it's a great finish for a movie. David Diaz: Hector Duran . He took my place, and McFarland miraculously still won. Movies. Their oldest daughter, Tami, is not depicted in the film. I took it for granted that I would go. Its good to hear from you. Cardenas, however, returned recently from the movie's premiere in Los Angeles with mixed feelings. When we run, our spirits fly. Johnny Sameniego and the six other runners were all close friends and in an interview for the movie, he mentioned that they all grew up living within a quarter mile of each other and did everything together. The all-Latino cross-country Cougar teammates at McFarland High School, residents of Californias farm-heavy Central Valley, arent the storys only underdogs. One runner, Luis Partida, was replaced with David Diaz, the brother of Damacio and Danny Diaz. I wish I could say I never fell short of working hard; I often do. Aix-les-Bains, Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes, France Lat Long Coordinates Info. All he had to do was run as he had all season - not necessarily finish first, just well enough to earn points for a team victory. Hurley Family Y. For years, McFarland had a strong running tradition, he says. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Principal Camillo agrees, reluctantly, and Johnny is recruited as the teams first runner. 1 May 2023. Perhaps that is why stories like Mr. Cardenas and his teammates resonates so strongly, as reminders that what may seem impossible isnt. Jose Cardenas became a writer for The Los Angeles Times and is currently serving his country in the U.S. army. White wonders if he made a mistake. Open Letter to Jose Cardenas, One of "McFarland, USA"'s Real Life Champions Published on March 3, 2015 Dear Mr. Cardenas, This past weekend I saw " McFarland, USA, " a movie about one phase of your life, growing up in the agricultural town of McFarland, California. Omissions? I wish you great strength, grit and joyful moments. Goes Out newsletter, with the week's best events, to help you explore and experience our city. . The film opens with Jim White coaching a high school football game in Boise, Idaho. Eventually sophomore Danny Diaz crossed in 91st (68th) to close out the scoring. . 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. "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. McFarland, USA (2015) - Vanessa Martinez as Maria Marisol - IMDb The film was co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Mayhem Pictures. He says McFarland, a small town south of Fresno, in California's San Joaquin Valley, was more urban and less ethnically polarized than is pictured in the movie. Regardless, all opinions are honest and our own. Running 8-12 miles a day, and going to school, AND working in the fields as much as time allowed. Jim White retired from coaching and still lives in . Population stats are from the United States Census Bureau. Johnny helps to recruit other students: Victor, the three Diaz brothers, Jose Cardenas (Johnny Ortiz), and Thomas Valles (Carlos Pratts). The dream came true for them, but not me. We would not ask it from our loved ones, but somehow think it is okay to ask of ourselves. The state championships arrive, and the entire town of McFarland comes to support the team. While he was in the military, Cardenas applied for U.S. citizenship, but he says his application was never processed. "He thinks hes out there still, so someone needs to be there to kind of calm him down and stuff. We speak the birds' language. His journey from McFarland was pushed by his love for writing. It is also true that most of the runners had never seen the ocean before. After high school, Cardenas went to a junior college "half-an-hour up Highway 99 and continued running, but on paper. He started coaching the high school cross-country teams in 1980, not 1987. "They have to add up the average.". Jim White retired from coaching and still lives in McFarland. Learning from the film McFarland USA: As a leader, make a difference in The 67-year-old Cardenas was born in Mexico but moved to the United States when he was seven years old. The film follows their rise from obscurity in the tiny agricultural town of McFarland, California to become a legend in the sport of cross-country. 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.". You close your essay with this glimpse of forgiveness: McFarland, USA suggests my teammates became winners in life. Maria Marisol: [reading Jose Cardenas's paper] We fly like blackbirds And that hurts me because I cant do that.". Thank you for sharing your view as his cousin. Yours sincerely, Bettina, Johnny, Alexis and Natalia from Paraguay. It was not predominately Hispanic as depicted in the film. Jose Cardenas, McFarland's expected No. Joe Vaughn is best known for leading the Buena High, California girl's basketball team to 500 plus victories. You moved on, kept running, went to college and graduated, creating opportunities that didnt exist before. Short Poem but very powerful to all the people that have suffered coming to this great nation to give there love ones a better life. Jim has to talk him off. And then there is his most uncomfortable moment in the movie - as in life. I google searched Jose Cardenas after watching McFarland, USA out of curiosity, because as you may see, my last name is also Cardenas. By the way, these are me and my kids two sonsfrom the burbs and a foster daughter from Guatemala the ones you are helping me to teach that anything is possible if they work hard enough. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. In one of the 1987 races, an opponent from Bakersfields Centennial High School is shown. Jim works overtime to train them harder, but he begins to experience more challenges: his home life is strained when he forgets his daughters birthday cake and misses her celebration, and later he finds the depressed Thomas on a bridge about to jump off. In fact I was getting ready to post about the article Mr. Cardenas wrote during the movie about running through the groves. McFarland, USA vs. the True Story of Coach Jim White's 1987 Team He was never sent into combat, but after his two years were up, he joined the Army Reserves and then the National Guard for a total of seven years of military service. Even that teaches everyone who sees your story to see these truths: 1. The cornerstone facts are true, but the story itself is not necessarily very accurate. Thank you for being part of this community. 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. Flying with the birds through the groves 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. Thomas is the head coach of the McFarland Track Club for kids and I help him with that. Here are our top 10 picks, Super Mario Bros. Movie hits $1 billion, is No. After graduating high school in 1990, Johnny went to College of the Sequoias and competed as a runner from 1990-1992. The International Womens Media Foundation supported Erika Aguilar'sreporting from Tijuana, Mexico as part of the Adelante Latin America Reporting Initiative. To learn more about how we use your information, please read our privacy policy. And there was cotton," he said. 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. . Although White isnt a track coach, he sees great potential for a cross-country team at McFarland High. They find themselves in a mostly Hispanic community, and when they go to a local Mexican restaurant, a group of young Hispanic men who sport an intimidating gangbanger look makes suggestive comments toward Jims daughter Julie. One of these leaders was. The students spend long hours with their parents picking cotton, sugar beets, almonds, citrus and grapes in the areas vast produce fields. The team and his family learn about this new job possibility and become upset. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. A part of the region of Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes situated in the eastern France, the town of Aix-les-Bains is a part of the Savoie department and is a small community established on an amazing natural setting, in the highlands of the Alps. "It's a great lesson to us, McFarland, that if we give our children, our young men, our young women goals, we let them see what's possible, they can exceed beyond their own wildest expectations." ~ Kevin Costner 8) Some Experience I agree, Griselda, he is an inspiration to people all over the world. It inspires me & my children. The director, Niki Caro, chose to do this because she wanted to feature more family in the story. The McFarland team continued to run races in North America, Europe, and Asia. When gang members show up and harass them, a fight breaks out and Julie is pulled to safety just before getting injured. He sees McFarland students running all over the community, including the produce fields. The film depicts the McFarland team forming and winning the state championship in the same year (1987). The head coach complains to Principal Camillo and has Jim removed from his post as assistant coach. McFarland, USA (also known as McFarland) is a 2015 American sports drama film directed by Niki Caro, produced by Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray, written by Christopher Cleveland, Bettina Gilois and Grant Thompson with music composed by Antnio Pinto. And though people in McFarland did have jobs in the farms, they weren't picking lettuce, as shown in the film. By this point, the team and the sport have become the great pride and joy of the community. I was born ina family where everyone goes to college. Maria Marisol: [reading Jose Cardenas's paper] We fly like blackbirds through the orange groves, floating on a warm wind. Tambin es pizcador en las maanas. Many other shots of the town and high school were also filmed on-location. Cardenas, a staff sergeant in the Army stationed at Fort Eustis, was part of that team from a poverty-ridden California town that "comes from behind" to win its first state title. His journey from McFarland was pushed by his love for writing. Cardenas says one of his grandsons just joined the military, too. The mantra at our house has all ways been that good luck and opportunity comes through HARD WORK. But by going out so fast, I had endangered our dream. Veteran actor Costner, much like his performance in the recent Black or White, plays another character who must adjust to changing circumstances, reinvent himself to survive. Those were my parents. McFarland, USA Quotes What we do is nothing compared to what they had to do, she says. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. And by that measure, maybe I can let go for good the sour memory of the state race. Cardenas grew up in a Hispanic community, and his team mostly competed against white teams. KGET TV-17, an NBC affiliate in Bakersfield, California, created this Emmy-nominated segment that tells the story of McFarland High Schools legendary cross country program and the family, and coach, that helped mold a town. The movie opens Friday. Corrections? When ourfire burns out, we need friends to help carry us for a while. Your contribution is so appreciated. That final championship race. A caption says what became of me,a sort of champ in my own life, too, I guess. Mr. Cardenas, theres nothing to guess about. View JOSSUE CARRILLO CARDENAS' professional profile on LinkedIn. What is McFarland high school known for? - Kyoto2.org We had the right principles and the right attitude. At the end of the celebration, Lupe and Javi take Julie in a traditional parade of cars down the boulevard. I lived in a dilapidated one-bedroom house across the street from my church with a couple older brothers who worked in the fields. The Perezchica brothers Henry and Jose led McFarland, finishing 22nd and 37th overall . The school is located in a poor Latino community. I havent been through McFarland in at least 15 years. The McFarland team continued to run races in North America, Europe, and Asia. Not immigrant no more. Short captions for each of them at the end of the movie say they became college graduates, teachers, cops and mentors to kids in town. You might have miscalculated your strengths, but you took out energy from others as well who tried to follow you. You pushed too hard; you didnt last. I never get tired of reading the essay & watching the movie. In fact quite the opposite it was an inspiring, a wonderful example of perseverance and what it means to work as a team. So Ill stop there, but I will say this, because of my parents always pushing me I have an AMAZING life!! Sending love & good vibes your way, always. A day later, I read inyour essay in the L.A. Times that your State Championship race was one of the biggest disappointments in my youth. Your long-held regret stirred the nurturer in me, and although you are a grown man, a journalist, husband, father, and Army sergeant, in my mind you are still that high school kid, and I cant help my motherly instinct to tell you how I see what you did that day, and what lessons you have taught me and my children. Kevin Costner stars as White, an embittered man whos struggling to support his wife and two daughters. I hope to write a book one these days. White really did go and work in the fields and pick crops with his runners to show support to them and their families, as it is portrayed in the film. We would have crushed the team that finished second.. 3. Jose Cardenas, 67, stands at U.S.-Mexico border fence in Tijuana that has been painted with the names of deported U.S. veterans. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. 4. In reality, their opponents were more friendly and respectful. Es uno de los tres hermanos Diaz, lo ms gordito, el ancla del equipo. 5 Captivating Reason to See McFarland USA #McFarland, Ceo of Solartiara & Editor of Mrs. Kathy King.com. I loved the boys and their families. David has a Facebook page, but there hasnt been any updates posted since 2014. The town is a known resort and a destination for tourist since it is situated on the shores of a large natural lake, the Lac du Bourget, which is a home to a few SPA resorts and excellent places to relax. For now, Cardenas says there is one other way deported veterans like him can eventually get back to the United States. The scenes of the state race are the most prominent for Johnny Ortiz, the actor playing me. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. David Diaz also went to college and is now the North Kern State Prison Supervisor of Academic Instruction. DMS (degrees, minutes and seconds) format. Disgraced cop of 'McFarland USA' fame gets five years in prison And by that measure, maybe I can let go for good the sour memory of the state race. "Actually, lettuce didn't grow there, but that's a minor thing. , THANK YOU FOR COURAGE. Victor Puentes served a sentence at the penitentiary, but continued his education and got a good job. A caption says what became of me, a sort of champ in my own life too, I guess. But Cardenas isn't that worried about the enduring connection to one of his most regrettable moments. "We were competitive, but the world of cross-country running is such an insular, quiet community that the runners were more friendly.". Still, Cardenas says, he knows how a story can change once it hits the screen. The home theyve bought is old and run-down, and the family experiences culture shock. Then you spent afternoons running miles upon miles upon miles. The success of the team is documented in the 2015 Walt Disney Pictures film McFarland, USA starring Kevin Costner as James White, a . Samaniego ran for the track and field team at CSUB because they didnt have a cross-country team. The album has been published and can. Johnny Sameniego: Sergio Avelar . At the qualifier, a coach slips an offer to Jim to leave McFarland for a full-time job at a large, wealthy school. I love the film as an example for human strengths and will power yours as well. Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. During his first PE class that day, Jim meets the Diaz brothers: Danny, Damacio, and David (Ramiro Rodriguez, Michael Aguero, and Rafael Martinez). 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. The film depicts McFarlands opponents as snobby, rich, and rude to the poor McFarland team. 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. Cardenas was a member of the California state championship cross-country team whose story is portrayed in the new movie McFarland, USA, which was released by Disney in February. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. High School Alumni in McFarland, California (CA) - Class Finders McFarland USA will choke up undemanding viewers, but there isn't enough in it to be remembered as a great sports film. Convincing the young men he wants for the team to join is an uphill battle. Many of us found our way to college and livelihoods away from the fields. Before the class ends, their mother forces the brothers to leave class to go work in the fields. "That wasn't quite true, either," Cardenas said. Its a chance to pause, slow down, get our bearings before we get up and go again at a kinder pace. Please feel free to share with your friends by click on the share button. As one of the runners said: McFarland was a more balanced community of Latino and white residents then. Your still a god as you run..any race. On The Scene With Kathy King. When we run, we own the earth. Victor Puentes served a sentence at the penitentiary, but continued his education and got a good job. New Zealander Niki Caro (Whale Rider, North Country) directs the late 1980s-set McFarland, USA, a tightly focused drama based on the true story of White and his out-of-left-field cross-country runners. You were and are a team player. His work will appear occasionally in The Pilot and on HamptonRoads.com. Jim White recalls an incident where his cross-country runners were shot breaking up a fight, and one of the boys was killed. Damacio eventually returned to McFarland and was active in the McFarland community, was loved by many, and excelled at his job as a police officer. Their coach, Jim White, a non-Latino newcomer to the McFarland community, is, in the eyes of many, a loser, too. Jos is my cousin & an inspiration to all the family. Los personajes de McFarland sin limites Flashcards | Quizlet Jose Cardenas became a writer for the Los Angeles Times and at the time of the films release, was serving his country in the military. Actually, we were favored to win by a larger margin. Gang problems, as depicted in the film, were a real issue in McFarland. When we run, we own the earth. He was drafted and served in the Army's 82nd Airborne division between 1970 and 1972. Julie and Jamie are also depicted younger than they were in 1987. Maria Marisol : [reading Jose Cardenas's paper] We fly like blackbirds through the orange groves, floating on a warm wind. 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. It moves me everytime I watch the movie and I WATCH IT OFTEN WHEN I NEED TO FEEL GOOD. Oscars Best Picture Winners Best Picture Winners Emmys Hispanic & Latino Voices STARmeter Awards San Diego Comic-Con New York Comic-Con Sundance Film Festival Toronto Int'l Film Festival Awards Central Festival Central All Events On the way home, Jim stops by the beach in Cayucos and lets the runners have an afternoon of fun there because theyve never seen the ocean before. Now, 28 years later, Cardenas has had to relive that vexing memory because his performance is a focal part of "McFarland, USA," a film occupying theaters nationwide. After high school, Cardenas went to a junior college "half-an-hour up Highway 99 and continued running, but on paper.

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