The climb upward from despair for Coach White isnt easy. It saddens me that he viewed the race as the biggest disappointment of his youth, but in the same sense I admire his vulnerability & honesty. Give others a chance to shine. feeling awkward and labored. Movies. The latitude of Aix-les-Bains, Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes, France is 45.688499, Cardenas turned an internship at the Los Angeles Times into a full-time job on various beats. I think its a pretty darn big deal.. The team hot to where they went because of you and others. Well said! But by going out so fast, I had endangered our dream. His alumni now coach the cross-country programs for the elementary, junior high, high school, as well as McFarlands Parks and Rec teams. You and your friends worked in the mornings before school and on the weekends in the fields picking vegetables and fruit, just about the hardest (and most important) work anyone can imagine. You might have miscalculated your strengths, but you took out energy from others as well who tried to follow you. Lupe has Javi fix Cheryls car after it breaks down and gives Cheryl a free manicure in her salon while she waits. One runner, Luis Partida, was replaced with David Diaz, the brother of Damacio and Danny Diaz. McFarland USA will choke up undemanding viewers, but there isn't enough in it to be remembered as a great sports film. No one is perfect. 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. , THANK YOU FOR COURAGE. The rest of the film was shot around Los Angeles and in Camarillo, California. "That wasn't quite true, either," Cardenas said. He is in excellent physical shape and he continues to exercise even though he no longer competes. He also did find Thomas Valles on a freeway overpass and help him deal with his family problems. Get our L.A. "People worked together in the town," Cardenas said. Thank you for being part of this community. While he was in the military, Cardenas applied for U.S. citizenship, but he says his application was never processed. Team God bless you , I really enjoyed your article Mrs. Laura Diamond, and I am watching McFarland as I write. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. He then transferred to Cal State University of Bakersfield (CSUB) from 1993-1995. Its been an emotional roller coaster, but they put together a very good movie for a general audience, Cardenas says. An hour of discussions and plans and ideas followed and they all said: you gave it a try, you had so much heart and wanted to give victory to your team mates. When gang members show up and harass them, a fight breaks out and Julie is pulled to safety just before getting injured. 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. As one of the runners said: McFarland was a more balanced community of Latino and white residents then. I saw the film as being about your tenacity, determination, loyalty, perseverance, athleticism, and strength. "It worries me because you never know whats going to happen, and you cant do nothing here," he says. Aix-les-Bains, Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes, France is located at France country in the Towns place category with the gps coordinates of 45 41' 18.5964'' N and 5 54' 55. . Joe Vaughn is best known for leading the Buena High, California girl's basketball team to 500 plus victories. When we run, we own the earth. I ran track in the spring of my freshman and sophomore years but played football in the fall. Quotes.net. Just like in this movie Coach White kept pushing the boys forward, and where he got them. He says Tijuana is almost like living in the United States because there are many Americans there, but there's one big difference: Cardenas can't see his family, who lives just across the border in San Diego, his home of more than 50 years. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . Although White isnt a track coach, he sees great potential for a cross-country team at McFarland High. 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. Jos is my cousin & an inspiration to all the family. He made his way to Playas de Tijuana, where he's been living alone, along with many other deported U.S. veterans. Great reminder that we can revisit the things that inspire us. Aix-les-Bains | History, Geography, & Points of Interest Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Keep going. While Jim and his daughter Jamie watches the boys in his PE classes run laps around the track, Jamie makes a comment about Victor and Johnny being incredibly fast runners; Jim agrees, and has an epiphany: to start a cross-country team. 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. Like many such projects, the movie was in the works for years. Aix-les-Bains, city and Alpine spa, Savoie dpartement, Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes rgion, southeastern France, southwest of Geneva. I love the film as an example for human strengths and will power yours as well. In fact I was getting ready to post about the article Mr. Cardenas wrote during the movie about running through the groves. "They wanted the farm kids in the movie," Cardenas said. 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. After high school graduation I went to junior college half an hour up Highway 99 and continued running. 5 Captivating Reason to See McFarland USA #McFarland, Ceo of Solartiara & Editor of Mrs. Kathy King.com. I wish I could say I never fell short of working hard; I often do. Yes. "McFarland, USA" draws on experience of local man One of these leaders was. Thanks Laura for this wonderful and insightful letter to MR JOSE CARDENAS. The students that Jim coached have grown up to become coaches themselves. "People forget that the Army has boats, too, and this has fulfilled my greatest chances to sail all over the world - the Caribbean and now off Dubai.". Its taken me awhile to warm up to it., Jim White, portrayed by Kevin Costner, was the team coach. Well, my story is very long with happiness, sadness, accomplishment, rewards, and many more. "I was off that day and, as in the movie, Danny Diaz came from behind to ensure our victory. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. 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. Johnny Sameniego: Sergio Avelar . You were born in a community where that was not true, but with the blessings of a great coach and other adults topoint the way to other paths, you made that your reality. Aix-les-Bains, Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes, France Geographic Information, Fontenay-sous-Bois, the le-de-France, France, Saint-Michel-sur-Orge, le-de-France, France, Fleury-les-Aubrais, Centre-Val de Loire, France, Saint-Genis-Laval, Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes, France. Open Letter to Jose Cardenas, One of "McFarland, USA"'s Real Life And though people in McFarland did have jobs in the farms, they weren't picking lettuce, as shown in the film. 5, was not in the picture. Still, my heart began to sink when a screening of McFarland, USA rolled around to its climax. 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.. Hes looking forward to answering questions about the movie tomorrow evening, and to talk about whats accurate and whats not. "Life is not just one race," he said. as part of a group of deported veterans lobbying the government to allow them to return to the U.S. Adelante Latin America Reporting Initiative. Flying with the birds through the groves It moves me everytime I watch the movie and I WATCH IT OFTEN WHEN I NEED TO FEEL GOOD. -BakersfieldCalifornian.com Did Coach White really help the kids work in the fields? The McFarland, USA true story confirms that at first, the mother of the Diaz brothers -- David, Damacio and Danny -- forbid them from competing. His wife enjoyed it more than he did, he says. It was awkward doing the red carpet, he says, but it was a lot of fun.. 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. He Served in the U.S. Military, But That Didn't Stop His Deportation 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. When we run, our spirits fly. Im in the Army, he says, so I have to stay in shape.. He'll talk. But "I broke out too early and faded about half way through the 3-mile course," Cardenas said. David Diaz and Valles are still running buddies, and Diaz recently completed the 5K Fog Run in Bakersfield. Danny Diaz. They call us pochos sometimes.". Maria Marisol: [reading Jose Cardenas's paper] We fly like blackbirds through the orange groves, floating on a warm wind. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The incident costs White his job, and, with no other employment choices, he moves out of town with his wife Cheryl (Maria Bello) and two daughters, Julie (Morgan Saylor) and Jamie (Elsie Fisher). Before the class ends, their mother forces the brothers to leave class to go work in the fields. Then you spent afternoons running miles upon miles upon miles. But like any movie based or inspired by a true story, not everything in McFarland, USA is literally true. Jim White recalls an incident where his cross-country runners were shot breaking up a fight, and one of the boys was killed. Jose Cardenas Profiles | Facebook Thank you for sharing your view as his cousin. Your email address will not be published. No stupid Mexicans. Try to see differently. The movie opens Friday. Powered by - Designed with theHueman theme, (Visited 2,021 times, 2 visits today, 1,283,698 total visits overall), describing his experience with the McFarland team. You pushed too hard; you didnt last. White loses his cool and throws a cleat at a locker. He now lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia with his wife and daughter, where he is a staff sergeant in the Army. Join Facebook to connect with Jose Cardenas and others you may know. Damacio Diaz went to college, then became a police officer and a 17-year veteran of the Bakersfield Police Department as a detective. Cardenas says one of his grandsons just joined the military, too. Pop. Jose Cardenas. We push too hard and flame out. I agree, Griselda, he is an inspiration to people all over the world. You are a father. 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 company also supplied soft drinks for a gift basket for the speaker, which also includes goodies from Catawba College and the Y. Photographs taken from the album of Sylvia Diaz (one of the girls who died in 1986) are some of the last pictures that those two girls took with their teammates. There are currently 37 luxury homes for sale in Aix-les-Bains, Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes on JamesEdition. Then. For now, Cardenas says there is one other way deported veterans like him can eventually get back to the United States. But Cardenas isn't that worried about the enduring connection to one of his most regrettable moments. We are real close. Currently, he is a correctional officer at Kern Valley State Prison in Delano, California. Jim White and his wife Cheryl have three daughters. First:; I want to say that I loved the poem Jose wrote. The opening sequences of the film are fictional. His journey from McFarland was pushed by his love for writing. You see I was in the same boat as I was growing up in Salinas Ca. Goes Out newsletter, with the week's best events, to help you explore and experience our city. See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Directed by . In truth, David Diaz had graduated the year before the team won the state championship. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? Mr. Cardenas, chin up! The ethnicity of Whites athletes surprises their competitors but, once the efficiently paced story starts rolling, there are no big surprises in McFarland, USA. Its a feel-good movie, plain and simple. No stupid Mexicans. You didnt like your race performance. Our kids are so excited about his appearance.. Eventually, his love for the water led to the Army. This movie is based on the remarkable McFarland High School Cross-Country Team which, until it was recently forced to compete against much larger schools, dominated its division in the sport state-wide for more than 20 years. McFarland won a state-record of nine championships with Jim White as coach. Learning from the film McFarland USA: As a leader, make a difference in He then worked at an institution in Soledad, California, followed by a job at the Substance Abuse Treatment Facility in Corcoran, California.

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