16
Almond Facts
MARCH | APRIL 2015
NEWS IN A NUTSHELL
"McFarland, U.S.A" Features
Blue
Diamond
Connections
In the Disney sports drama “McFarland, USA,” Kevin Costner portrays track coach Jim White, a newcomer to a
predominantly Latino high school located in the small farming community of McFarland, California, near Bakersfield. Based
on the true story of a 1987 cross-country team, the film follows White and his high school athletes as they run their way to a
state championship.
The town of McFarland is also home to many almond growers. Board member Clinton Shick and his wife Debbie reside
there, and so does the Diaz family, seven of whom participated on the high school cross country team over the years. In fact,
three of the boys are portrayed as characters in the movie, along with their parents. The oldest sibling, David Diaz, is a
Blue
Diamond
member!
The filmmakers
approached the
Shicks to see if
they could shoot
in their orchards.
“Three different
shots involving the
runners in almond
orchards were shot
on our property and
a couple scenes of
almond stockpiles
were shot at Central
Valley Almond
Association,” Clinton
Shick said.
Debbie Shick even
had a stand-in
role! According to
Clinton, she appears
early in the movie
as the White family
arrives in McFarland
and is driving around
looking for their new
home – she plays the
stand-in for Coach
White’s wife. The
other scene is of a
football game where
Debbie is part of the
crowd cheering for
the opposing team.
“The movie is really
well done and it was
fun to be a part of,”
he said.
