Kevin Costner played coach and father figure Jim White in the 2015 film McFarland, USA.
The film is based on the McFarland High School cross-country team in California’s Central Valley. Costner’s character, Jim White, arrives as a teacher and coach and gradually builds trust with students and their families while helping the team compete successfully.
The story emphasizes mentorship rather than biological parenthood. White becomes an important adult presence for the runners, but the athletes’ families and community remain central to the film’s account of their achievements.
McFarland, USA is based on real events, though it is a dramatized feature rather than a documentary. That distinction matters when comparing the movie’s character relationships and scenes with historical accounts of the team.