In the 1980s, a high school coach and his family move to McFarland, a predominantly Latino town in California's Central Valley, seeking a fresh start. The coach, who has a history of underachievement and conflict, takes a job at the local high school with little enthusiasm. Initially struggling to connect with his students and the community, he discovers that many of his students possess exceptional running ability. Inspired by their tenacity and the economic and social challenges they face, he proposes the formation of a cross-country team. Despite skepticism from the school and the boys' families, who depend on their labor in the agricultural fields, he begins to train a group of seven boys, instilling in them a sense of pride and purpose.

The narrative focuses on the development of the team and its impact on both the students and the coach. As the boys train and compete, they deal with personal and family pressures, including the demanding fieldwork that dominates their lives outside school. The coach, grappling with his own issues of identity and purpose, finds a renewed sense of passion and commitment. The story explores themes of perseverance, cultural understanding, and the power of sports to unite and transform. Through their journey, the coach and his team strive to overcome adversity, aiming to achieve the unthinkable in the world of high school cross-country running.