Time and time again he watched his stepson, who was overmatched, getting beat on the basketball court in the Anna Grade School Gym.

Growing tired, Ed Buerger decided to physically drag him off the court to take the youngster home because he knew his stepson would not quit until he beat his bigger opponent. No, I can beat him, I can beat him his stepson shouted as he was led off the court.

His stepson may have lost on the court that day, but at that very moment, Buerger knew the boy had a desire and a will to win.

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Now, 23 years old, that same desire has earned Saluki high jumper Cameron Wright a spot on the Olympic Team Trials June 21 in Atlanta.

Buerger said he is overjoyed about his stepson’s achievements.

As a student-athlete, Cameron is an achiever because of his work ethic, he said. Cameron is an achiever because of his hard work ethic and his desire to be the best all the time.

While not surprised at Wright’s feat, Buerger said his trip to Atlanta is nothing short of amazing.

Just the opportunity to try out for the Olympics is a real honor, he said. When you look at all the athletes competing, it underscores Cameron’s desire to be an achiever.

At SIUC, Wright’s hard work earned him both All-American honors and Missouri Valley Conference all-team honors in track and field, most notably in the high jump.

Now, his work ethic has provided him an opportunity few athletes get the opportunity to compete for one’s country.

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I’ve got a good chance, and I’m going to make the team, he said. I’m not going there for the fun of it, and I’m not going for the experience. I’m going to make the team and if I don’t make it, I’ll try again in 2000.

Wright’s mother, Janice Buerger, said she and husband Ed are planning to attend the trials in June. She said she is very optimistic about her son’s chances of making the Olympic team, but will take each step one at a time.

We’re really excited, but we’re going to take things day-by- day for now, she said. I believe he has a very strong chance at the trials because Cameron is a very self-disciplined person. He’s always been the type of kid that if you put a carrot out in front of him, he’ll go after it.

SIUC men’s track and field coach Bill Cornell also said Wright has a good chance at making the team because competition in the high-jump has dropped off somewhat in recent years.

He’s got an excellent chance because the high jumps appear to be down in the country, Cornell said. At last year’s NCAA Championships the best jump was 7-4 1/2. Cameron’s best is 7-5 1/4 and we’ve seen jumps where he been up to 7-6 to 7-7 range.

As for competition, Ed Buerger said it only makes Wright’s appetite for success even more insatiable.

Competition just challenges him, Buerger said. If someone is telling him he can’t do something, that’s when I know he is going to do it.

Cornell said Wright has a natural talent, along with a great desire to do well, and is eager to show that talent to everybody.

He said Wright really wants to win the Indoor National Championships very badly and then turn his concentration toward the trials.

I’m thinking about the NCAA Championships right now, and that’s the most important thing to me Wright said. Once the championships are over, I’ll concentrate on the trials.

Wright said he hopes to use the championships as a stepping stone toward the trials. He said if he doesn’t do well there, he will simply regroup and begin his plan of attack on the trials.

Many athletes attribute their success toward a coach, a parent or a professional athlete. However, Wright attributes his success to a much higher power.

The Lord Jesus Christ has helped me in everything I’ve done, Wright said. He gives me strength whenever I’m down, and that has been 100 percent of all of it.

Oh yeah, mom has played a big part in his career too, he said.