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| In His Parents’ Very Fast Footsteps | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| MISSOURI CITY, Tex. — In a neighborhood park, Cameron Burrell performed a series of bounding drills as a team of youth basketball players arrived for a hill-climbing workout. | MISSOURI CITY, Tex. — In a neighborhood park, Cameron Burrell performed a series of bounding drills as a team of youth basketball players arrived for a hill-climbing workout. |
| “Is he the fastest kid in America?” one of the players asked. | “Is he the fastest kid in America?” one of the players asked. |
| After a slight hesitation, a man in sunglasses and a visor replied, “That’s what they say.” | After a slight hesitation, a man in sunglasses and a visor replied, “That’s what they say.” |
| The man was reluctant to call attention to himself. Asked his name by the basketball team’s coach, he said simply, “Leroy.” | The man was reluctant to call attention to himself. Asked his name by the basketball team’s coach, he said simply, “Leroy.” |
| Eventually, it emerged that this was Leroy Burrell, Cameron’s father and formerly the world’s fastest man, a gold medalist in the 4x100-meter relay at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, and the longtime track and field coach at the University of Houston. | Eventually, it emerged that this was Leroy Burrell, Cameron’s father and formerly the world’s fastest man, a gold medalist in the 4x100-meter relay at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, and the longtime track and field coach at the University of Houston. |
| On Saturday, Cameron Burrell will run 100 meters against other top high school sprinters at the New York Grand Prix on Randalls Island, where his father set a world record of 9.90 seconds in 1991 (later lowering the mark to 9.85 in 1994 in Lausanne, Switzerland). Beginning in the fall, Cameron will compete for Houston, setting up an intriguing and complex dynamic between coach and athlete, father and son. | On Saturday, Cameron Burrell will run 100 meters against other top high school sprinters at the New York Grand Prix on Randalls Island, where his father set a world record of 9.90 seconds in 1991 (later lowering the mark to 9.85 in 1994 in Lausanne, Switzerland). Beginning in the fall, Cameron will compete for Houston, setting up an intriguing and complex dynamic between coach and athlete, father and son. |
| “If we get it right, it will be a great story,” Leroy Burrell, 46, said. “But there’s also going to be some pressure.” | “If we get it right, it will be a great story,” Leroy Burrell, 46, said. “But there’s also going to be some pressure.” |
| The Burrells are the first family of sprinting in the United States and possess rare versatility as sprinters and jumpers. Cameron, 18, a senior at Ridge Point High School southwest of Houston, has run the nation’s top scholastic time this season in the 100, a wind-aided 10.07 seconds at the Texas Relays. His personal best with a legal wind, 10.36 seconds, ranks fourth nationally and gave him first place this month in Class 4A at the Texas state high school championships. | The Burrells are the first family of sprinting in the United States and possess rare versatility as sprinters and jumpers. Cameron, 18, a senior at Ridge Point High School southwest of Houston, has run the nation’s top scholastic time this season in the 100, a wind-aided 10.07 seconds at the Texas Relays. His personal best with a legal wind, 10.36 seconds, ranks fourth nationally and gave him first place this month in Class 4A at the Texas state high school championships. |
| In the state meet, Burrell also finished second in the long jump. His personal best is 24 feet 11 ½ inches, making him one of the top jumpers in his age group. | |
| His mother, Michelle Finn-Burrell, won a gold medal for running the heats in the women’s 4x100-meter relay at the Barcelona Games. His aunt, Dawn Burrell, competed in the long jump at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and his father jumped 27-5 ½ while at Houston, a distance that gave him second place at the 1989 N.C.A.A. outdoor championships and would have won the 2012 London Olympics. | |
| At 5 feet 8 inches, 155 pounds, Cameron resembles his mother as a sprinter, relying more on leg turnover than the propulsive power of his stockier father. When Cameron was 12 or 13, he asked his aunt Dawn if she thought he could one day make it to the Olympics. She ticked off the family’s accomplishments and said, “I think you have a pretty good chance.” | At 5 feet 8 inches, 155 pounds, Cameron resembles his mother as a sprinter, relying more on leg turnover than the propulsive power of his stockier father. When Cameron was 12 or 13, he asked his aunt Dawn if she thought he could one day make it to the Olympics. She ticked off the family’s accomplishments and said, “I think you have a pretty good chance.” |
| None other than Carl Lewis, a friend and former teammate of his father with the famed Santa Monica Track Club, has sent the family exhorting text messages about the 2016 Olympics, saying, “Rio or bust.” | None other than Carl Lewis, a friend and former teammate of his father with the famed Santa Monica Track Club, has sent the family exhorting text messages about the 2016 Olympics, saying, “Rio or bust.” |
| And yet, Leroy Burrell understands more than most the unforgiving and Darwinian nature of track and field. He broke his own world record in the 100 at the 1991 world championships in Tokyo, only to be beaten by Lewis. A year later, Burrell flinched in the starting blocks in the Olympic 100 final in Barcelona, drew a false start, and finished fifth to Linford Christie of Britain after a cautious restart. | And yet, Leroy Burrell understands more than most the unforgiving and Darwinian nature of track and field. He broke his own world record in the 100 at the 1991 world championships in Tokyo, only to be beaten by Lewis. A year later, Burrell flinched in the starting blocks in the Olympic 100 final in Barcelona, drew a false start, and finished fifth to Linford Christie of Britain after a cautious restart. |
| When Cameron decided to drop football after his sophomore season and concentrate on track, his father cautioned him to think twice. In track, the Olympics are considered the only real measurement of success, and they occur once every four years. Only three spots are available per country for each event. An entire career can be made or broken in 10 seconds. | When Cameron decided to drop football after his sophomore season and concentrate on track, his father cautioned him to think twice. In track, the Olympics are considered the only real measurement of success, and they occur once every four years. Only three spots are available per country for each event. An entire career can be made or broken in 10 seconds. |
| In the United States, anyway, a silver medal is seldom celebrated but instead considered a lost opportunity at gold. And for the moment, the Jamaicans Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake dominate the sprints, finishing one-two in the 100 and the 200 at the London Games. Bolt has lowered the world record in the 100 to a startling 9.58, a time that would defeat Leroy Burrell’s best effort by three yards. | In the United States, anyway, a silver medal is seldom celebrated but instead considered a lost opportunity at gold. And for the moment, the Jamaicans Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake dominate the sprints, finishing one-two in the 100 and the 200 at the London Games. Bolt has lowered the world record in the 100 to a startling 9.58, a time that would defeat Leroy Burrell’s best effort by three yards. |
| “I think I mentioned that track can be a cruel sport,” Leroy Burrell said. “You can be really good and not get the recognition or the opportunities. And financially, it’s not as lucrative as other sports. It’s tough because the determination of whether you are successful or not is so concentrated into a short period of time.” | “I think I mentioned that track can be a cruel sport,” Leroy Burrell said. “You can be really good and not get the recognition or the opportunities. And financially, it’s not as lucrative as other sports. It’s tough because the determination of whether you are successful or not is so concentrated into a short period of time.” |
| In the end, Cameron Burrell stuck with his decision. | In the end, Cameron Burrell stuck with his decision. |
| “I think I’m up to the challenge,” he said. “Football was a popular sport, but it wasn’t my thing. Track, I thought, was what I was best at. It is fun. I like performing under pressure. And from a scientific standpoint, I think pushing the human limits is awesome. I like to see how fast, how far, humans can really go.” | “I think I’m up to the challenge,” he said. “Football was a popular sport, but it wasn’t my thing. Track, I thought, was what I was best at. It is fun. I like performing under pressure. And from a scientific standpoint, I think pushing the human limits is awesome. I like to see how fast, how far, humans can really go.” |
| In 1985, Leroy Burrell delivered one of the most celebrated performances in high school track and field. Single-handedly, he won the Pennsylvania Class 3A state championship for Penn Wood High School in suburban Philadelphia, winning the 100, the 200, the long jump and the triple jump. A generation later, his son has surpassed his high school bests: 10.36 to 10.43 in the 100; 21.17 to 21.81 in the 200; and 24-11 ½ to 24-2 ½ in the long jump. | |
| So far, Cameron does not seem burdened by being measured against his father’s success and has performed at his best in the biggest meets, eager to watch video and study biomechanics, his high school coach, Aaron Macik, said. | So far, Cameron does not seem burdened by being measured against his father’s success and has performed at his best in the biggest meets, eager to watch video and study biomechanics, his high school coach, Aaron Macik, said. |
| “He’s just doing his best and not putting high expectations on himself,” Macik said. “Aside from genes, he’s got a great work ethic. Very professional. He doesn’t just run. He learns.” | “He’s just doing his best and not putting high expectations on himself,” Macik said. “Aside from genes, he’s got a great work ethic. Very professional. He doesn’t just run. He learns.” |
| It was not a given that Cameron would be coached by his father in college. His parents insisted that he take the maximum number of recruiting visits, saying he should make his own choice of schools. He settled on Houston for the business courses, the nearness to his family, the seemingly easiest transition to college. And, of course, he knows the coach and what he expects from his athletes. | It was not a given that Cameron would be coached by his father in college. His parents insisted that he take the maximum number of recruiting visits, saying he should make his own choice of schools. He settled on Houston for the business courses, the nearness to his family, the seemingly easiest transition to college. And, of course, he knows the coach and what he expects from his athletes. |
| “Not every coach is a former world-record holder,” Cameron Burrell said. “Coaches can tell you anything they want in track and field, but not all of them can tell you what it feels like to be on the line and to cross the line faster than anybody else in the world.” | “Not every coach is a former world-record holder,” Cameron Burrell said. “Coaches can tell you anything they want in track and field, but not all of them can tell you what it feels like to be on the line and to cross the line faster than anybody else in the world.” |
| His mother said the family had never displayed its Olympic gold medals, keeping them in a bank safe deposit box most of the time. Cameron believes he has seen them, but is not certain. And while he has watched some of their races on video, his parents have been measured in what they have said about their own lofty performances. | His mother said the family had never displayed its Olympic gold medals, keeping them in a bank safe deposit box most of the time. Cameron believes he has seen them, but is not certain. And while he has watched some of their races on video, his parents have been measured in what they have said about their own lofty performances. |
| “I don’t know if that was a subconscious attempt not to put pressure on him,” Finn-Burrell said. She added: “We never set out to raise Olympic athletes. That was never the goal.” | “I don’t know if that was a subconscious attempt not to put pressure on him,” Finn-Burrell said. She added: “We never set out to raise Olympic athletes. That was never the goal.” |
| In what appears to be a healthy approach, the family speaks candidly about the challenges of having the former world’s fastest man coach his son in sprinting and jumping. Cameron’s best approach, Leroy Burrell suggested, is not to try to minimize the pressure but to acknowledge it. | In what appears to be a healthy approach, the family speaks candidly about the challenges of having the former world’s fastest man coach his son in sprinting and jumping. Cameron’s best approach, Leroy Burrell suggested, is not to try to minimize the pressure but to acknowledge it. |
| “Sometimes the expectations will be unfair,” Leroy Burrell said. “Sometimes people will scrutinize him more. You have to learn to live with it. That’s the price of your name.” | “Sometimes the expectations will be unfair,” Leroy Burrell said. “Sometimes people will scrutinize him more. You have to learn to live with it. That’s the price of your name.” |
| There have been a couple of tense moments, Leroy said, where Cameron told him, “I’m not you,” and the two nearly agreed that their most suitable relationship was as father and son, not coach and athlete. | There have been a couple of tense moments, Leroy said, where Cameron told him, “I’m not you,” and the two nearly agreed that their most suitable relationship was as father and son, not coach and athlete. |
| At the 2012 Texas state meet, Cameron won the 100 and finished third in the 200 but did not win a medal in the long jump. After the family returned home, Leroy Burrell said he watched video with his son and kept pointing out his flawed jumping technique. Upset, Cameron left the room. | At the 2012 Texas state meet, Cameron won the 100 and finished third in the 200 but did not win a medal in the long jump. After the family returned home, Leroy Burrell said he watched video with his son and kept pointing out his flawed jumping technique. Upset, Cameron left the room. |
| “You know, he did just win the 100,” Finn-Burrell told her husband. | “You know, he did just win the 100,” Finn-Burrell told her husband. |
| Leroy Burrell said he wrote his son a note, apologizing, saying that he was sometimes too busy being a coach and not being just a dad. He was proud and should have been more sensitive, Leroy wrote. But he also said that he would always tell his son the truth and would not hesitate to point out the areas where Cameron needed to improve — relaxing in the final 40 meters of the 100, approaching the takeoff in the long jump. | |
| “I don’t get too emotional about it, maybe for the moment,” Leroy Burrell said. “Right after, I start thinking, ‘Where can you get better? What was good? What was bad?’ That’s what coaches do. Sometimes, when you are a parent, you’ve got to relish and dive into the euphoria. I have to learn to do a better job of that.” | “I don’t get too emotional about it, maybe for the moment,” Leroy Burrell said. “Right after, I start thinking, ‘Where can you get better? What was good? What was bad?’ That’s what coaches do. Sometimes, when you are a parent, you’ve got to relish and dive into the euphoria. I have to learn to do a better job of that.” |