Hear me out, college sports is not all it is cracked up to be. Although it is a huge accomplishment to get to this space, there is no shame in speaking up about the ugly side of things. There are so many truths that are covered up and put away from the light because it is not glorious and pretty. There is no excuse for things that some/most/all college athletes experience, things that have hurt them deeper than people will ever know. The college athletics system is failing. Athletes, former and current, I encourage you to speak up and join the journey of making change for the generations to come. I hope to be a part of the group that puts a stop to the toxic curse of college sports. Unfortunately, most of us in the group making change are the ones who have or will bear the brunt of how bad college athletics can be, but we have the strength to push forward. This is a huge part of peoples’ lives, and we cannot afford to set them back. Speaking up is the first step.