14: The Unseen Burdens of College Sports: How Modern Pressures Crush Today's Athletes

Today’s college athletes are navigating a storm of pressures that previous generations never had to face, and it's costing lives.In this powerful and urgent episode of Five with Fry, Dr. Jen Fry takes a hard look at the mental health crisis devastating college athletics, sparked by the heartbreaking death by suicide of LSU football player Kyren Lacy. It’s a wake-up call we can’t afford to ignore.Athletes aren’t just competing on the field anymore. They’re performing under a microscope. Every play is dissected by millions online. NIL deals turn teens into business brands overnight. Sports betting adds a dangerous twist, with athletes receiving threats from people who lose money on their games. And all of this is happening while they're still trying to balance classes, practices, and the expectations of coaches, fans, and families.Telling athletes to “be grateful” misses the point. This is a new game with new rules, and most universities haven’t caught up. Mental health support remains woefully underfunded, even as the demands grow exponentially.Jen makes it clear: sports psychology isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity. This episode challenges all of us to rethink how we support athletes, stop comparing them to "back in the day," and start advocating for the resources they actually need to survive and thrive.