Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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4 AUGUST 2019 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED A s a typical 20-something college student at Or- egon State University 21 years ago, Brenda Tracy never could've imagined that one tragic night would change the course of her life when she was sexually as- saulted by four men, two who were members of the school's football team. That duo's punishment when the allegations were made and the police report filed? A one-game suspen- sion. Despite forever carrying the memories of that night and the injustice that fol- lowed, Tracy doesn't bring any bitterness during her presentations to student-ath- letes around the country when she shares this assault story from two decades ago. Instead, she brings hope. Tracy, now a 45-year-old registered nurse, survivor, activist, parent and grandparent, visited Notre Dame July 8 for a presentation and conver- sation with the Irish football players to discuss how their influence could deliver a positive message of giving more and taking less to a campus and a community. Notre Dame was the latest of about 80 college and countless high school football programs that Tracy has shared her story with since her tour began in the summer of 2015. "We are placing this entitlement on these athletes, and that can go very wrong if left unchecked," Tracy explained. "So we need to think about what we are really doing. I ask my guys all the time, 'People think you're a hero but are you?' Just be- cause you can run fast, how does that make you a hero?" As the founder of Set the Expecta- tion — a non-profit that seeks to start and hold the conversation about sex- ual abuse — Tracy is leading a charge to change a culture among young male athletes that practically encour- ages sexual assault and sometimes celebrates these abuses as conquests. "For me," Tracy said, "this is about not just talking about men as a prob- lem, but engaging men as a solution also, which is really at the heart of what I do with these young men." At the core of her presentation, Tracy challenged the Irish players to make a difference by setting a good example on campus and beyond. She explained to them that one in five women will experience a sexual as- sault while in college, as will one in 16 young men. Other talking points included: domestic violence, depres- sion, suicide and turning a blind eye. Like nearly every other school in the country, Notre Dame deals with each of these issues, though often under harsher scrutiny than most. Notre Dame made national news in 2010 when the story of Lizzy See- berg was made public. Seeberg, a freshman at nearby Saint Mary's College, reported to Notre Dame campus police that she had been sexually assaulted by an Irish football player. Already trauma- tized, Seeberg said she also received a series of threatening text messages from a friend of the accused player demanding her to stay quiet, one of those saying, "messing with Notre Dame football is a bad idea." Nine days passed before ND cam- pus police caught up with the ac- cused player for an interview, no charges were ever filed, the player never missed a game, and Seeberg committed suicide on Sept. 10, 2010, less than two weeks after her alleged attack. She was 19 years old. "We have to talk about real topics and real subjects," Tracy said. Describing herself as "raw" and "unedited" and "graphic" during her presentations, Tracy worried about how well her unfiltered delivery would fit at a faith-based university. When asked about her concerns, Irish head coach Brian Kelly put those to rest almost immediately. "Do your thing. They need to hear it. It's real life," is how Tracy recalls the freedom and feedback Kelly gave to her. "I really appreciated that and the guys responded well," she added. "It's really quite incredible when you actually sit down with these young men and talk to them." Tracy focuses her visits on foot- ball programs because the players fit her tragic story, and the ripple effect this influential group of guys might spread can't be underestimated. "If I get those 100 guys on that football team signed on, and get them active, then who knows what can happen from there?" Tracy said of having the players carry her torch after her presentation. ✦ A Message Everyone Should Hear UPON FURTHER REVIEW TODD D. BURLAGE Todd D. Burlage has been a writer for Blue & Gold Illustrated since July 2005. He can be reached at tburlage@blueandgold.com Brenda Tracy (fifth from the left in the second row), a sexual assault survivor and activist, spoke to the Notre Dame football team July 8 and shared a powerful message. PHOTO COURTESY BRENDA TRACY