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SEPTEMBER 2019 | MODERNWELLNESSGUIDE.COM

An Independent Supplement by Mediaplanet to USA Today

Eric LeGrand

The former Rutgers football star talks about how he’s inspiring others after his injury

How to Keep Scams From Being the Hottest Ticket This Season An amazing event might be the highlight of your year — unless your tickets are fake. Here’s how to protect yourself.

Last year, nearly 100 million people attended music concerts in the United States, with millions more heading out to sporting events. With concert ticket prices averaging $86 and sporting events ranging from $100$200 (including parking and food), these events are major purchases for most.

This makes getting scammed

with fake tickets particularly painful. Last year, about 12 percent of concert-goers reported being scammed, and scammers sell more than 5 million fake tickets each year through online brokers.

Protecting yourself from online ticket scams starts before you click the “buy” button. If you want your next big event to end with cheers instead of tears, there are some simple steps you can take: Don’t be blinded by deals.

Scammers know you desperately

want to be there and they take advantage of that. Be suspicious of too-good-to-be-true deals.

Start with the official box office. Many people go straight to online brokers or Craigslist, but the safest way to buy a ticket is still the venue’s official box office.

Use a credit card. If your credit card has a rewards program, check to see if there’s a special block of tickets available through it. Even if there isn’t, buying with a credit card gives you extra financial protections in case you do get scammed.

Avoid unofficial sites. Craigslist is always flooded with people selling tickets, but there’s simply no way to know if they’re legitimate or not. Sticking with an official reseller like Stubhub or SeatGeek at least gives you clear policies on refunds and some basic protections.

Don’t let fake tickets ruin your night before you even sit down. Ensuring you get the experience you pay for begins with being smart about fake tickets. n Jeff Somers

Publisher Dalila Radoncic Business Developer Joelle Hernandez Managing Director Luciana Olson Lead Designer Tiffany Pryor Designer Keziah Makoundou Lead Editor Mina Fanous Copy Editor Dustin Brennan Director of Sales Shannon Ruggiero Director of Business Development Jourdan Snyder Director of Product Faye Godfrey Content Strategist Vanessa Rodriguez Cover Photo Patrick McDermott All photos are credited to Getty Images unless otherwise specified. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve USA Today.

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Rams DL Sebastian Joseph-Day Thanks the Fans A former Rutgers Scarlet Knight, nose tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day was selected by the L.A. Rams in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Here, he shares what playing in front of passionate, dedicated fans means to him, and explains the hard work that goes on behind the scenes to play on Sundays.

With years of hard work and dedication, what is your favorite part about being such an inspiring athlete and role model in this space?

I think my favorite part about it, honestly, is the grind. Every

day you really get out what you put in. I think that goes hand-inhand with life. If you work hard in life, good things happen to you and that’s how I feel about this sport. It inspires me and really keeps me going.

What do your fans mean to you? How does it make you feel knowing you have so many fans/ people that are inspired and motivated from your work?

It’s such a blessing and crazy to believe I have fans. It’s awesome, the position that I’m in, because I get to influence so many people

PHOTO: COURTESY OF LOS ANGELES RAMS

Raising awareness is so essential as people often neglect the hardships that come with being a dedicated and active athlete.

Is there something you’d like to change, or wish to see as people continue to celebrate their ongoing love for the game?

in a positive sense. One thing I’m always trying to do is influence kids in a positive way.

What piece of advice or inspiration would you give to young fans who are looking to become successful in similar roles?

That you’re going to fail and it’s OK to fail. It’s going to be hard, but it’s all part of the process.

As long as you stay committed and continue to work hard, keep your nose down and do all the right things, it will work out for you.

I feel like with any job that’s the case. A lot of people don’t really know about what happens behind the scenes and all the work that comes with the job, especially with sports and athletics since it’s such a private thing. It really is everything you put in, you get out.

Just maybe try to inform our fans a little more and inform the people how hard us athletes really do work. Putting in the hours, the dedication, hard work, the blood, sweat, all the things they don’t see on Sundays when we are out there playing.

If there’s one thing I could change, I’d probably change that. Besides that, I don’t think we need credit for playing football because at the end of the day, that’s what we love to do and signed up for.

This is obviously more than just football, this is about the continuous love and support we create when coming together to celebrate our favorite teams and players. That said, what message do you want to continue to voice to American sports fans everywhere?

I just want to say thank you to all the fans, because without you, there is no us, we go handin-hand. Thank you for your dedication, love, and support.

I’m going to continue to do my best to make you happy, and be the best athlete and person I can be. n MEDIAPLANET • 3

For Rashad Jennings, Playing on Sundays Was Always a Rush Rashad Jennings’ story is wellknown to anyone who’s ever watched an NFL football game or ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.”

An overweight fifth-stringer on his high school football team with a 0.6 GPA, Jennings caught the eye of a scout when he finally got his chance to play. He was also told to get his grades up if he wanted to be a pro player.

To say he took that advice to heart is an understatement.

Jennings changed schools, applied himself, discovered a love of learning, and eventually became a star player in the NFL, playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, and New York Giants.

Not satisfied to rest on his NFL achievements, he was a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars” in 2017, winning the Mirror Ball Trophy. He published his inspirational book “The IF in Life: How to Get Off Life’s Sidelines and Become

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Your Best Self ” last year and became a certified best-seller.

Hard work Jennings doesn’t see his unbroken string of success as anything but the results of hard work, and he pushes back on notions that some people are simply born with special gifts.

“There’s nothing special about me,” he said. “Success is the fire drawn from your own flame. Without a love and dedication for hard work, I wouldn’t

have gotten to where I am today.”

As a professional athlete, Jennings knows that the drive to win can sometimes take over, but stresses that enjoying what you’re doing is more important, something he thinks gets lost when people take sports too seriously.

“For American sports fans — it’s just a game my friends!” he laughed. “To play the game of football means we’re having fun doing what we love.”n Jeff Somers

Eric LeGrand’s life changed in 2010 when he sustained a spinal cord injury that paralyzed him from the neck down. But the former Rutgers University football star isn’t letting his injury hold him back.

eGrand was hurt during a fourth quarter play of a Rutgers-Army game at MetLife Stadium.

Because of the resulting spinal cord injury at his C3 and C4 vertebrae, the former defensive tackle can’t walk and gets around in a motorized wheelchair. Even still, he’s focused on believing in the possibility of walking again and, along the way, inspiring others, too.

“Why can’t you go out there and do what you want to do?” he asked. “That’s my whole message. Overcome adversity.”

Believing The 29-year-old travels the country as a motivational speaker. His book “Believe: My Faith and the Tackle That Changed My Life” inspires readers to believe in themselves too.

LeGrand, who has also served as a sports analyst for ESPN, Sirius, the Big Ten Network, and Rutgers Radio, decided to become a motivational speaker because he knew he had a story to tell and loves being around people.

He credits his support system, including his mother, family members, friends, and former teammates, with helping him stay positive.

“The more people have seen my story, the more people have supported me. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them,” he said.

Giving back He launched his Team LeGrand foundation in September 2013 to help others living with spinal cord injuries and their families by supporting quality of life initiatives and emerging therapies, all with the goal of finding a cure for spinal cord injuries.

His foundation, which is a fundraising arm for the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, has already raised over $1 million. Team LeGrand holds annual events that include flag football and cornhole competitions.

On a personal front, LeGrand has regained movement in his shoulders and some sensation throughout his body. He

continues to undergo rigorous physical therapy and has a never-quit attitude.

“I have so many looking to me to be an inspiration, I have to do this for them,” he said. “Not only for myself, but there’s a bigger cause to this whole thing.”

Blessed LeGrand enjoys connecting with his fans, especially those on social media, who are very supportive.

“I can’t let them down,” he said. “On tough days, I think about people who are in similar situations to the one I’m in.

That don’t have the same platform I have, they aren’t able to share their stories like I am.” Next, he’s determined to get back on his feet.

“I want to walk again, and I want to raise as much money and awareness as I can for the spinal cord injury world and my foundation to give people hope that, one day, they can walk again as well.”n Kristen Castillo MEDIAPLANET • 5

PHOTO: JEFFREY AUGER

Former College Football Star Eric LeGrand Is Committed to Overcoming Adversity

PHOTO: RACHEL MOSELEY

How You Can Be the Neighborhood Grill Master This Football Season

Football season is finally here, and you may not realize it, but you’ve been training your grill game all summer for this moment.

Memorial Day burgers set you up to be the new neighborhood grill master since “Bob” retired to Florida over the winter.

Fourth of July you break out

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the good hotdogs, all beef of course, and you begin thinking you should be on one of those grilling shows you’ve seen on the Food Network.

But now it’s September and you’re ready for football season. Here are a few tips to help you continue your reign as the neighborhood grill master:

Quality products It took several years before I could convince my wife to stop looking at the price tag and begin looking at the meat we were purchasing. She still looks at prices, but now also focuses on the quality of the product, knowing it makes a difference in the end.

Gently season Seasoning is key to just about any item on the grill, even hotdogs (split them and be imaginative). The mistake is made when a heavy hand is used when seasoning, masking the natural flavors of the cut of meat you’re preparing.

Timing is key If your grill is at around 550600 degrees, then you can cook your one-inch-thin ribeye for about 3 minutes each side for a beautiful medium doneness.

However, there’s a saying in the grilling world: “You cook to temperature, not time.”

With the summer grilling you’ve done, along with these few tips, your guests won’t just be cheering their favorite team, they’ll be singing the praises of the neighborhood grill master — you. n Vic Clevenger, Founder, Chimney Cartel; Board Member, National Barbecue and Grilling Association (NBBQA)

These Pros Help Keep Our Favorite Athletes on the Field As the sporting world realizes what skilled athletic trainers (ATs) bring to the table, the profession is expanding.

We spoke to four senior AT majors from Erskine College in South Carolina about the future of the industry.

Levi Almond

Haley Erickson

Noah Reisig

McKenzie Wilson

How did you choose your area of study?

Haley Erickson: I danced competitively for 14 years and suffered numerous dance-related injuries.

My interest in the prevention and treatment of athletic injuries peaked when I had knee surgery at the beginning of my senior year of high school.

job would be working in the collegiate setting with my own team, as well as possibly working in the clinical setting with youth athletes.

in a clinic waiting for patients to come.

Mc Ke n z i e Wi l s o n : Becoming an AT in a high school setting would be my dream job. At first I thought I wanted to work in a clinical setting, but then I realized there isn’t much excitement

LA: I believe this industry is skyrocketing in popularity because of the increase of athletics. There are many jobs becoming available for knowledgeable athletic trainers.

Levi Almond: I chose this field of study because of my love for sports, and because I wanted to help athletes recover from injury and stay healthy. As an athlete who has dealt with many different injuries, I have grown fond of being able to help athletes.

What is your dream job post-graduation?

Noah Reisig: My dream

What do you think the future looks like in your industry?

HE: The demand for athletic trainers in the workforce continues to increase as recreational and professional athletic organizations recognize the vital role we provide to the primary care and rehabilitation medical services.

NR: We know the industry is moving toward a master’s-level requirement. I believe this increase in education will cause athletic trainers to be more specialized in their field, as well as more knowledgeable.

MW: The future of athletic training, in my opinion, is a growing and improving profession.

Though athletic training is a male-dominated profession, more women are now entering the field, which is very reassuring.n

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Erskine offers multiple paths to an MSAT degree. If you hold a bachelor’s degree, you can complete the MSAT in two years. If you do not, you can earn a bachelor’s and a master’s in six years—or take Erskine’s 3+2 fast track, which allows you to earn both in five years.

Get the Erskine Edge and Apply Today! apply.erskine.edu Disclaimer: This program is pending approval by SACSCOC. This program is currently in development; program specifics may change in accordance with accreditation requirements.

MEDIAPLANET • 7