CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) – The NCAA is now allowing athletes to use their name, image, and likeness to partner and promote with brands.
UVA Wrestler Jarod Verkleeren is one of 14 athletes partnered with Dexcom, a diabetes technology company, for its first NIL program. The new program is aimed towards motivating athletes who have diabetes.
“The whole goal is to inspire Type 1 diabetics or anyone who’s gone through adversity,” Jarod said.
A survey conducted by Dexcom says that one in five athletes who are diagnosed with diabetes end up quitting their sports.
“Dexcom just released a post the other day that said it was around 50% that kind of are hesitant about continuing with their sport. It can give them hope, you know, and that’s the biggest thing,” Jarod said.
Despite being an athlete with Type 1 Diabetes, Jarod does not see it as a weakness, but as a way to be better.
“I think, you know, in some of my bigger matches my blood sugar, whether it be nerves or just I struggled to manage it and I lost the match, you can ever come off the mat and blame Type 1 Diabetes, but just learning from that and trying to figure out what you can do better for the next time I think is the biggest thing, Jarod said.
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