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Faith, Fitness and Football

Bre Grignano '09

Faith, Fitness and Football

By: Livia Ungurean

Alumna Bre Grignano working at the Philadelphia Eagles game.

Who says you only need to pursue one dream at a time? Messiah alumna, Bre Grignano ’09, pursues her many passions with her background in sports and exercise science (now health and exercise science). Grignano works as a full-time director at Power Train and Sports Fitness, a game-day media relations assistant to the Philadelphia Eagles, and a sponsorshipAlumna at NFL draft day coordinator for radio show Faith on the Field.

During her time at Messiah, Grignano found that many of her classes helped her in the career field. She distinctly remembers being challenged to pursue her love for sports and faith in classes such as Sports and Society and others that combined exercise and fitness, sports and helping people in need.

After graduation, Grignano took her education to the next level and combined it with her passion for sports and wellness. She first moved to New York City to manage corporate wellness for Bank of America. During her time in the city, Grignano connected with sports professionals on LinkedIn, and landed an exciting, part-time position on game days for the New York Jets and the New York Knicks.

“I did a lot to get to where I am now,” she said. “Never underestimate the power of networking—you never know who someone may be,” she adds. Grignano says LinkedIn has become an essential part of her career, connecting her with people who are in the industry, and she advises students to do the same.

Bre Grignano and Power TrainAfter a few years in New York City, Grignano found her way back home to Pennsylvania. She became the director of Power Train Sports and Fitness in York county. “What I studied in school directly applies to what I am doing now,” she says.

In school, she grasped foundational knowledge of sports management and the anatomy and physiology of exercise, especially from her sports performance lab with professor of health and exercise science, Scott Keiffer.  She soon learned a variety of ways to translate her passion into a career through her senior seminar class with professor of health and exercise science, Doug Miller.  She uses her education to manage Power Train which is a sports performance facility, and is able to directly utilize her exercise science degree to train athletes and clients, all while promoting the brand of the company.

With her past experiences helping run game days in the NFL, Grignano also transitioned into a part-time role as a game-day media assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles. On game day, she is responsible for helping the Public Relations staff assist the media in the press box. Grignano works each home game, running stats to the visiting owner’s booth. She then attends each press conference with the visiting team after the game, recording and transcribing what the coaches and players say, and distributing the quotes to the media.

Bre Grignano with Faith on the Field

 

FUN FACT: “I am obsessed with rocket science. I will spend hours watching documentaries and the science behind aerodynamics

 

As she became more comfortable with her career path, Grignano wanted to challenge herself to apply her interests and knowledge for the greater good of God’s kingdom. Through networking, she came across Faith on the Field, a Monday night radio show (on 610 Sports ESPN Radio) about the impact of faith on the sports world. The show features interviews with prominent Christian athletes—some of the biggest in the game—including Carson Wentz, Trey Burton, Stefen Wisniewski and more. Her role plays a major part in seeking out sponsorships and partnerships with organizations in the Philadelphia area and creating and supporting live player events. With Faith on the Field, “I get to help other people using my faith and passion for sports to make a difference.”

“I want to change the NFL,” Grignano says. “I want the players to be involved in service, for there to be positive changes. I love football and want to make positive steps and better changes in this league. And finding those key players is our mission” She’s found a new vision for her life and continues to challenge herself to pursue the will of God in her daily work.