Award Criteria

Adopted: January 11, 2002
Last updated: July, 2021

Nominees for career awards will be checked for qualifications and voted on at the January Board meeting. Winners will be contacted and travel arrangements made by the national office. There may not be an honoree for each career award every year.

• Boyd Epley Award for Lifetime Achievement
• Alvin Roy Award for Career Achievement
• NSCA Impact Award

The National Strength and Conditioning Association’s (NSCA) Board of Directors deliberately and very carefully selects the recipients of the esteemed career awards. Selected honorees are presented with these awards at the July National Conference. Recipients are recognized for their honorable distinction and devotion to their work and service from one of the following categories:

• Coaching: Instructing the fundamentals to improve the performance of their athletes with safe and effective science-based programs
• Research: For exemplary research contributions and breakthroughs in the field of applied exercise and sport science
• Athletic Training: Making contributions that have significantly impacted the field of sports medicine or rehabilitation for athletes
• Personal Training: Recognized for excellence in service to the advancement of the personal training industry
• Nutrition: For breakthroughs and contributions in the field of nutritional research for athletes
• Education: For noteworthy contributions to teaching and clinical application in the field of strength and conditioning 

Boyd Epley Award for Lifetime Achievement 

The Boyd Epley Award honors individuals who exhibit historical impact, achievements, and dedication to the NSCA over the course of their career. The Board of Directors carefully deliberates to select the recipient of the Boyd Epley Award, as it is the most prestigious award a Member of the NSCA can receive. 

Alvin Roy helped establish strength and conditioning as an integral part of any training program. Roy was one of the first coaches to prove that lifting weights would improve both speed and power, and he helped debunk the myth that lifting weights made athletes slower. This esteemed award is given to an individual, 70 years of age or older, or posthumously, whose career achievements made a substantial impact on the scientific understanding, methodologies, or practice of resistance training as a component of sports conditioning. The NSCA Board of Directors carefully deliberates to select the recipient of this prestigious award.

The NSCA Impact Award is given to an individual who is mid-career or later that has made significant contributions that have impacted a segment of the overall field of strength and conditioning. The NSCA Board of Directors carefully deliberates to select the recipient of this prestigious award.

 

Peer Awards (formerly Annual Awards)

• Peer awards are available in each of the following categories:

Category	Description	Number of Awards
Vocational	Professional- or employment-related recognition	7
Research	Research recognition and impact to the NSCA	4
Service	Service to the NSCA	4
Editorial	Editorial excellence for the JSCR and SCJ	2
Education	Educational recognition and impact to the NSCA	1

• Professional members in good standing are asked to nominate candidates online. Nominees are sent a criteria sheet to fill out. NSCA headquarters then determines if the nominees qualify as professional members in good standing of the National Strength and Conditioning Association for a minimum of two consecutive years. Qualifying nominees are then evaluated using the criteria sheet to determine which three (3) candidates have generated the most points for the respective award.
• Generally, individuals who volunteer for leadership positions on the Committees, SIGs, and Task Forces that determine award winners are not eligible to be nominated for that respective NSCA award while serving in that leadership role. However, this rule can be superseded by the Board-approved Policies and Procedures for any given Committee, SIG, or Task Force.
• If a member of the committee is a colleague, graduate, or postdoc advisor or advisee, family member, or close collaborator of a nominee, then the member shall disclose this conflict to the remainder of the Committee and recuse himself or herself from service on the subcommittee of the award for which the individual is nominated and from voting for the finalists of that award should the individual be included, if applicable. Committee members may nominate applicants, but may not write supporting letters for nominees during their terms of service.

• 11 months out - nominations open
• 7 months out – nominations close and nominees are contacted to submit award requirements
• 5 months out – nominees are required to have all materials submitted and NSCA staff will evaluate that eligibility requirements have been met before submitting to the Committee, SIG, or Task Force.
• 4 months out – Committee, SIG, or Task Force should vote and decide the winner and will submit the winners name to the National Office.
• 3 months out – notifications to nominees will be sent by the National Office and press announcements will be coordinated. 

• Awards Presented at the January Coaches Conference
  • Vocational Awards
    • Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach
    • College Strength and Conditioning Coach
    • Assistant College Strength and Conditioning Coach

• Awards Presented at the Tactical Annual Conference
  • Vocational Award
    • Tactical Strength and Conditioning Coach
  • Tactical Strength and Conditioning Professional

• Awards Presented at the July National Conference
  • High School Strength and Conditioning Coach nominees will be sent to the Coaching Task Force to determine the winner
  • Sports Medicine/Rehabilitation Specialist nominees and criteria sheets will be sent to the Sports Medicine/Rehabilitation SIG Chair and the SIG Executive Council will determine the winner. In the event that there is no identified SIG leadership, nominees and criteria sheets will be sent to the Membership Committee Chair and the Membership Committee will determine the winner
  • Personal Trainer of the Year nominees and criteria sheets will be sent to the Personal Trainers Professional Development Group Chair  and the Executive Council will determine the winner. In the event that there is no identified leadership, nominees and criteria sheets will be sent to the Membership Committee Chair and the Membership Committee will determine the winner
  • William J. Kraemer Outstanding Sport Scientist, Terry J. Housh Outstanding Young Investigator, and Nutritional Research nominees will be sent to the Research Committee Chair to determine winners
  • State/Provincial Director nominees and criteria sheets will be sent to the State Directors Committee Chair to determine the winner
  • Educator of the Year nominees will be sent to the Education Committee Chair and the Education Committee will determine the winner
• Vocational Awards
  • High School Strength and Conditioning Coach
  • Sports Medicine/Rehabilitation Specialist
  • Personal Trainer
• Research Awards
  • William J. Kraemer Outstanding Sport Scientist
  • Terry J. Housh Outstanding Young Investigator
  • Nutritional Research
  • Student Research
• Service Awards
  • Outgoing President
  • Retiring Board of Directors
  • State/Provincial Director of the Year
• Editorial Awards
  • Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (JSCR) Editorial Excellence
  • Strength and Conditioning Journal (SCJ) Editorial Excellence
• Education Award
  • Educator of the Year Award

 

The Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year is awarded to a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with RSCC distinction, for their dedication to improving performance of athletes with safe and effective science based programs. Beyond holding their current CSCS certifications, nominees must be current members of the NSCA for two consecutive years and a Head Strength and Conditioning Coach of a professional sports team or Olympic team. 

The College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year award is given to a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) for their dedication to improving performance of athletes with safe and effective science based programs. Beyond holding their current CSCS certification, nominees must be current members of the NSCA for two consecutive years, and a Division I, II, III or NAIA Head/Director of Strength and Conditioning for at least three years. 

This award is given to a college or university Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach in recognition of their efforts on behalf of assistant coaches and dedication to the strength and conditioning profession. Nominees must be CSCS certified and hold an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach position for at least two years (beyond the internship / graduate assistant level). 

The Tactical Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year Award is awarded to the coach whose influence within his or her assigned tactical (military, law enforcement, fire and rescue) setting exceeds that of peers. Achieving this influence can be the result of one or multiple coaching related accomplishments such as but not limited to measurable performance improvements or injury reduction, program creation, advancement through innovation, and other initiatives that enhance wellness, health, and performance at the local level.

The Tactical Strength and Conditioning Professional of the Year Award is awarded to the coach, researcher, tactical professional, educator, or administrator whose influential contributions to the field measurably result in its advancement in a way that exceeds the outcomes achieved by others. 

An outstanding, high school strength conditioning coach is recognized for their achievements and work on behalf of high school coaches and their dedication to the advancement of the strength and conditioning profession. A current CSCS distinction are required.  

A recipient is recognized for excellence in service to the advancement of the personal training industry and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Current CSCS or NSCA-CPT is required. 

This award is given to a sports medicine professional whose work and contributions have significantly impacted the field of Sports Medicine or Rehabilitation for athletes. 

 

Recipients of the William J. Kraemer Outstanding Sport Scientist award are recognized for exemplary contributions and breakthroughs in the field of applied exercise and sport science. 

This award is given to a researcher who has been in the field seven years or less, in recognition of noteworthy contributions to the field of applied exercise and sport science. 

Annually, a nutritionist is recognized for their breakthroughs and contributions in field of nutritional research for athletes. 

The NSCA recognizes outstanding research efforts by students through the NSCA Student Research Awards.  Five awards are given each year, two for the outstanding podium abstract presentation awarded to one Doctoral student and one Master’s student and three awards for the poster presentations given to one Doctoral student, one Master’s student and one Undergraduate student at the NSCA National Conference. The judging criteria is overseen by the Research Committee and is based on the introduction, design, scientific impact and overall knowledge and professionalism of the presenter. 

 

This award is given as warranted to the outgoing president in recognition of his or her service to the association.

This award is given to board members as they leave office in recognition of their hard work and dedication to the NSCA

This award is given to state/provincial directors who have accumulated the most points during the year from April 1 to March 31, using the Evaluation Criteria format. The Membership Department calculates the points and selects the award winner.

 

This award is given to the editorial members on the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research Board in recognition of their service to the association. This award is presented by the JSCR Editor.

This award is given to the members of the Strength and Conditioning Journal editorial board in recognition of their service to the association. The award is presented by the SCJ Editor.

 

This award is given to an educator who has made noteworthy contributions to the teaching and clinical application in the field of strength training and conditioning. This recipient meets all requirements of leadership and contribution to the education of general strength training and conditioning, exercise and sport science, and enhancement of the discipline with the NSCA. 

 

These awards are not voted on by the professional membership or the board of directors. They are determined by application or nomination by a specific party. A team coach who is a member of NSCA, may make a nomination if a team does not have a regularly assigned strength coach.

This award is given to an individual in recognition of contributions to the field of strength and conditioning and to the NSCA. Recipient is selected by the NSCA President.

The Strength of America Award recognizes high schools that represent the gold standard in strength and conditioning programs. High schools who earn this award have demonstrated excellence in their school’s athletic supervision, education, program, and facilities.

• Applications are due by May 15th or November 15th
• Certificates are mailed out in early June
• Winners are posted online with the NSCA

The NSCA All-American Strength and Conditioning Athletes of the Year program recognizes collegiate and High School athletes whose athletic accomplishments, in the opinion of the strength coach*, reflect their dedication to strength training and conditioning. These athletes are also recognized for their academic and personal accomplishments as well as their integrity as student athletes.

• NSCA member collegiate and high school coaches may nominate one male and/or one female strength and conditioning athlete. All athletes submitted will be recognized. All athletes will receive a personalized certificate and an official NSCA press release for them to release to media.
• Nominations are online between February 1st thru March 1st of each year
• Certificates are mailed in April

• No Peer Awards are given to NSCA employees
• All Peer Awards limited to one winner per year unless there is a tie
• No member shall receive the same Peer Award twice
• All awards will be listed online explaining when and how to nominate
• A display award will be presented at the award ceremony and an engraved award will be sent to the recipients to save shipping the actual award to the conference, back to headquarters then to the recipients.
• All award nominees and recipients are to adhere to the NSCA Code of Ethics. Winning an NSCA award comes with an ethical obligation to act in such a manner that the trust and public confidence of the NSCA are enhanced, and without embarrassment to or adverse reflection or impact on the integrity of the NSCA. If at any time a winner is found in violation of the NSCA Code of Ethics after a review by the NSCA Ethics Committee, their award status can be revoked by vote of the Board of Directors.