Sports Medicine/Return to Performance Specialist Award
Recognizing sports medicine professionals and their important connection to the strength and conditioning field, the Sports Medicine/Return to Performance Specialist Award is given to a licensed sports medicine professional whose work has significantly impacted their field.
Sports Medicine/Return to Performance Specialist Award Eligibility
Each nominee will be asked to fill out a criteria sheet that details career accomplishments and contributions to the strength & conditioning industry's return to performance continuum.
The criteria sheet assigns points to a variety of professional achievements, letters of recommendation, volunteer involvement with the NSCA, and other activities related to the strength & conditioning industry's return to performance continuum.
NSCA Members in good standing may nominate other NSCA Members or themselves.
Nominations are open August-December
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
| Current NSCA Member for 2 consecutive years* |
| NSCA Certification |
| At least a Bachelor's Degree in Sports Medicine, Exercise Science, Kinesiology, or other related discipline |
| Cover letter, resume or CV, two letters of recommendation/commendation, and criteria worksheet received |
| Award Not Previously Received |
Additional requirements listed in the General Awards Criteria, include but not limted to, nominee must be nominated by a member in good standing and nominees will be sent a criteria sheet to fill out that must be returned before the required deadline.
*Consecutive membership is counted back from the date the award is to be conferred.
How are Awardees are Selected for the Sports Medicine/Return to Performance Specialist Award
Gathering Nominations
Nominations are gathered August–December each year. Any nomination received before the established deadline will be accepted for review of eligibility. Nominees will be notified of their nomination along with a request to complete the award criteria sheet.
Eligibility Verification and Points Tally
NSCA Headquarters will verify eligibility and minimum category requirements have been met. The overall points for each nominees will be tallied, and qualified nominees will be notified.
Voting by Industry Leadership
The top three nominees based on overall points will be sent to the Sports Medicine/Return to Performance Special Interest Group Chair. The voting group will be determined based on the following:
1. If none of the nominees are part of the group’s current Executive Council, the Chair will submit the nominees to the Council for vote. The Chair may participate in this vote.
2. If members of the Council have been nominated and rank in the top three, the Chair will create an impartial Task Force of five to vote on the winner. The Task Force will be comprised of >50% Chair-selected NSCA members and <50% past award winners. The Chair may not participate in this vote.
3. If the Chair is a nominee, the top three nominees will be submitted to the Membership Committee Chair for committee vote.
Awardee Notification
1. The Chair will notify NSCA Headquarters and the Awards and Honors Committee Chair of the selected recipient.
2. The Awards and Honors Committee Chair will notify the NSCA Board of Directors of the recipient.
3. The NSCA Headquarters will notify the recipient of the award, send regret notifications, create a Press Release announcement of the winner, and verify attendance at the National Conference awards banquet
If there are no qualifying nominees, the award will not be given.
Award Timeline
August – Nominations open.
December – Nominations close and nominees are contacted to submit award requirements.
February – 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.
April – Committee, SIG, or Task Force should vote and decide the winner and will submit the winners name to the National Office.
April – Notifications to nominees will be sent by the National Office and press announcements will be coordinated.
July – Award conferred at the National Conference Awards Banquet.
Sports Medicine/Return to Performace Specialist Recipients
Congratulations 2026 Sports Medicine/Return to Performance Specialist Award Winner
Jennifer Novak, MS, CSCS
Jennifer Novak has more than two decades of experience helping athletes and active individuals overcome musculoskeletal and neuromuscular issues in post-rehabilitation settings. With a Master of Science in Kinesiology, a graduate certificate in orthopedic injury, her CSCS, and postgraduate functional neurology coursework in her toolkit, she enjoys providing return-to-performance strategies for her clientele. Novak is the author of the Springer textbook chapter “Photobiomodulation: The Use of Specific Light Wavelengths to Accelerate Recovery, Repair, and Regeneration,” and she’s conducting collaborative research using photobiomodulation for recovery and readiness in tactical athletes at the University of East London. She currently serves as NSCA’s Georgia State Director and is the former Chair of the Sports Medicine/Return to Performance Special Interest Group (SIG) Executive Council. She was the first return-to-performance (RTP) specialist to serve as the SIG’s Chair, and in that role, she helped expand its collaborative RTP focus.
2025 Winner
David Cornell, PhD, DPT, CSCS, TSAC-F
2024 Winner
Helen Binkley, PhD, ATC, CSCS,*D, NSCA-CPT,*D, FNSCA
2023 Winner
Scot Morrison, DPT, PT, CSCS
2022 - Abby Smith-Ryan, Ph.D., CSCS*D, FNSCA
2020 - Ben Reuter, PhD, ATC, CSCS*D
2019 - William J. Hanney, DPT, PhD, ATC, CSCS
2018 - Daniel Lorenz, DPT, PT, ATC/L, CSCS
2017 - Bill Holcomb, PhD, ATC, LAT, CSCS,*D, FNATA, FNSCA
2016 - Robert Panariello, MS, PT, ATC, CSCS
2015 - Arianne Missimer, DPT, RD, FMS, RKC, TPI, CSCS
2014 - Morey Kolber, PT, PhD, OCS, Cert. MDT, CSCS
2013 - Terry Grindstaff, PhD, PT, ATC, SCS, CSCS,*D
2012 - John P. McCarthy, PhD, CSCS,*D, FNSCA
2011 - Greg Myer, PhD, CSCS
2010 - Scott E. Lawrance, CSCS
2009 - Danny McMillian, DPT, CSCS
2008 - Jaynie Bjornaraa, PhD, MPH, PT, CSCS,*D
2007 - Dan Wathen, CSCS,*D, NSCA-CPT,*D, FNSCA
2005 - David Potach, CSCS,*D, NSCA-CPT,*D
2004 - Jeff Falkel, CSCS,*D
2003 - Todd Ellenbecker, CSCS
2002 - Jeff Fahrenbruch, MPT, CSCS,*D
2001 - Donald Chu, PhD
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