Meet the 2026 NSCA Tactical Award winners honored at NSCA Tactical Annual Training for advancing tactical strength and conditioning, readiness, and resilience.

Congratulations to the NSCA's 2026 awardees for their dedication and contributions to the NSCA and the field of strength and conditioning.

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.

Falls resulting from trips are a leading cause of injury and can sometimes result in death, especially in the older population. Numerous researchers have studied the biomechanical mechanisms that differentiate fallers from nonfallers and determined whether training can beneficially impact those outcomes. Exercise and task-specific interventions have demonstrated fewer falls after trips but can be costly and often require specialized equipment, making their applicability less practical. Qualified health and fitness practitioners can develop evidence-informed, exercise-based programs focusing on 3 components (balance training, task-specific training, and resistance exercise). Such programs may help to reduce fall risk in older adults based on previously documented studies identifying the biomechanical demands of a successful fall arrest after a trip perturbation. These multicomponent programs should include a safe task-specific training element that does not require specialized equipment.

The NSCA Foundation is honored to announce the recipients of its 2024 Scholarships. This year, we received an overwhelming 380 applications from our NSCA Member community, reflecting a growing interest and commitment to careers in strength and conditioning.