Aug 4, 2021

NSCA Announces Tactical S&C Professional of the Year

The National Strength and Conditioning Association is proud to announce that Jay Dawes, Ph.D., CSCS,*D, NSCA-CPT,*D, TSAC-F,*D, FNSCA, has been selected as the NSCA’s Tactical Strength and Conditioning Professional of the Year for 2021.

Award winners are selected by a volunteer committee, the NSCA’s Awards Taskforce, who determine the winner based on their contributions to the NSCA and their community, and whose influential contributions to the field result in its advancement in a measurable way that exceeds the outcomes achieved by others. 

Dr. Dawes is an Assistant Professor of Applied Exercise Science at Oklahoma State University (OSU) and the Co-Director of the OSU Tactical Fitness and Nutrition Lab. He has worked as a strength/performance coach, personal trainer, educator, and post-rehabilitation specialist for over 20 years.

His research is aimed at improving the health, fitness, and occupational performance of police, fire, and military personnel. Additionally, Dr. Dawes served on the NSCA Board of Directors’ Executive Council as both Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer (2016-2019).

“Dr. Dawes’ world-class leadership and groundbreaking research contributions were pivotal in establishing the foundation of the tactical strength and conditioning profession and continue to serve as the backbone of evidence-based best practices today,” said Mandy Nice, NSCA Tactical Program Manager (Public Safety).

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“His work has paved the way for thousands of tactical professionals and coaches to achieve meaningful and measurable success, and he continues to advance the field by selflessly putting the mission before himself. He is an industry inspiration. NSCA Tactical sends tremendous congratulations to him for earning this very well-deserved award,” Nice added.

Dr. Dawes will be honored at the NSCA’s Tactical Annual Training Conference, which will be held in Norfolk, VA from August 3-6, 2021. It is the premier educational event of the year. International public safety and military experts join forces to share cutting-edge, evidence-proven best practices and training methodologies that help tactical professionals systematically increase their readiness, performance, and resilience while also increasing their longevity and quality of life. For more information regarding the NSCA and our awards, please visit nsca.com.