Never Settle Awards
Welcome to the fourth year (2025) of the Never Settle Awards. Nominations are about to start and we couldn't be more excited. We also can't do this alone. We need you to let us know about martial artists that you've CONNECTed with and that are doing great things. You'll have the opportunity to EDUCATE yourself and others about the impact other martial artists are a part of and then place your votes. Finally, we hope you'll join us at the awards ceremony as a part of the 2025 Martial Summit event for a bit of ENTERTAINment while we recognize our recipients based on your votes. Links for each of the awards will be included below once voting is active.
You can read the first-year announcement on the Martial Journal Website: here
Martial Arts Awards
Together with Martial Journal, whistlekick is proud to sponsor the Never Settle Awards. These awards are designed to recognize the martial artists who give back to their schools, their communities, and the martial arts world at large.
Nominations Begin July 14, 2025!
Voting Begins September 4, 2025!
Nominate Deserving Martial Artists for the Never Settle Awards!
whistlekick is proud to be the creator of the Never Settle Awards cosponsored with Martial Journal. Through things like this, we are helping to recognize martial artists around the globe. We can't be everywhere and see everything, so we rely on you to let us know about martial artists who impact the martial arts community. At the end of each award description, you’ll find a link to a nomination form, so don't wait.
Emissary of the Arts Award
Highlighting those who have contributed to the arts and the community as well, making the world a better place. Ideal nominees would demonstrate the positive qualities of martial arts and martial artists in ways not directly tied to martial arts. Many martial arts schools use positive character traits as a benefit to be grown from continued training.
These nominees demonstrate these qualities routinely beyond the walls of their schools such that people know the nominee based on actions and deeds, not on martial arts rank, ability, or martial arts notoriety.
Emissary of the Arts Award Nominations Open August 4, 2025
Flashlight Award
People who make a difference in the arts - no matter rank. While quietly making an impact in their community, they demonstrate that actions speak louder than words in the most positive of ways.
A nomination for this award represents that the nominee's actions were noticed, were appreciated, and are worthy of recognition beyond a simple “Thank You.”
This is the person who needs to be nominated because they would never nominate themselves.
Flashlight Award Nominations Open July 21, 2025
Open Door Award
This award recognizes a school or an individual within a school that has created a culture where students would refer to it as home, family. Everyone is welcome and wants to be there - with each other, even though they are all different.
These schools make everyone feel welcome, regardless of what they bring to the table. Past training or not, all ages, physical capacity, and more. These schools accept everyone, and make sure that their first few months is only the beginning of the journey.
Open Door Award Nominations Open July 14, 2025
Enduring Footprint Award
Ideal nominees would stand out for their lasting impact on the martial arts community across a significant period of time. While the extent of the impact may be a result of direct, in person interactions, impact resulting through social media and other internet activity is also worthy of consideration.
Martial artists would not only say that they know who the nominee is but will also be able to discuss how the nominee influenced their training in some way.
Enduring Footprint Award Nominations Open July 28, 2025
Ripples on Our Pond - In Memoriam
Every year, the martial arts community loses instructors, students, innovators, and family. We would like to recognize martial artists who left our families. Please take a moment to provide information here for people who have passed away between July 2023 and the present. Please know that a member of the team will reach out to you once you have submitted your Ripples on Our Pond nomination to make sure we have everything correct.
Ripples on Our Pond Nominations Open August 11, 2025
Do you want to be a part of the 2025 Never Settle Awards?
We are continually looking for those willing to help us spread the word about the Never Settle Awards. If you support what the Never Settle Awards stands for and want to help, or if you would like reminders of when each nomination opens as well as when voting starts, please let us know.
Learn More
You can learn more about how we got here with this episode of Martial Arts Radio.