Never Settle Awards
Welcome to the third year (2024) of the Never Settle Awards. Read more about this year's nominees, and find links to voting below.
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.
Nomination information will be available soon.
Cast Your Vote in 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. The nominees below were put forward by YOU, and represent the people our fellow martial artists see as impacting the martial arts community. At the end of each category you’ll find a link to select your choice for the recipient. Let’s get out and rock the vote.
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.
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.
Open Door Award
This person operates 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.
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.
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.
Learn More
You can learn more about how we got here with this episode of Martial Arts Radio.