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Former Murray State head coach Dean Hood is returning to Kentucky as Director of Player Development.

Hood previously worked on Mark Stoops staff as special teams coordinator, outside linebackers coach and defensive backs coach.

For the last four seasons, Hood worked as head coach at Murray State.

Here are more details from UK Athletics:

University of Kentucky head football coach Mark Stoops has announced the hiring of Dean Hood to serve as the Wildcats director of player development. Hood returns to UK after serving the last four seasons as the head football coach at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky.

Hood, who spent three seasons on Stoops staff as the special teams coordinator while also coaching outside linebackers (2017) and defensive backs (2018-19), announced his retirement from coaching on Jan. 1, completing a coaching career that spanned 37 years.

Im extremely pleased to have Dean Hood rejoin our staff, Stoops said. When he was here previously, I grew a deep respect for him not only as a coach on the field, but also for the way he guided and grew his players as young men. He will be a great asset to our overall program and to the personal development of our players.

In his new role, Hood will help prepare student-athletes for personal, academic and athletic development success through UKs 40 for 40 program and he will work alongside special assistant to the head coach Eddie Gran with NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) and player branding as well as community service opportunities.

My family and I are excited to return to Big Blue Nation, Hood said. Being in the coaching profession we have lived in a lot of places, but when our kids are asked where are you from they say Lexington it definitely feels like home to our family.

We are so honored, once again, to be part of Coach Stoops program which is comprised of many wonderful people. Player development has been my passion and lifes work and I am ready to build relationships with our players and help them in multiple areas of their life. Coaching for 37 years has given me a unique perspective into the needs of student-athletes and coaches, who have an incredible demand on their time. Im looking forward to the journey.

During his previous stint at UK, Hood was an integral part of Max Duffy winning the Ray Guy Award for the nations best punter in 2019. He also coached in three bowl games, including two bowl wins with the Wildcats.

At Murray State, Hood led the Racers to back-to-back winning seasons in 2020 and 2021, marking just the third time the program had accomplished that feat since 1999-2000. When the 2020 season was pushed to early 2021, Hoods Racers produced one of the best turnarounds in the nation with a 5-2 record, MSUs first winning season since 2011 and the programs best Ohio Valley Conference record since 2005. Coach Hood was named the 2020 OVC Coach of the Year, becoming the fourth in Murray State history to be honored.

In 2023, Hood and the Racers began play in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, the most competitive league at the FCS level. MSU defeated Presbyterian 41-10 (Sept. 2) for their 1,000th win and won their inaugural MVFC game over Indiana State, 30-28, on Sept. 30.

Hood spent the 2016 season as the assistant head coach, special teams coordinator and tight ends coach at Charlotte. Prior to that, he was the head coach at EKU (2008-15), leading the Colonels to two Ohio Valley Conference Championships, three FCS Playoff appearances and an overall record of 55-38 (.591). In 2008 he was named the OVC Coach of the Year and in 2011 he was the American Football Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year. He also was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, which goes to the best coach in FCS football, in both the 2008 and 2014 seasons.

With Hood at the helm, EKU produced nine All-Americans, one OVC Offensive Player of the Year, one OVC Defensive Player of the Year, one OVC Freshman of the Year and 26 first-team all-conference performers.

Before EKU, Hood spent seven years (2001-07) as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Wake Forest and his defensive units were known for creating turnovers and scoring touchdowns. The Demon Deacons forced 186 turnovers during his tenure, more than two per game. Hoods defenders earned All-ACC mention 14 times. That list included four NFL draft picks Calvin Pace, Montique Sharpe, Eric King and Josh Gattis.

In 2006, Hood helped the Demon Deacons win the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship for the first time since 1970 with an impressive 11-3 record (the most wins in school history). His defense ranked second in the conference, allowing just 15.4 points per game, while leading the league in interceptions with 22, second most in the nation. Against the run, Wake yielded just 105.8 yards per game, 21st nationally and the third lowest total in Wake Forest history. Wake Forest earned its first and only BCS Bowl bid, facing Louisville in the FedEx Orange Bowl.

Hoods first coaching stop was at Fairmont (W.Va.) State working with the defensive backs (1987-88). The 1988 team won the WVIAC championship and led the nation with 31 interceptions. He then spent time at Colgate (1989), Glenville (W.Va.) State (1990-93) and Ohio University (1999-2000).

He also had a previous five-year stint at EKU as the Colonels secondary coach (1994-96) and defensive coordinator/secondary coach (1997-98) under College Football Hall of Fame head coach Roy Kidd.

Hood, a native of Ashtabula, Ohio, earned his bachelors degree in biology from Ohio Wesleyan in 1986 and a masters degree in physical education from West Virginia in 1989.

At Ohio Wesleyan, he was a three-time All-North Coast Athletic Conference selection as a defensive back. He was elected captain two seasons and was a first-team All-American as a senior. In 2001, he was inducted into the OWU Athletic Hall of Fame.

He and his wife, Crystal, originally from Richmond, Kentucky, have four children two sons, Trey and Daven, and two daughters, Jada and Cordia.

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Former Murray State head coach Dean Hood returns to Kentucky as Director of Player Development - - Nation of Blue

Francis Ngannou arguably made the biggest impact in combat sports in 2023.

To kick off his yearly campaign, the 37-year-old Ngannou made the bold decision to bet on himself and leave behind the UFC, where he made his name and ultimately became the heavyweight champion. Unable to negotiate a new deal that allowed him the freedom to pursue other ventures like boxing The Predator parted ways with the promotion and signed with the PFL as not only a fighter but an owner and chairman, overseeing PFLs new Africa league.

Ngannou has yet to make his return to MMA since his January 2022 unanimous decision win over Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. He has, however, made his dream of competing as a professional boxer a reality when he took on the worldwide best Tyson Fury in October. Despite coming up short via split decision, Ngannou was the clear winner in the grand scheme as he performed much better than anyone expected him to. Additionally, the amount of money he made is more than his entire UFC career combined, according to Ngannou. The Cameroon native didnt get to this point by himself though, and his longtime head coach at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas Eric Nicksick is also enjoying the fruits of their collaborative labor.

It was the most money Ive ever been paid by a fighter it was unbelievable, Nicksick told MMA Junkie of his coach payment from Ngannou. It was more than I expected. Obviously, Francis has always taken great care of me, but it floored me. When I saw my Wells Fargo account that morning, it literally brought me to tears. Thats a true story. Literally brought me to tears because he changed my life not only from a professional standpoint but a monetary standpoint.

It allowed me a lot of financial freedom to allow me to be able to enjoy my coaching, enjoy being a dad and a husband and I get to take my kids to Park City this weekend, my daughters 16th birthday. Helped us buy a new car. Theres a lot of things with Francis moving over to boxing, and the way he takes care of his team. He loves every single one of us and he shows it. He takes care of us, and I couldnt thank him enough.

Nicksicks 2023 outside of Ngannou was a big success overall as he continued building champions. The most notable of the bunch undeniably being the surprise UFC titleholder of the year Sean Strickland, who won middleweight gold with a clean unanimous decision over Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 in September.

Ngannous rise to the UFC title saw Nicksick by his side throughout his biggest title efforts, which came with the title win in his rematch against Stipe Miocic in March 2021 before the aforementioned Gane defense. What caught Nicksick the most off-guard about his training for the Fury match was that he wasnt nearly as involved as the previous two MMA tilts.

Remember, as his head coach, the two title fights with Stipe and Gane, he paid me more for the Tyson Fury fight as basically his assistant behind Dewey, Nicksick said. I was behind Dewey and I got paid way more than I did in the Gane and Stipe fights and he was taking care of me on that, as well, percentage-wise. If he wants to box, man, Im all for it. All day long, brother.

I think it does show that youre able to go outside the UFC and still be successful. Its hard to put an evaluation when you talk about Francis and his star power and what hes capable of doing. Can Jeremy Kennedy do that same thing? I dont know. Theres just guys I dont know if thats going to work out in their favor the same way it did for Francis. But it also gives guys more options, and I think more options are important to have.

Harsh. Underwhelming: Pros react to Conor McGregors UFC return fight announcement

Unforgotten. MMAs Best of the Rest: Round of the year, feel-good moment, villain, and more 2023 awards

Next. Leon Edwards plans to defend title at UFC 300, also in talks to fight in Birmingham

Prediction. Dan Hooker doubts Islam Makhachev rematches Arman Tsarukyan: I guarantee hell retire by the time Arman gets there

Recap. RIZIN 45 results, videos: Kyoji Horiguchi taps Makoto Shinryu, Kai Asakura folds Juan Archuleta to win title

Scores. MMA Fightings 2023 Robbery Review Rundown: What was the biggest robbery of the year?

Story. RIZINs Igor Tanabe changed focus from BJJ to MMA because of mid-pandemic fatherhood

Memories. A product thats nothing like the UFC: Ex-PRIDE exec Nobuyuki Sakakibara ranks top 3 favorite NYE moments

The best of MMA Fightings Watch Party in 2023.

THUG Rose - Full documentary.

2023 Debut and Comeback nominees.

Year of the Fighter collection.

PFL Tops.

A ... Wonderful ... Breakdown.

DAMN! They Were Good. MMA Fighting reflects on right leg hospital, left leg cemetery the legend of Mirko Cro Cop.

Slod em.

Impressive.

Birthday boy.

Embracing the hate.

Banter.

RIZIN 45 madness.

There we have it?

Champs.

An understanding.

Yoshinori Horie (13-4) vs. Luiz Gustavo (13-2); RIZIN Landmark 8, Feb. 24

Vugar Karamov (19-5) vs. Kazumasa Majima (16-4); RIZIN Landmark 8, Feb. 24

Rena Kubota (13-5) vs. Yu Ri Shim (6-3); RIZIN 46, March 23

Koji Takeda (15-6) vs. Kyohei Hagiwara (7-8); RIZIN 46, March 23

Naoki Inoue (16-4) vs. Shoko Sato (35-15-2); RIZIN 46, March 23

Chihiro Suzuki (12-3) vs. Masanori Kanehara (31-14-5); RIZIN 47, May 6

You always love to hear these types of stories. Especially for a guy like Nicksick, who certainly deserves his riches as well.

Happy 2024, peeps. I hope you all put a nice and neat little bow on the 2023 behind us. It was quite a year, to say the least. Onward! Thanks for reading!

Last Weeks Results:

Friday: 78% of 600 total votes answered Yes when asked, Is Colby Covington vs. Ian Machado Garry the fight to make if Garry gets past Geoff Neal at UFC 298?

Thursday: 87% of 911 total votes answered No when asked, Do you have any interest in Tyron Woodley vs. either Georges St-Pierre or Nick Diaz?

Wednesday: 67% of 454 total votes answered Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler when asked, Which fight would you rather see at this point?

Tuesday: 61% of 413 total votes answered Yes when asked, Will Belal Muhammad get the next UFC welterweight title shot?

Monday: 57% of 437 total votes answered Yes when asked, Will Tony Ferguson ever fight in the UFC again?

Todays exit poll:

If you find something youd like to see in the Morning Report, hit up @DrakeRiggs_ on Twitter and let him know about it. Also, follow MMAFighting on Instagram and like us on Facebook.

Read more

The rest is here:
Morning Report: Eric Nicksick says Francis Ngannou changed my life with coach payment from Tyson Fury match - MMA Fighting

The start of a new year is the perfect time to re-evaluate your fitness goals especially if you have had an indulgent festive season.

Every year brings new trends, with some more credible than others (remember the vibrating body belt?).

Here, the UAEs experts sort the fads from the facts so you can start 2024 with a well-informed fitness plan.

Fitness watches and trackers have been around for a while, but in 2024 the gadgets are stepping up a gear to provide more personalised stats and feedback.

In a bid to gain insight into our blood sugar levels, more of us will be adding a continuous glucose monitor to our wearables wardrobe.

The disposable sensors usually last about two weeks and attach directly to the skin (usually the upper arm) to provide information about the effect of diet and exercise.

Cyrus Rustom, owner of Boxica Gym in Dubais Studio City, explains: Glucose monitors are going to become more popular as people begin to understand that high sugar intake and unstable blood glucose levels are very bad for you.

People want to manage their blood sugar so they live longer, healthier and leaner lives.

This year, more of us will ditch extreme exercise and restrictive diets to focus on sustainable habits that nurture a lasting state of health.

According to Lauren Goggs, a personal trainer at Dubais Reset Fitness, this means focusing less on squatting double your body weight and more on being able to pick up your keys in later life.

Gone are the days where the fitness industry focuses on HIIT training, your one rep max and how long you can pound the treadmill for. Its all about functional fitness, she says.

In 2024, we are likely to see even the big commercial gym players recognising the importance of holistic wellness and adding more mindfulness and meditation sessions to their schedules.

Genetic testing involves studying your DNA to understand different aspects of your genetic make-up.

For fitness enthusiasts, this means getting personalised information on how your genes might affect your response to exercise, what nutrition works best for you and your overall well-being.

Genetic testing is becoming more available and accurate in discovering what forms of exercise and nutrition your body is best suited to, says Rustom.

The results can inform the way you train, what you eat and even how you sleep, whether that means eating more carbs, avoiding fish, taking up endurance training or upping your vitamin D.

Were going to be seeing a lot more of this personalised approach to fitness in 2024.

Gone are the days of working out in a sweaty warehouse surrounded by grunting meatheads.

In 2024, we will be treating ourselves to a more luxury gym membership with top-notch facilities such as FitnGlam, Studio Pilates and Reset Fitness.

The idea is to make exercise feel like a treat or a day out with friends, rather than a drill in self-flagellation.

Boutiques and even mainstream gyms are focusing on exercise as a wholesome experience rather than just the physical 50-minute class, says Goggs.

Friendship groups and real connections are being formed through gyms, and there has been a real strength in unity through games such as Turf Games, Battle Cancer and Hyrox coming to the Middle East.

If you have not embraced the invigorating chill of an ice bath in 2023, you might have overlooked the trendiest experience of the year. But, if you are still on the fence, fear not this cool trend is set to stay this year.

Recovery is a crucial and often underestimated aspect of overall fitness. It plays a fundamental role in achieving optimal performance, preventing injuries and promoting long-term well-being.

As well as ice baths, red-light therapy will also surge in popularity in 2024. The treatment uses low-level red or near-infrared light to stimulate cellular function and ease muscle pain, and is favoured by athletes after vigorous training.

Supplements will also fly off the shelves as the year progresses, according to Goggs.

It will be a huge year for recovery as we focus more on mental wellness as well as physical well-being, she says. With recovery comes the use of natural supplements, and magnesium has become the miracle mineral, with almost 75 per cent of adults deficient in it.

It can help with sleep, manage the central nervous systems, help us manage anxiety and its great for women's hormonal health.

Lions mane mushrooms are also making their way into the mainstream market, offering instant concentration, energy, focus and help with motivation.

Weight training has gathered momentum in recent years and more people will be jumping on the bicep curling bandwagon in 2024, according to Rustom.

Women particularly are learning that weights don't make you big and bulky, he says.

Weight training is actually good for improving body tone, staying lean, increasing metabolism and generally being healthy and stronger. In 2024, there's going to be a lot more women doing strength-based training and not just cardio all the time.

More people are educating themselves on health and fitness than ever before with podcasts and online tutorials, and we're seeing the effects of that knowledge in the gym.

The old myth that you have to do loads of cardio has been well and truly debunked. As a result, were seeing an increase in people eating well and training all round, including some cardio and some strength training.

Remember the days of Special K starvation, Atkins horror and 5:2 hell? Thankfully, restrictive diets are well behind us in 2024 as we move towards a flexitarian approach.

Flexible eating is all about consuming enough calories and relaxing the macro count, opting for more nutritionally hefty whole foods and avoiding processed rubbish.

We are starting to understand that good bodies are built in the kitchen and each and every one of us is looking to cut out the amount of processed food we have in our diets, shifting towards a more natural, organic stocked cupboard, says Goggs.

Fads like electrical muscle stimulation live and die very quickly as people realise there are only so many problems you can throw money at and there are no shortcuts to a long sustainable healthy life.

Updated: January 03, 2024, 4:59 AM

Originally posted here:
Fitness trends 2024: Wearable tech, genetic testing and flexitarian diets - The National

For me, Jan.1 is like a sip of ice-cold stream water during a grueling hike it brings a surge of renewal, energy, and inspiration for whats next. Ive celebrated the New Year in various ways from champagne and clubs to tea and 4 a.m. world peace meditations. In the end, these are three of my favorite ways to start the New Year.

The first tradition is Write It All Down. Start by writing headings for each area of life (finance, career, relationships, adventure/fun, etc.). Under each heading, write down everything that you want to achieve, from tiny tasks (like buy a brown belt) to super-stretch goals (like travel to 10 countries). The key is to write it all down because we are 42% more likely to accomplish things when we do. To be honest, I usually dont even look at this list until the following year, yet a lot of things get checked off, even when Im not consciously focusing on it.

I love this practice because its a structure that is simple and easy to do. I have over 10 years of some version of this tradition in a Big Red Journal that I only pull out at the New Year. Its an easy way to track my desires and accomplishments over time that doesnt create pressure, overwhelm, or fear of failure.

The next New Year tradition is Theme Your Year. Think about the essence of what you want to experience or create in the next year. Roll it around in your head for a few weeks until you land on a word or phrase that captures it. Then, bring your theme to life. Create a playlist or piece of art that captures your word or phrase. Put reminders of it on sticky notes. Write about why its important to you. Share with your inner circle. Experience what its like to bring that essence into your year. Some examples from my clients are: Root & Rise; Cultivate Connection; and Let Go.

This tradition helps us clarify what really matters. And creatively bringing the concepts to life through music, art, journaling and sharing helps engage the right and left sides of the brain. I love this tradition because its a simple and playful way to set the course for the year ahead.

The final tradition I practice is Permission to Hibernate. The older I get, the more I lean into the cycles of nature. Even though society tells us that we should grind from coffee to wine, and that you can sleep when youre dead, I disagree. Theres a reason all living things go through cycles. Theres intelligence in periods of high activity followed by periods of rest.

Winter offers an invitation to slow down. To get under a blanket and watch snow fall. To read a book or write in a journal. To lay down in bed and sleep more. Especially after the flurry of the holidays, I lean into slowness and ease whenever I can in January. It is a time to restore, refuel, and reflect. So, while others may find joy and meaning in re-upping gym memberships and doubling down on fewer desserts, my best way to start the New Year is by carving out pockets of slowness, of quiet, of comfort and ease.

I love this unconventional tradition to opt out of the hustle for a while. After getting past the unfamiliarity and the persistent urge of I should be doing something productive, resting and slowing down have been the best ways for me to fuel an impactful and growth-filled year.

What do you hope for in 2024? If it feels like a stretch to create it, Id love to hear from you. Submit your question below, and Ill offer practical and evidence-based ways to get started.

Tiffany Skidmore is a mental health and life coach who specializes in anxiety. Email your questions and feedback to tiffany@tiffanyskidmore.com or submit them anonymously at tinyurl.com/thelifecoach. Visit tiffskidmore.com to learn more about Tiffany and her work.

The rest is here:
The Life Coach: Start 2024 right with these New Years traditions - Longmont Times-Call

A year ago, the crypto world was in shambles. Now it's back, riding a new rally that supporters predict will surge even higher in 2024.

The price of bitcoin (BTC-USD), the worlds largest cryptocurrency, is up more than 160% this year after topping $44,000 for the first time since early 2022. The stock of cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase (COIN) has more than tripled, while the total market value of all crypto assets has nearly doubled.

I think what people are reacting to this year is crypto is here to stay, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong told Yahoo Finance.

The industrys comeback was one of the more surprising market stories of 2023, following an epic 2022 collapse that burned many investors and took down some of the industrys biggest names.

The bull case for 2024 is that many of cryptos biggest problems are now officially in the rear-view mirror after the criminal conviction of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried and a guilty plea from Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao.

Investors are optimistic the industry is poised for wider acceptance and regulatory clarity from Washington. They expect regulators to grant approval in January for a series of spot bitcoin ETFs that would allow everyday people to get exposure to the cryptocurrency without having to own it.

Investors are also excited about bitcoins "halving" in April, a once-in-every-four-years event that reduces the daily issuance of the cryptocurrency by half and typically results in another bull run.

"There's really this perfect storm of positive tailwinds heading into next year," Sean Farrell, Fundstrat Global Advisors vice president of digital asset strategy, told Yahoo Finance.

The crypto market "has been positioned for perfection over the next six months," added Rich Rosenblum, founder and CEO of crypto market maker GSR.

The industry still faces plenty of risks, however. One worry is that US regulators could make it much harder for digital asset firms to thrive as they did during the last boom. Another is that extreme risk takers in the industry could take things too far, as they did in the run-up to 2022.

Story continues

"If prices go back up, I think we could see a very similar landscape to what happened before," Molly White, a crypto researcher and critic, told Yahoo Finance.

A third potential problem is that Congress wont clarify how the industry is regulated, making it more difficult for the industry to achieve mainstream acceptance. Democrats and Republicans in Washington currently disagree about whether cryptocurrencies are a threat to the financial system or a source of innovation.

JPMorgan Chase (JPM) CEO Jamie Dimon told US lawmakers earlier this month that he would put an end to crypto if he had the power to do so.

"If I was the government, I'd close it down," he said in response to a question from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who is pushing a new bill that would force crypto providers to comply with anti-money laundering safeguards.

If there is one firm that stands the most to either benefit or lose from the industrys next steps, it is Coinbase, the largest crypto exchange in the US. Its stock has surged 375% so far this year.

It benefitted from the fall of FTX and the humbling of Binance, its two biggest rivals, while introducing a raft of new products ranging from a US regulated futures exchange to a Layer 2 blockchain scaling solution. It also stands to become the custodian for many of the spot bitcoin ETFs that hope to launch early next year.

Coinbase did post its seventh consecutive quarterly loss in the third quarter, but it was the closest it has come to a positive earnings result since the fourth quarter of 2021, when the last crypto boom was still raging.

Its future earnings remain at risk from a legal fight with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which sued the exchange in June for allegedly operating an unlicensed crypto securities exchange, broker, and clearing agency.

The company is choosing to defend itself in court and its CEO Brian Armstrong has been vocal about his disagreements with the SEC.

"Theres a lot of short-term bumps, twists, episodes," Coinbase CFO Alesia Haas told Yahoo Finance earlier this month. "The longer you are in crypto the more you have to realize that you have to see through the noise," she added.

The SEC remains the biggest threat looming over much of the industry. It took more than 32 actions against crypto-related actors in 2023, a 28% increase compared to the 25 in 2022. Those charges, which targeted many of the industrys biggest players, were still a small part of more than 300 overall actions taken by the regulator against a variety of companies.

Its core claim is that many crypto assets should be considered securities, thereby requiring more onerous oversight from the SEC.

Judges offered differing opinions on that subject in 2023 in cases brought by the SEC, adding to the confusion. One ruled that a digital coin called XRP was a security only when sold to institutional investors but not when sold on public exchange to retail customers.

Another judge in a separate case involving the Terra USD token said that digital currencies can be considered securities when sold to the general public, contradicting the earlier ruling.

Coinbase has separately asked the SEC to come up with a new framework to oversee crypto, but the agency denied that petition this month.

In doing so, SEC Chair Gary Gensler cited the SEC's limited resources and a quote from the SECs head of enforcement stating that "you simply cant ignore the rules because you dont like them or because youd prefer different ones." Coinbase is appealing the decision.

While it wages war with the SEC, Coinbase is also actively lobbying Washington for more clarity around how the crypto world is regulated.

To that end, Coinbase and other crypto backers announced this month that three super PACs have raised $78 million to back candidates in 2024 who favor crypto-friendly policies.

"There's going to be ups and downs but this movement is here to stay and we need to send that message to Washington," Armstrong added.

David Hollerith is a senior reporter for Yahoo Finance covering banking, crypto, and other areas in finance.

Click here for the latest crypto news, updates, values, prices, and more related to bitcoin, ethereum, dogecoin, DeFi, and NFTs

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Crypto had a surprisingly great year. It still faces threats in 2024. - Yahoo Finance

The Chess.com Awards is our yearly celebration of the best of the chess world. At the end of every year, we invite the chess community to vote on the best games, moves, creators, and everything else involving the game we love. The awards are a perfect opportunity for the community to remember, discuss, and commemorate the greatest things about the royal game that happened throughout the year.

Here's everything you need to know about each category of the Chess.com Awards, our nomination criteria, and more:

Every year, we ask the community to vote on their favorite content creators, players, moves, and more. Nominees will be announced in mid-December after major events in early December are concluded. Voting will be open until January 1st.

Any achievements taking placed after voting is opened may be considered in the following year's Chess.com Awards.

The Player of the Year category celebrates the player who defined chess that year. The nominations in this category consider players' year-round performance instead of a single-event victory and are open to all players.

The Woman Player of the Year category awards the top woman player with the most significant chess accomplishments of the year. The nominations in this category consider players' year-round performance instead of a single-event victory.

The chess world is consuming more content than ever before. Whether it's a YouTube video, a legendary X post, a great new book, or any other type of content, there's always a creator putting out amazing chess pieces to their adoring audiences. This category highlights everyone in the content creation space. We consider creators' impact, innovation, and reach to come up with nominations.

The Game of the Year category celebrates the most fantastic game of the year. From tactical slugfests to positional masterpieces, any game played during the Awards consideration period can be nominated. This category highlights the complete effort of a game, from the very beginning to the last move.

Sometimes, a move is so stunning that you can enjoy just staring at it in amazement for several minutes. The Move of the Year category highlights these brilliant moves that come out of nowhere and swipe you off your feet. Unlike the Game of the Year category, the Move of the Year award doesn't consider what happened in the rest of the game but rather celebrates a single moment when one of the players busts out a brilliant move.

The Rising Star category celebrates the young chess players who quickly rose through the chess ranks during the year. Players nominated for the Rising Star award must be 18 or younger. Players who have already won this category in previous years are not eligible to be nominated again.

The ChessKid of the Year category celebrates the future of the game by highlighting the talented kids who, despite their young age, are already making a splash in the chess world. ChessKid of the Year nominees must be 13 years old or younger. Players who have already won this category in previous years are not eligible to be nominated again.

While watching your favorite players battling over the board is great, the experience can be even better when a fantastic commentator goes through the game with you. The Commentator of the Year category celebrates those who sit in front of the camera to bridge the gap between the audience and the players in an entertaining way.

Chess is a beautiful sport, filled with fantastic but fleeting moments that overflow with emotions and stories. Luckily for us, there are many chess photographers out there who eternalize these moments with their stunning photographies. This category awards the most iconic chess photo of the year.

Chess improvers out there should pay attention to the Book of the Year award. This category celebrates the best chess books released in the year.

Chess education has expanded way beyond printed books, and students now have more resources than ever to learn and expand their chess knowledge. This category awards the best course from one of the best learning resources out there: Chessable. Courses are nominated by Chessable's staff, with the community voting for their favorite to receive the award. Nominated courses must have been released between January and December of the year of voting.

Are you excited about this year's Chess.com Awards? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Chess.com Awards: Everything You Need To Know - Chess.com