Celebrating the people driving the Traction Rec community forward at the 2026 User Conferences

Every year, our User Conferences remind us that the best part of the Traction Rec community isn’t just the technology. It’s the people behind it.

This year, YMCA and JCC leaders from across North America came together to learn, collaborate, share ideas, and connect with peers facing many of the same challenges and opportunities in their organizations.

From packed breakout sessions and product workshops to hallway conversations and late-night brainstorming, this year’s conferences were full of the kind of collaboration that makes this community so special.

But this year, we added something new.

Introducing the Tractioneers 🏆

At both conferences, we introduced the very first Traction Rec Impact Awards, also known as the Tractioneers.

These awards were created to recognize the people helping drive this community forward. The leaders, problem-solvers, innovators, and advocates who consistently show up for their teams and for others.

What made these awards especially meaningful was that the nominations came from the community itself.

Customers nominated teammates, peers, and fellow organizations who stood out for their leadership, collaboration, and willingness to share what they know.

The result was an incredible group of winners who represent exactly what makes this community strong.

More Than Just Users

Across the nominations, a few themes came up again and again:

• People going out of their way to help organizations facing similar challenges in their community
• Leaders creating better experiences for their teams and members
• Teams pushing the platform forward in creative ways to create a better Traction Rec for all communities

These aren’t just people using Traction Rec, they’re helping shape what this community becomes.

A Celebration Worth Remembering

The Tractioneers were announced live during the conferences, with winners joining us on stage to celebrate together. For those who couldn’t attend in person, the community still showed up. Rooms erupted in applause as names were announced, and attendees helped us record celebration videos to send back to winners at home.

Then of course it wouldn't be a Traction Rec award if there wasn't some wicked cool swag! Each winner not only got their own award, but they also recieved a fully custom zip-up hoodie make only for Tractioneers.

Meet the 2026 Tractioneers

Congratulations to all of our winners and thank you for everything you do for your teams, your organizations, and this community.

Looking Ahead

This year’s conferences were a reminder that the strongest communities are built when people are willing to learn together, share openly, and support one another.

To everyone who attended, presented, asked questions, shared ideas, and helped make these events what they were, thank you, and to our very first Tractioneers: Thank you for helping make this community stronger.