Kirsty McNealis from Judo Club Esprit has been honoured with JudoScotland’s Technical Official/Referee of the Year Award. This prestigious award is part of the JudoScotland Community Awards, a national initiative that recognises the hard work and commitment of judo volunteers across Scotland.
In a sport where accolades often go to those who step onto the mat, Kirsty McNealis stands out for a different reason. Despite never taken part in judo herself, Kirsty has become a cornerstone of the Scottish judo community through her tireless work as a Technical Official and as a club volunteer at Judo Club Esprit.
Her journey began not with a personal passion for the sport, but through her son Dominic; “I’ve never stepped on the mat. Dominic, my son, was competing and I got encouraged to become a table official. I didn’t have a clue what I was doing but the training was very simple.”
What started as a tentative step, quickly grew into a full-fledged commitment. From learning the ropes of timekeeping and contest recording to working her way up to senior recorder, Kirsty’s dedication has been unwavering. Even after Dominic stepped away from judo following a motorbike accident, Kirsty continued to volunteer, driven by a newfound passion and the support of the judo community.
“I was quite happy being that mum, sitting in the stands watching,” she reflects. “I never thought I’d be this involved. But it’s the people, they’ve all supported me. It’s like a family.”
“I just do my best. I help if I can. I’m there for people. And the last thing new recruits need is somebody going, you’ve done that wrong, so I don’t.” she added “It’s not a role I thought I’d ever be doing, but I absolutely love it. I absolutely love it.
On receiving her award Kirsty humbly shared, “I’m a wee bit shocked because I don’t think I need an award. I don’t do it for that. I do it because I enjoy what I do.”
Kirsty was presented her award at Judo Club Esprit, the club she credits with shaping her judo journey, by JudoScotland Board Director Mark Brien on Monday 20th October.