A member of the Figeacoise Judo School, Maria Kamay is involved in the life of her club, becoming a young departmental sports commissioner, which earned her an award.
On the occasion of World Volunteer Day, this Friday, December 5, the Departmental Committee of Youth, Sports and Community Engagement Medalists organized the first edition of the 2025 Challenge Awards “Young referees, young presidents & community engagement”.
This ceremony highlighted several young people from Lot who are particularly involved in sporting life, including Maria Kamay, 18, who received a prize from Jean-Michel Inesta, president of the Olympic and Sports Committee, for her commitment as a young departmental sports commissioner.
“I fully invested myself this season in the role of volunteer sports commissioner”
It was in 2018 that, fleeing Angola, Maria reached France and Figeac, in the company of her parents, her three sisters and her little brother. While her father works in Ratier, and her mother in municipal services, Maria follows her schooling there and obtains a general baccalaureate with honors, before going to the law school of Rodez to study law, management course.
“Initially, I wanted to be a lawyer,” she says, “but currently I’m hesitating between human relations and legal professions. I’m giving myself time to choose. It’s like in sport, where as soon as I arrived in Figeac, I was thinking of signing up for tennis or basketball, but my father suggested that I try judo. A sport that I didn’t know at all and which immediately excited me. I’m a black belt, but I want to go as far as possible, because At the same time as the competition, I am also a sports commissioner. This forces me to see judo in a different light, while showing me the progress that I still have to make. I later dream of refereeing at a high level. Living all week in Rodez, I train as soon as I can at the Ruthenian club.
While practicing her sport for almost eight years, she continues to invest in her club, the Figeacoise Judo School. Even before taking on administrative responsibilities, she was already deeply involved in the life of the club, regularly assisting the teacher during baby judo classes, or participating in the supervision of the youngest and discovering the role of sports educator.
“Two years ago, I returned to the club office, and I am responsible for communication,” explains Maria. “Which led me to become even more involved in the structuring of associative life. I discovered the sports commissioner while taking my UV4, a role that I immediately appreciated. I fully invested this season in the role of volunteer sports commissioner, responsible for the stopwatches and the display of scores, and I love it.”
