Amazing Women!
I would like to take a moment to reflect on our last She-Shooters’ meeting…AMAZING!!!! I knew that She-Shooters would bring some great women to our group but, I had no idea that these women would bring me so much joy and excitement. The month of August was National Shooting Sports Month. During the meeting we re-visited firearm safety and fundamentals. We also talked about ways to celebrate shooting sports and our freedom to be gun owners. The ladies were attentive and engaging. They asked questions, made comments, and shared their thoughts. But my main goal for this particular meeting was to get these ladies out on the range to try firearms they had never shot before. I wanted them to step outside the box. I wanted them to squash any idea of “I can’t shoot that” (as long as they were comfortable). Whether it was an idea they formed on their own or an idea that someone may have placed in their mind for them. I wanted them to know that women in the firearms community do not have to be put in a box. We can do anything!
My biggest pet peeve is hearing…”you’re a women, you need a small gun”. So with that in mind Stephanie and I decided to take firearms out on the range that a newer female gun owner or even an experienced shooter might never choose to shoot on her own. We had everything from the classic 1911 to the more modern polymer frame handguns, as well as AR15s and shotguns. During the classroom time of the meeting Stephanie and I showed these firearms and explained how they function and their safety features. Safety always comes first! I saw some concerned faces and some excited faces. But I reassured the ladies that Stephanie and I would be right there with them to help and coach them. Some ladies also brought their own firearms to get in some needed range time. As we headed down to the range there was a lot of chatter. Women talking to each other and asking, “What are you going to try?” and “Have you ever shot one of those before?” The excitement was building and I couldn’t wait to see these ladies experience something new. Stephanie and I gave some last minute safety reminders and onto the range we went. Stephanie had handguns in her lane and I had the long guns in my lane. It didn’t take long for the ladies to decide what they wanted to try out. And then the fun began!!!
The time on the range with these ladies was amazing. The excitement on their faces, the smiles, the high fives, the fist bumps, and the “I did its!” brought me an undeniable feeling of gratitude and togetherness. It wasn’t just because of the ladies that were trying certain firearms for the first time, it wasn’t just because of the ladies that got a night out on the range, and it wasn’t just because I got to spend my night sharing knowledge and shooting with a great group of ladies…those reasons are only part of it. As the night ended and over the next several days, I realized that it was the fellowship of women that made me feel so grateful and exhilarated! I couldn’t get the smile off of my face for days. That night I remember taking a look at the activity on the range, and I saw a very diverse (in many ways) group of women come together and encourage, empower, and compliment one another. In the world that we live in today, this is so important! We, as women, have to support each other. We should be fixing each others crowns, not trying to knock them off. A group of women came together that night because they had one thing in common, the want for knowledge. But I hope they left with so much more. She-Shooters is about building confidence and this group of ladies exudes that. You are all AMAZING!!!!!!
Until next time, be safe, be aware, & keep training!