#feelgoodfriday – Celebrating Moms Who Shoot
Mother’s day is Sunday and for this week’s feel-good Friday I asked 8 special competitive shooters what it’s like to be a mom that shoots.
Read more about what they had to say…
“Balancing motherhood and my shooting career isn’t hard, because I know what I value most. But it is a challenge. I really like shooting, training, and competing… but I LOVE my family. I always put my family first, and sometimes that means doing things I don’t like, to take care of those I love… then when it is my turn to go on the clock at a match, I am able to free my mind, and let my feet and my trigger finger fly. It is not about ‘life balance,’ it is just about keeping what I value most in check. When I do that, then I’m free to shoot at the top of my game because I know my babies and my home are already taken care of for that moment…. my moment. If I fall short of where I want to finish at a match, I’ve still given my all, and sometimes that means it’s because my all went to my family.” Alysia Burrows @alysiashot
“I would tell mothers that being a happy and good mom mainly means for YOU to be happy and do what makes you happy, have time for your own passions. There’s nothing to feel guilty about when you do what you love doing. With a kid/kids at home, you just have to make sure to take advantage of your time better, so you may not have more time to practice, but you can do more with the time you have. That last part I learned just now, during this whole COVID-19 situation… I learned that I can always find those 10 minutes per day to dry fire, for example, or an hour for fitness.” – Yael Dagan @chickwithgun
“My motivation to be my best multiplied when I became a mom. I became one of the two most important influencers in my son’s life. As a competitive shooter, I want to show my son that discipline and dedication can help him achieve great things in life. As a protector, I am continually training to improve my self-defense skills. As a gun owner, I keep firearms safety rules as my top priority as my son is around firearms. Ultimately, being a mom has helped me be more efficient with my time, more determined to be my best, and more prepared to protect my son, who I love with all my heart!” – Gabby Franco @gabbyfrancots4
“The best thing about being a ‘mom who shoots’ is the hope that I’m helping to re-definine what’s normal for families. Family structures, roles and traditions are constantly evolving. Moms who shoot have been a BIG part of the changing attitudes toward and acceptance of firearms in the home. And I could not be more proud to be mama bear of a family that demonstrates positive, responsible family norms regarding firearm safety, training and usage.
Over the last 11 years, in my Her-Handgun classes and events, I have witnessed hundreds upon hundreds of major transformations in other moms (and women of all amazing titles) and their perceptions of and confidence regarding firearms ownership and having guns in their homes. There is nothing like experiencing that type of positive, near-instantaneous change. For me, hands down, that is the most rewarding return of being a ‘mom who shoots’.” – Kippi Leatham @kipleatham
“The hardest part about competing as a mom is the balance of ‘is it worth going to a match and missing time with my family.’ I deal with this by making sure each match helps to meet a specific overall goal I’ve set. If attending the match supports my competition goals, it also supports my goals as a mom to be a healthy, happy, and accomplished role model for my kids. When I’m away at a match and am missing my family, I remind myself of why I’m there, and that helps center my thoughts back to what matters, instead of my brief feelings in that moment. – Candice Horner @candi323
“The best thing about being a mom that shoots, is that my daughters get to see me go to work every day and accomplish the goals that I set forth. They see my routine. The 6 days a week of working out and the 3-4 days of training on the range. They get to see me work towards my goals and see a woman work hard for what she wants. This path provides a great example to my daughters by showing a strong work ethic.” – Michelle Viscuzi @scuzi23
“Being a mom has driven me to be more purposeful in all areas of life including shooting. Time is limited and there are other people to think about besides myself. It has shown me how to be more efficient in practice, to truly enjoy the time I am allotted, and to not take the opportunities I have on the range for granted. It has also made me even more thankful for my second amendment rights and inspired me to gain more confidence carrying a firearm on a daily basis to be able to protect my daughter.” – Sloan Sander @sloantranumsanders
“For any mom who wonders if they should feel guilty about setting goals to be proficient with firearms, I’d ask if they would feel guilty about being able to teach their children how to drive a car or operate a fire extinguisher. Moms are the first protector in their children’s lives. Having the skill to keep them safe and teach them self-sufficiency isn’t something to ever feel guilty about!” – Becky Yackley @beckyyackley
