My Shooting Journey:
The first time I was handed a pistol, I had absolutely no experience with firearms. With no warning, no instruction, and no ear & eye protection, I was given a handgun and challenged to take a shot. I aimed at the target, pulled the trigger, and simultaneously let out a startled scream as I was shocked by the sound and recoil. Others had a good laugh at my expense, but I will never forget the humiliation felt in that moment.
Twenty years passed before I was interested in firearms and finally purchased a handgun in 2012. When I became a gun owner, I didn’t realize it would start a journey that would add so much empowerment and joy to my life. That path progressed into competition shooting where I found a warm and welcoming family, and I have been blessed with many friendships along the way!
In 2014, I began working at Shady Oaks Gun Range when they opened the doors on Day One. I had the wonderful opportunity to watch it grow and expand in 2017. Although my professional background was mainly in accounting and office management, I soaked up a wealth of practical firearms knowledge at Shady Oaks Gun Range. This also put me on the path of becoming a pistol instructor in 2017 as I often found myself coaching basic firearms safety on the range.
In 2020, with a lot of changes that year, my full-time focus shifted. I scaled back to part-time availability at Shady Oaks Gun Range for lessons, classes and other administrative responsibilities.
As a woman who became interested in firearms “later in life,” I’m not your typical “Tactical Tammy” firearms instructor with a militant style or lifetime of gun experience. However, because I came into firearms “later in life,” I am acutely familiar with a lot of misinformation given to new firearm owners and to women particularly. It brings me joy to help others become competent and confident with a firearm as I learn and develop as a competitive shooter!
I love working with beginners and with people who may be intimidated by firearms. These are probably my favorite students. I am passionate about teaching others to be confident and competent at their own pace. My goal is to equip students with a safety-first mindset while also developing confidence to the point where they are comfortable using the range on their own. I also like to work with folks interested in getting started with pistol shooting sports and who wish to further develop their firearms proficiency.