Steven Mace
04-11-2006, 03:23 PM
Monday, April 10, 2006 — Time: 8:03:07 AM EST
Teachers shatter stereotypes about women and guns
By Connie Cartmell, ccartmell@mariettatimes.com
Cathy Ash, 41, of Barlow, is a shooter and proud of it.
For more and more American women like Ash, knowing how to handle and properly use a firearm offers empowerment, self-confidence, security, and fun.
"I love it all, just so long as it goes bang," Ash said of her guns.
Women and guns — it's a growing trend not likely to slow anytime soon.
"Actually, it's very empowering to know how to handle a firearm safely," Ash said. "Your confidence level soars and it's loads of fun."
Ash is among a growing number of women who see themselves as marksmen and firearm owners, and enjoy the whole sport genre surrounding guns.
"I got interested when I was always 'plinking' in the driveway, shooting cans with my 22 rifle," she said. "When I married my late husband, he shot IDPA (International Defensive Pistol Association) competition and I always went with him. I got interested. He offered to teach me the proper stance, grip, and gun safety."
Over five or six years, Ash, a licensed social worker with the Area Agency on Aging, has improved her skill level, is teaching National Rifle Association courses for women, and has won several prestigious competitions in shooting.
In 2003, she first won the Ohio State IDPA state competition and was named top woman shooter. Again in 2005, she won honors as top Ohio woman shooter.
She is an accomplished Beretta pistol shot.
"I probably have more guns in my house than most women have Longaberger baskets," she said. "It is fun and very empowering."
She is a certified NRA instructor, one of the few women in Ohio, and enjoys teaching women to shoot guns.
"Men teach differently," she said. "And women learn differently than men. I often run across women who are afraid of a gun, afraid to touch or handle it. Classes help them get over the fear."
She is concerned that if a woman is suddenly widowed, as she was in 2002, she might be left with a house full of guns and she is afraid to touch or handle them.
"I was exposed to guns as a child. My father had guns," she said. "But I had never done competition pistol. I did shoot a lot of pop cans in my drive-way."
Teresa Stone, Extension educator, natural resources/4-H with the Ohio State University Extension, Washington County, teaches shooting and gun safety. She also teaches archery. She'll have about a dozen young women a year in her skills courses, she said.
"It's still overwhelmingly boys and always has been," Stone said of shooting. "For most women, husbands and fathers have always taken care of the gun cabinet. Now women and girls want to learn."
Part of her job is presenting programs about firearms and firearm safety in schools. Stone said she often asks school groups about guns at home.
"I was at Marietta Middle School one time and I asked students to raise their hands if there was a gun (rifle or pistol) in their home. Three-quarters of the hands went up," Stone said. "If I am in a more rural area, all hands go up."
She believes students are being honest.
The goal of all gun courses is teaching safety.
Because of the popularity of hunting, and Washington County being mostly rural, there are just a lot of guns, she said.
"I got involved in the early 90s when there were a number of accidents with guns," Stone said. "We thought that education was needed and then developed programs through the Extension office."
Stone said she is finding that sometimes girls are actually better shots than boys.
Ash believes that's often the case.
"We still are different and in the minority when it comes to competition shooting," she said. "I am the only woman on the Beretta pistol team."
With a number of competition wins under her belt, Ash has gained much confidence over the years and believes she is accomplished at the sport.
She spends hours at the gun range (Fort Harmar Gun Club) on weekends and is constantly striving to improve her skills. Safety is always the major focus, she said.
"If I had children, I would be talking to them about gun safety as soon as they were old enough to understand," Ash said. "I have a nephew who plays with toy guns, and I have no problem with that."
Stone is accomplished with firearms herself, but doesn't often get the opportunity to shoot as much as she would like.
"I never have time," she said. "I am too busy instructing."
Women in Washington County have an opportunity to learn about firearms safety and to actually shoot a weapon during a program called "Experience The Outdoors," sponsored by the OSU Extension from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 3. For reservations or more information, 376-7431. Pre-registration is $28, which covers activities that day (lots of others besides shooting) and lunch.
http://www.mariettatimes.com/news/story/new99_410200680307.asp
Steve Mace
Teachers shatter stereotypes about women and guns
By Connie Cartmell, ccartmell@mariettatimes.com
Cathy Ash, 41, of Barlow, is a shooter and proud of it.
For more and more American women like Ash, knowing how to handle and properly use a firearm offers empowerment, self-confidence, security, and fun.
"I love it all, just so long as it goes bang," Ash said of her guns.
Women and guns — it's a growing trend not likely to slow anytime soon.
"Actually, it's very empowering to know how to handle a firearm safely," Ash said. "Your confidence level soars and it's loads of fun."
Ash is among a growing number of women who see themselves as marksmen and firearm owners, and enjoy the whole sport genre surrounding guns.
"I got interested when I was always 'plinking' in the driveway, shooting cans with my 22 rifle," she said. "When I married my late husband, he shot IDPA (International Defensive Pistol Association) competition and I always went with him. I got interested. He offered to teach me the proper stance, grip, and gun safety."
Over five or six years, Ash, a licensed social worker with the Area Agency on Aging, has improved her skill level, is teaching National Rifle Association courses for women, and has won several prestigious competitions in shooting.
In 2003, she first won the Ohio State IDPA state competition and was named top woman shooter. Again in 2005, she won honors as top Ohio woman shooter.
She is an accomplished Beretta pistol shot.
"I probably have more guns in my house than most women have Longaberger baskets," she said. "It is fun and very empowering."
She is a certified NRA instructor, one of the few women in Ohio, and enjoys teaching women to shoot guns.
"Men teach differently," she said. "And women learn differently than men. I often run across women who are afraid of a gun, afraid to touch or handle it. Classes help them get over the fear."
She is concerned that if a woman is suddenly widowed, as she was in 2002, she might be left with a house full of guns and she is afraid to touch or handle them.
"I was exposed to guns as a child. My father had guns," she said. "But I had never done competition pistol. I did shoot a lot of pop cans in my drive-way."
Teresa Stone, Extension educator, natural resources/4-H with the Ohio State University Extension, Washington County, teaches shooting and gun safety. She also teaches archery. She'll have about a dozen young women a year in her skills courses, she said.
"It's still overwhelmingly boys and always has been," Stone said of shooting. "For most women, husbands and fathers have always taken care of the gun cabinet. Now women and girls want to learn."
Part of her job is presenting programs about firearms and firearm safety in schools. Stone said she often asks school groups about guns at home.
"I was at Marietta Middle School one time and I asked students to raise their hands if there was a gun (rifle or pistol) in their home. Three-quarters of the hands went up," Stone said. "If I am in a more rural area, all hands go up."
She believes students are being honest.
The goal of all gun courses is teaching safety.
Because of the popularity of hunting, and Washington County being mostly rural, there are just a lot of guns, she said.
"I got involved in the early 90s when there were a number of accidents with guns," Stone said. "We thought that education was needed and then developed programs through the Extension office."
Stone said she is finding that sometimes girls are actually better shots than boys.
Ash believes that's often the case.
"We still are different and in the minority when it comes to competition shooting," she said. "I am the only woman on the Beretta pistol team."
With a number of competition wins under her belt, Ash has gained much confidence over the years and believes she is accomplished at the sport.
She spends hours at the gun range (Fort Harmar Gun Club) on weekends and is constantly striving to improve her skills. Safety is always the major focus, she said.
"If I had children, I would be talking to them about gun safety as soon as they were old enough to understand," Ash said. "I have a nephew who plays with toy guns, and I have no problem with that."
Stone is accomplished with firearms herself, but doesn't often get the opportunity to shoot as much as she would like.
"I never have time," she said. "I am too busy instructing."
Women in Washington County have an opportunity to learn about firearms safety and to actually shoot a weapon during a program called "Experience The Outdoors," sponsored by the OSU Extension from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 3. For reservations or more information, 376-7431. Pre-registration is $28, which covers activities that day (lots of others besides shooting) and lunch.
http://www.mariettatimes.com/news/story/new99_410200680307.asp
Steve Mace