Give it a Shot!

When a group of women with physical challenges is instructed on the basics of rifle shooting and archery, they accomplish much more than shooting skills.

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I was at my friend’s farm trying out his crossbow for the first time. I remember the bolt leaving the string and penetrating the 3D target with that unforgettable “thud!” Even though the setup was precarious and I needed help balancing and pulling the trigger, it only took that one shot to get me hooked. Still I continued, arrow after arrow, with a growing excitement in my chest.

It didn’t take long before I was back out trying his .20 gauge shotgun and another friend’s M4 rifle. It wasn’t the idea of destroying something that drew me in. Rather, I found myself totally enthralled in learning the mechanics of the gun and wanting to understand the skill of shooting accurately and consistently.

Several women, including Helen Peplinski, learned how to safely handle a handgun. Wisconsin recently enacted the Right to Carry a Concealed Weapon Law.

Where did that intense interest for shooting come from? I am not quite sure. I grew up learning to respect guns, but that was as close as I got to them. But the more I learned, the more my enthusiasm grew.

I was raised on a small farm, so the outdoors have been a big part of my life. In 1985, at age 16, I was in a car accident that left me with a C5–6 spinal-cord injury, which changed how I did everything. It wasn’t until I was in college and I got involved in an accessible sailing program that I returned to enjoying the outdoors. That began my journey pursuing an endless array of adapted activities. It has meant so much to the quality of my life that I started sharing my experiences with others.

The Wheels Start Rolling

A growing number of women have been taking up the sport of shooting, but very few who have disabilities are engaged in the sport. Is it possible that misconceptions about firearms may have overshadowed the many activities available such as archery and handgun leagues, biathlons, trapshooting, and hunting? In the right environment, would more women with physical challenges be interested in shooting like I was? All I knew was that I was having too much fun not to share this.

Check out the complete article in the January 2012 issue of S'NS.

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